Missouri City Parks and Recreation presented final design concepts and a funding update for the Stamos Sports Park redevelopment, describing a family-oriented playground, a splash pad designed for year-round contribution to the park, and multiple athletic fields and support facilities.

The project team said the family zone will be “the first thing you see as you're approaching the park,” with a three-story play structure for 5-to-12-year-olds, a shaded 2-to-5 toddler area, and non-structure active elements (described in the presentation as ground "blobs" and small embankment slides). Staff said the design includes an accessible, ramped approach to the main play platform so children and adults using mobility devices can reach the top without transfers.

The splash pad concept uses a rockscape and native-themed motifs so it contributes visually outside of splash-pad season; lighting and bollards will be placed near the play areas to provide safety illumination for events. Staff said restrooms (four stalls at the family-zone pavilion) and a water fountain will be adjacent to the playground. During a question-and-answer period a staff member stated the sitewide parking capacity as "600"; that figure was reported in the meeting record.

Project timing and budget: staff said design and construction documents are being finalized and the project is expected to be put out to bid in January. Construction was described as an approximately 18-month effort, weather and bidding schedules permitting, with a target for full opening in mid-2027. The estimated total project cost presented to the board was between $13.5 million and $15.5 million for the entire park program, including two full-size soccer/cricket fields, four baseball/softball diamonds, a batting-cage/multiuse building, concession facilities, courts, parking, utilities and lighting. Staff also said the project received $4.0 million from a Fort Bend County parks bond.

Staff cautioned that the water-service plan is still under negotiation with the local municipal utility district and the citys CIP team; changes to irrigation, restrooms, or splash-pad water infrastructure will affect final construction documents and costs. The presentation noted that the playground surfacing will be pour-in-place rubber with a gray-and-black blend to make colors pop, and that the playground and splash-pad procurement are being pulled out of the general contract to reduce markups and allow scheduling flexibility.

What happens next: staff said they will complete construction documents, proceed to bid in January, and return to the board with schedule and procurement details; staff asked the board to expect a multi-month construction period once a contractor is selected.

Sources: presentation to the Missouri City Parks Board (topic introduction at 00:17:32 in the meeting transcript; topic discussion continues through 00:27:07).