Council advances 40‑year lease for Texan convenience store at Corpus Christi airport to second reading

The City Council voted to advance to a second reading an ordinance authorizing a 40‑year lease (plus a 10‑year extension) for approximately 8 acres at Corpus Christi International Airport to Deloshe LLC, doing business as The Texan. Airport staff described the proposed facility as a roughly 12,000‑square‑foot convenience store/restaurant with up to 32 pumps and about 196 parking spaces; staff estimated initial land revenues on the lease at roughly $160,000 annually with five‑year fair‑market adjustments and additional fuel flowage fees.

Jeremy Valgardson, assistant aviation director, told council the solicitation had included outreach to the airport’s existing concessions operator (Tailwinds) and that staff will meet with concessions operators and monitor sales impacts. Several council members asked for a full appraisal, comparisons to other airport and nearby leases, and clearer language in the lease to avoid unintended uses of the 196 parking spaces (for example, unregulated airport parking). Councilman Mark Scott pointed out that the Texan brand’s stores are clean and successful in other cities; Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn asked staff to include the concessionaire’s views on potential impacts to existing concession operators.

Public comment included concern from Rachel Caballero (Corpus Christi Taxpayers) about the seeming disparity between capital investment and lease revenue and the perceived incentive value for a successful private business. Staff said they will obtain a copy of the airport appraisal and provide additional information in the second‑reading packet, and that the Texan representatives will be present for the future hearing.

The council approved the ordinance on first reading so the item can return in roughly 30 days for the second reading with requested supporting materials and concessions outreach information.