The Princeton Independent School District has selected the University of North Texas Coliseum as the new site for Princeton Senior High School’s graduation ceremony. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 23, at 601 N. Texas Boulevard in Denton.
District officials moved the commencement from the Credit Union of Texas Allen Event Center because the previous venue could no longer hold all graduating students and their families. Jean Ann Collins, a public information officer for the district, stated that the Class of 2027 is projected to include approximately 670 graduates.
This number continues an upward trend from recent years; the Class of 2024 had 511 members, the Class of 2026 had 619 members, and another group of 645 students graduated in May.
During a Feb. 23 meeting with the PISD Board of Trustees, Princeton Senior High School Principal Richard Boring outlined the logistical challenges associated with finding a suitable location. He noted that renting the Allen Event Center costs the district $20,000 and provides eight tickets per student. The facility has a total capacity of 5,200 people.
Boring identified The Star in Frisco as the only other larger venue in the immediate vicinity. However, that location requires advance booking, charges a $120,000 rental fee, and offers only 10 tickets per student. The UNT Coliseum, also referred to as the Super Pit, has a capacity of 9,797. According to Collins, this larger space eliminates any ticket limits for attendees at the upcoming ceremony.
