The Abilene City Council on a unanimous vote approved a preliminary FY2026 budget for the Abilene Convention Center Hotel Development Corporation, which operates the DoubleTree Hilton Abilene Downtown Convention Center, after a public hearing and questions from council members.

Marjorie Knight, the city’s director of finance, presented the corporation’s preliminary figures, saying the budget reflects hotel operating revenue of $15,990,000, operating expenses of $14,510,000 and net operating income of $1,480,000. She said nonoperating expenses — primarily bond interest — total about $1,990,000, and after adjustments the corporation projects resources to meet FY2026 debt service with a surplus of about $119,000.

The budget must be approved by council under the corporation’s bylaws, Knight said. She described the submission as preliminary; Hilton will file a final calendar-year operating budget in November and staff will return to council with any needed revisions.

The approval followed public comment from Tammy Fogel, who said she had reviewed prior board materials and found little financial detail in the packet and called the corporation a “discreet” component unit of the city. Fogel asked how the roughly $1 million the council previously set aside as a contingency would be used, whether prior loans to the corporation would be repaid, and whether the city benefited equitably from the public–private arrangement that led to the hotel’s development.

During council questions, Knight said the $1 million remains in a fund that is somewhat restricted and would be available to meet future debt-service requirements for the convention center hotel project; it would roll forward if unused. She also said the corporation presents its budget on a gap basis and staff will return with any adjustments when the final budget comes in from Hilton.

No council member offered amendments during the discussion and the council voted to adopt the resolution approving the FY2026 preliminary budget.

The council and staff noted the budget is preliminary and will be revisited after Hilton’s final submission in November; staff also told residents that further financial detail and follow-up can be brought to future public meetings or board sessions.