SAN MARCOS — A new event center arena and a conference center with a full-service hotel could be making its way to Hays County.
At its Dec. 3 meeting, the Hays County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the authorization for the execution of a preliminary development agreement (DA) between Hays County and Darren Casey Interests, Inc. d/b/a Casey Development Limited (developer) regarding the proposed use of Hays County Civic Center property, located at 1249 Civic Center Loop, San Marcos.
This came after the county sending out a solicitation seeking proposals from qualified firms regarding the proposed uses of the Hays County Civic Center property in 2022. At that time, the developer submitted a proposal, which consisted of a stateof- the-art event center arena and a functional conference center, with an approximately 250-room full-service hotel. In February 2023, the Hays County Commissioners Court voted to award the solicitation to the developer.
Since then, the developer has procured a feasibility study in conjunction with Hunden Strategic Partners; both parties — Hays County and Darren Casey Interests, Inc. d/b/a Casey Development Limited — now have the desire to enter into the preliminary DA regarding concept refinement, general design, construction, financial, budgetary, management and maintenance for the project.
“We have been working with Casey Development for over two years now to look at proposed uses at the Hays County Civic Center property.
This will help, I guess, refine and define the project, which will also include obligations of each party and financials,” explained commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe.
Looking further into the details of the project, Assistant General Counsel Jordan Powell said that it is anticipated that the site would house approximately an 80,000 square-foot sports complex and exhibit space, roughly 2500 seat arena and event center and then, an approximately 250 key full-service hotel.
The preliminary DA would provide for the developer to work with the county to better fine-tune ideas for the property. The agreement breaks down the project into two phases: concept refinement and pre-development.
Activities that would take place during the concept refinement phase, Powell said, would be things such as: refining a more definitive concept plan for the project, including visual renderings and a site plan; working on some feasibility and due diligence work; finalizing real estate, business and legal terms; discussing and looking at different financing options for this project, possibly identifying a venue operator; and working on a development budget for the land develop and work, as well as a budget for design and construction of any facilities.
After that phase, and through working with the county in that phase, there will be a better defined concept of what the project would look like, according to Powell. That will be brought back to the county and at that point, if the county “likes what they see or wants to tweak things that they see, we have the opportunity to do that. And if we like what we see and we want to move forward or tweak it, then we will then go into that second phase, which is called the pre-development phase,' she said.
Powell added that the predevelopment phase is where the preparation of design documents, finalizing financing arrangements for the land development work in the facilities and negotiating operating terms take place.
While there is a convention center and attached hotel in San Marcos — Embassy Suites — Ingalsbe emphasized that the county does not want to compete with it when this project is designed, constructed and completed. She also added that the county has been in conversation with the developer to ensure that there is going to be a space to host community events.
Judge Ruben Becerra agreed, stating that he wants to ensure that ultimately, the county and the developer take the community into consideration for this project.
“They are most receptive and interested in doing what we want and what we think is best for our community and they displayed a sincere desire to help shape the vision at this stage of what we as a court want to accomplish,” shared Becerra. “So, I am grateful that it is happening on our watch and we get the opportunity to ensure community engagement. Every time I talk to them I say, ‘I want to make sure that we include the community and we have their input and their conversation points accounted for.’” Though there were some different economic development opportunities over the last 10 years that could have taken place at the site, commissioner Lon Shell explained that this is the best use for the land.
Another commissioner, Walt Smith, who has been supportive of the concept since the very beginning, said that he hopes that there will be more outreach between the developer and all members of the court.
“I would ask the developer and our contracting vendor to try to do their best to keep the court updated because I can tell you, I have not talked to [them] since we did that vote two years ago. [I would like] better understanding, as far as conceptually, what is going to happen on the property and understanding — we mentioned San Marcos a lot today, but this is a true county facility and that’s how we’ve looked at it — of those other services and what might be needed there. I think that would be helpful. I would just ask them to do some additional outreach,” Smith said.
Becerra agreed with Smith’s points about ensuring that they know what services will be needed at the property. He added that when he met with the developer, he highlighted that the county wants to make sure that a hardened facility through the emergency management lens is incorporated, so that there is a place to use for emergency response and for people to evacuate to when needed.
“Key components that each of us, through our lens, have an opportunity to [do] early on. It is nothing but a singular pen stroke, where later, it becomes an impossibility,” the judge said.
To read the full preliminary DA, visit the commissioners court’s agenda page at bit.ly/3OF5Aql.
The Hays County Commissioners Court meets next at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at the Hays County Historical Courthouse, located at 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos.
