Kennedale EDC reports $2.1M fund balance, hears Town Center leasing and buildout updates

The Kennedale Economic Development Corporation on its regular meeting reviewed financial results through February showing more than $2.1 million available in EDC funds and discussed a multi-pronged push to recruit retailers and finalize construction of a third Town Center building.

EDC Director Horton told the board that sales tax revenue was tracking at 20.2% (the report covered a period 41% through the fiscal year) and that rental fees for the shopping center were at about 47% of budget. "Our ADC operations were only at 30% of the budget," Horton said, adding that some operational funds had been set aside for grants and that the first grant window had not yet produced awards.

The financial briefing noted Town Center expenditures at about 16% of budget and projected a possible bump in grant spending at the June meeting. "We have over $2,100,000 available in the fund as of the end of last month," Horton said when asked whether the balance represented cash available now.

Separately, consultants from CP2 summarized recent market and outreach work they have done for the EDC and the Chamber of Commerce, including analysis of ESRI and Placer.ai data, business interviews and a business survey to shape priorities for the remainder of the year. The consultant said a detailed plan will be delivered at the April meeting and a proposed dedicated EDC website concept, with content and branding, is expected in May.

"All the research we've been doing...goes into that, what that content is, what the look and feel is," the CP2 consultant said, adding the work is intended to help Kennedale present itself to target retailers and restaurants. The consultant reported a list of about 16–17 restaurants being pursued for Town Center sites and said the Chamber's bylaws were updated and a new event calendar is being developed.

Craig Hughes, the developer working in Town Center, reported progress on tenants and construction: Dollar General is expected to turn over its building in April with a likely opening around May 1, and loan documents for the third building are approved and being finalized. "We're approved. We're good to go," Hughes said. He said he was pursuing an anchor restaurant (roughly a 5,000-square-foot space was discussed) and had other prospects including a 6,000-square-foot physical-therapy tenant.

Board members and staff discussed site work and infrastructure needs tied to new leases: proposals for relocating electrical panels and demoing the dumpster wall were under review but contractors warned moving that back wall could be expensive; one estimate discussed during the meeting placed the likely cost in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars. Staff reported they were seeking bids for dumpster relocation and associated site stabilization, which could also create additional parking.

Other operational items raised included a proposed food‑truck area (board members said it needs a hard surface rather than grass), signage and lighting along Kennedale Parkway, and the feasibility of adding turn lanes or traffic signals; staff clarified any lighting or lane/median changes on the parkway would require TxDOT approval. The CP2 consultant and staff also discussed sports‑complex and civic‑center concepts raised by board members and how those could factor into long‑range planning.

The EDC held an executive session under Texas Government Code §551.087 to deliberate commercial or financial information related to economic development negotiations, then reconvened and had no reportable action from the executive session. The consent agenda (minutes from January and February) was approved unanimously.

Votes at a glance • Motion to approve consent agenda (minutes from January and February): passed (unanimous; specific roll-call counts not stated on the record). Mover: unidentified (speaker 6). Second: unidentified (speaker 7). • Motion to move into executive session under Texas Government Code §551.087: passed. Mover: unidentified (speaker 4). Second: unidentified (speaker 6). • Motion to adjourn at reconvened session: passed. Mover: unidentified (speaker 1). Second: unidentified (speaker 7).

Looking ahead, CP2 will return with a draft plan in April and a website concept in May; developer Craig Hughes expects to submit plans and begin construction on the third building shortly after loan documents are executed. Several infrastructure items remain to be priced and bid, and any changes to parkway lighting or medians will require TxDOT approval.