Gun Barrel City council and its Economic Development Corporation (EDC) spent the bulk of a workshop debating how to translate the city's comprehensive and strategic plans into near-term priorities, with multiple members urging a focus on retail leakage and youth sports as economic drivers.

Charles, the EDC representative, framed the strategy as two-linked priorities: use the lake and events to create secondary demand and then capture primary retail that follows. "I don't talk about Gun Barrel City in a vacuum," he said, arguing the city is part of a larger Lakeplex market and that "you have the retail gravity for the lake." He recommended starting small and phasing major projects on the 60-acre parcel staff identified for recreation and tourism development.

Council members and staff pointed to a Retail Coach finding in the comp plan that the trade area now reaches about 15 miles, and flagged specific retail gaps—bait and tackle, sporting-goods retailers and grocery—that leave local dollars leaking out of town. One councilor noted the plan lists "food services and drinking places present 1 of the major opportunities, over 20,000,000 in unmet demand." That figure underpinned repeated suggestions that attracting restaurants and complementary retailers should be a near-term objective.

Supporters of sports fields argued tournament-level youth sports bring overnight visitors who spend at hotels and restaurants. "The fastest and quickest way, I think, is use sports," a councilor said, urging a phased approach that begins with four lighted fields and expands as the market proves out. Charles outlined public-private partnership options and said phased fields could be leased to operators who stage tournaments that generate hotel room nights and restaurant sales.

Councilors asked staff to return with more detail on costs, likely partners and marketing plans. City staff and the EDC agreed to refine the strategic-product recommendations for council direction at the next meeting so the city's budget and capital deployment over the next 18–24 months can reflect the chosen priorities.

The discussion closed with staff noting communication and regional marketing would be central to any strategy: the council asked for ways to aggregate a Lakeplex calendar and better promote local events to visiting audiences.