City parks staff on June 26 outlined conceptual improvements for Wolf Pen Creek Park and the festival site — the amphitheater and adjacent festival area that host concerts and community programming — and requested council feedback on priorities and next steps.

“Kelsey Hayden: The item for you tonight is some potential improvements for Wolf Pen,” said Kelsey Haydn, who led the presentation for the Parks Department, summarizing recent activation work and showing concept images for amphitheater-style seating, shade structures, dedicated food‑truck pedestals, restroom upgrades, a splash/water feature and a pavilion at the festival site.

Haydn described frequent flooding at the park — the site sits in both the floodway and floodplain — and said city crews now clear several inches of silt after major rises. She warned that work in the floodplain may require permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and noted an existing four‑year erosion-control grant with Texas A&M AgriLife that funds riparian buffer plantings and invasive species removal.

Council members broadly supported improving activation and identity for the site. Several asked staff to prioritize stronger, distinctive entry signage so visitors immediately recognize the amphitheater and festival site as a destination. Council Member Wright urged early work on entry treatments and consistent aesthetic branding. Council Member Yancey pushed staff to investigate whether the low “moat” in front of the stage could be filled or raised so the area would be usable more often after floods. Others pressed for premium seating and shade options, better parking and design approaches that respect the site’s tendency to flood.

Several council members encouraged the parks team to pursue a third‑party programming partner. Haydn confirmed the city had an initial meeting with a private group that proposed programming and some capital participation; staff said any proposed partnership would return to council for direction and possible executive-session negotiation. Kelsey Haydn and the parks team also said they were preparing ballpark cost estimates and a menu of improvement options to present in the fall and would outline funding options and phasing scenarios.

Council asked for a clear timeline: staff said they would report back with refined cost estimates, funding recommendations and a recommendation on negotiating with the third‑party partner, likely by early fall; they also noted some improvements could be phased and listed that the next steps would include design, Corps coordination and vetting for permitability in floodway areas.

The workshop-level review was informational; no ordinance or binding action was taken. Council members emphasized balancing “dream big” improvements with respect for floodplain engineering limits and for the long‑term maintenance needs of any added built features.