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Main Street officials outline downtown redevelopment, events and business recruitment plans
Summary
Main Street and Economic Development staff described plans to renovate the Impact venue (rebranded as Courthouse Theater), support downtown business recruitment and events including Oktoberfest, and to coordinate infrastructure work near the old City Hall.
Main Street and City economic development officials told the McKinney Economic Development Corporation board on July 15 that downtown redevelopment and business recruitment remain priorities as the city prepares infrastructure work and private investment.
"Our vision is very clear: a very vibrant downtown district," Andrew Jones, cultural district director, said. He told the board Main Street operates as a public-private nonprofit and supports more than 200 street-level small businesses and more than 112 annual events.
Jones and other presenters described a planned renovation and rebrand of the Impact venue, with construction slated to start in early 2026 and the venue to be marketed as the "Courthouse Theater." The presenters said the renovation addresses deferred maintenance and aims to create new public uses.
Main Street and EDC staff highlighted promotional activities and recent public-art installations — including a downtown scavenger-hunt event that drew thousands of participants last year and is scheduled again for the 30th — and the downtown trolley, a fixed 15-minute route intended to connect older and newer investment areas.
Why it matters: downtown revitalization affects retail occupancy, hospitality demand and cultural life. Presenters said demand is growing for top-tier office space, complementary hotel products and nightlife that would lengthen visitor stays and support sales-tax revenue. Graham (role not given in the transcript) said data sharing between Main Street and EDC is an important part of recruitment and investor outreach.
Board members praised Main Street’s work and raised questions about retail hours and how to encourage businesses to remain open later. Jones said Main Street and partners "encourage our businesses to stay open later" but noted many are small, owner-operated establishments and that encouraging later hours is a challenge tied to business capacity.
Main Street officials also described coordination with the city on an upcoming infrastructure investment around the old City Hall and library area, and on programs such as retail infrastructure grants, Texas Historic Commission design services and public-art grants to support adaptive reuse.
Looking forward: Main Street and EDC staff said they will continue collaboration on business recruitment, events and infrastructure coordination. They described an impending marketing rollout with an external agency, and said Oktoberfest and other fall events will be used to showcase downtown to visitors and stakeholders.
