Revised South Padre Island convention center plan shifts theater away from old-growth habitat; residents press for finance and conservation safeguards

South Padre Island officials presented a revised plan for the Convention Center expansion on June 12, moving the proposed black‑box theater away from an area residents and birders call mature habitat and offering a phased, budget‑conscious approach while continuing to study costs and funding.

The revision, presented by Blake Henry, Executive Director of Visit South Padre Island, and Raymond Janak of Janak Architects, retains an enlarged exhibit hall, additional meeting rooms and a possible ballroom but relocates the theater to avoid the island’s southern native‑plant circle. Henry said the project remains a multi‑year effort and that public input will shape final design and phasing. “We are reassessing the scale, design, and timeline,” Henry said, adding that the goal is to “preserve our natural beauty of our island while building a facility that meets our community.”

The change comes after months of public concern that earlier concepts would damage mature vegetation used by migrating birds. Residents, birders and local event organizers called for formal input from ornithologists, stronger construction protections for habitat and clearer financial projections.

Blake Henry laid out the conventional‑tourism case for expansion, saying group business at the Convention Center generated “more than $30,000,000 in estimated economic impact” over the past three years and citing recent fiscal‑year attendance and room‑night figures. Executive summaries in the presentation put historical building square footage at roughly 92,000 square feet and described a Version 2 concept that would expand facility area to approximately 188,481 square feet if built in full.

Rodrigo (Rod), the city chief financial officer, reviewed funding sources and debt scenarios and detailed current reserves. He said the venue (2%) tax fund balance stands near $15.5 million today and is expected to reach about $16.5 million by the end of the fiscal year if no amendments are made; the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) portion of hotel tax revenues is projected at roughly $12.5 million next year with about $22.5 million in excess reserves. Using current interest‑rate assumptions he presented sample debt service estimates: borrowing $60 million would yield an annual payment near $4.5 million; $70 million about $5.3 million; and $80 million about $6.1 million. Rod cautioned that these are preliminary estimates and that call/refinance features and future rate changes could alter payments.

Raymond Janak, the project architect, summarized two schematic options. The first version would have placed a 13,000‑square‑foot theater footprint into the southern old‑growth area but would have proposed plantings elsewhere to mitigate impact. The revised alternative relocates the theater to the north‑west admin area, adds a mezzanine and administrative space on a new second level, and preserves the south circle area while acknowledging small, under‑1,000‑square‑foot wetland impacts in limited locations that may require minor mitigation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Public commenters generally welcomed the theater and other upgrades but pressed for stronger habitat protections, expert involvement and financial transparency. Kyra Hudson, who runs several large events and is a member of the city’s TIF board, said the current exhibit hall constrains event size and that an expanded hall and in‑house food service would let organizers bring larger trade and sports events to the island: “Any bigger event than this … it's just not doable at all in that space,” Hudson said.

Local birders and conservationists urged formal inclusion in planning. Justin McClaire, a longtime birder on the island, asked that plantings be designed as contiguous habitat patches suitable for migratory species rather than isolated ornamentals, and Gloria Galindo, identifying herself as a birder and conservationist, asked for “local experts” to be seated at the planning table. “What we’re asking is to be included, to not be dismissed,” Galindo said.

Some residents also questioned the debt and operating assumptions. Andy Hancock and other speakers noted that the Convention Center has operated at a loss in past years and asked whether larger space would increase operating losses if revenues do not rise proportionally. The city responded that the expansion is intended to be phased and budget conscious and that further financial analysis and a possible oversight committee would be part of subsequent work.

No ordinance, bond authorization or contract award was voted at the workshop. City staff said the next steps include additional public workshops, targeted technical input (including engagement with ornithologists and Audubon representatives), and further financial modeling. Staff also said they would consider forming a formal committee that would include local stakeholders and financial experts to review financing scenarios and construction protections.

By the end of the session the council had not adopted any funding measure or construction contract. Officials emphasized that design decisions remain tentative and that future public meetings and design revisions will reflect community feedback.

A list of clarifying details, funding figures and documented alternatives presented at the June 12 workshop is appended below.