City Manager Ike Tewell said McAllen will place greater emphasis on sports tourism, outdoor recreation and cultural attractions, pointing to planned field expansions, the near‑completion of Quinta Mazatlan enhancements, and improvements at Camp McAllen.

Tewell said the city commission has authorized investments in properties that can be converted into additional sports fields and that workshops with the city commission to refine locations and plans will occur in the coming year. He cited demand from Mexico for sports competition in South Texas and suggested the city could capture events now held in North Texas.

Tewell highlighted progress on Quinta Mazatlan’s new gardens and botanical features, calling the project “spectacular” and noting partnerships with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the school district and corporate partner H‑E‑B. He also encouraged residents to visit Camp McAllen, praising its trails and fishing opportunities and calling it a significant recreational asset.

Nut graf: The city manager framed recreation and cultural investments as economic drivers — from hosting tournaments and conferences (with convention center proximity) to attracting visitors to botanical gardens and neighborhood parks — and said planning and coordination with the school district and nonprofit partners will be central to implementation.

Details and context: Tewell referenced the Boys & Girls Club redevelopment of an old Bond school property as an example of transforming underused land into community assets. He said many projects will require collaboration with independent school districts and nonprofit partners; specific project schedules and budgets were not provided in the presentation.

Ending: The city intends to proceed with planning workshops, partnership agreements and incremental investments to advance sports tourism and recreational tourism goals; exact timelines and capital allocations were not detailed at the chamber event.