BLINN COLLEGE TO SAVE OVER $12 MILLION IN BOND SALE FOR WALLER CAMPUS ACADEMIC BUILDING
The Blinn Board of Trustees learned on Tuesday that the College’s bond sale to support construction at the new Waller Campus will save over $12 million over the life of the bonds.
2026 revenue bonds, as presented to Blinn's Board
of Trustees on Tuesday.
Steven Adams, Managing Director at Specialized Public Finance, Inc., Blinn College’s financial advisor, informed trustees that the College was able to secure an interest rate of 4.31 percent for its $55.5 million in Series 2026 revenue bonds. Proceeds from the bonds will support the construction of Blinn’s first academic building on the Waller Campus, with the remaining project costs to be funded from Blinn’s cash reserves.
Adams said the College was estimating an interest rate of 5.25 percent when the bond issuance was authorized in December, meaning Blinn now expects to pay $12,313,557 less over the 30-year term of the bonds.
At December’s meeting, trustees approved a $68 million guaranteed maximum price to build the Waller Campus academic building, which will be an 82,000-square-foot, three-story facility. The structure will include classrooms, laboratories, student support areas and administrative spaces that will serve as the foundation for future campus development.
Blinn Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley called this “a joyful time for Blinn College” and said the board’s leadership has charted a path that will guide the College well into the future.
Bond proceeds are expected to be delivered into the project construction fund on Wednesday, March 18th.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved two new Associate of Applied Science degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence in Business. The new programs are set to launch this fall.
Blinn’s Artificial Intelligence course will focus on the technical side of AI, including cloud computing, machine learning, data science, networking and infrastructure. The Artificial Intelligence in Business program blends AI coursework with business fundamentals to prepare students to use AI tools for decision-making, operations and digital innovation.
Both degrees require 60 credit hours and offer certificate and Occupational Skills Award options for students seeking shorter pathways into the workforce.
In other business, trustees authorized the College to negotiate and execute contracts for:
- flooring replacement at Wheeler Hall on the Brenham Campus,
- mechanical controls contractor services related to building automation system upgrades at the Academic Building on the Brenham Campus,
- mechanical contractor services related to air handler unit replacement at Building D on the Bryan Campus,
- and audio-visual equipment for the Waller Workforce and Technical Education Complex.