City of Crestview staff and consultants reported a December/2025 master‑plan estimate for a full sports complex of about $130 million and reviewed funding options, including municipal bonds and phased construction. Council members expressed reluctance to approve a millage increase large enough to service that debt and discussed alternatives to meet near‑term needs.

The nut graf: A bond sized to cover a $130M project would carry multi‑mill impacts on the city’s millage rate; council members favored a phased plan that starts by addressing the most pressing need — indoor recreation space for youth programs — and exploring interim options such as using existing city parcels (Old Spanish Trail/Warriors Hall/Old golf course site), partnerships, and TDC/TDT funds to reduce up‑front borrowing.

Ajax (TPM) presented the full charrette/master plan and Prague (bond adviser) modeled bond scenarios. The firm reported that financing the full master plan via municipal bonds would require a millage increase in the range of several mills (consultant estimates cited 3.6–4.4 mills depending on 30‑ vs 20‑year terms). Council members uniformly said such an increase was unlikely to be acceptable to voters.

Council and staff discussed alternatives: 1) a phased build focused first on an indoor facility (gymnasium) that meets local program needs rather than full tournament‑grade regional complex; 2) locating an indoor facility on city‑owned property (Old Spanish Trail / Warriors Hall) while reserving broader land acquisition for later phases; 3) using TDC/TDT and CRA funds for interim improvements and arts/learning center remodels; and 4) pursuing partnerships with nearby communities or event operators for regional tournaments rather than relying on tournament revenue to pay debt service.

Staff emphasized timeline constraints: even with immediate decisions, major construction will take years (design, environmental work, procurement, and construction), and the council asked staff to return with phased cost estimates, potential parcel layouts for Old Spanish Trail, and a plan to use remaining TDC municipal allocation to support near‑term amenities.

Ending: Council directed staff to continue refining a phased/affordable approach prioritizing indoor recreation capacity for local youth programs, to explore reusing city‑owned parcels to reduce acquisition cost, and to return with financing scenarios and an outreach plan for public input.