Trophy Club officials outline plan to buy former Premier Academy for recreation space

The joint meeting of the Trophy Club Town Council and Parks & Recreation Board heard a staff presentation on a proposed acquisition of the former Premier Academy facility that officials say would provide flexible indoor space for year‑round recreation, camps and community meetings.

Mayor (speaking to the council and park board) introduced the item and said the property ‘‘meets the master park plan objective of creating a gathering space for all of Trophy Club’’ and would expand programming opportunities for children and adults. Chase, a parks staffer, told the boards the building has a sport‑court gym, two classrooms, restrooms off the gym and in classrooms, an adjacent fenced playground and roughly 8,600 square feet of usable space near the Trophy Club Drive roundabout. "This building has remained empty for about a year and a half," Chase said, adding staff found existing furnishings and activity equipment that could be incorporated into programming.

Staff told the boards the council previously moved on a purchase price of $1.8 million and noted an estimated $25,000 in closing costs. Chase described additional immediate improvements (security/IT upgrades, flooring and ceiling replacement, gym partitioning and equipment) and provided an "all‑in" capital figure the transcript records as "a little over 2 million 2,50,000"; staff characterized the total as in the low‑to‑mid $2 million range.

On programming, staff said the building could allow summer camps and other activities to grow: the facility could accommodate up to about 100 children while the town currently runs 60 camp slots per week. Chase said camps are targeted at 100% cost recovery; other offerings would have tiered recovery goals (for example, some fitness classes aim for roughly 50% cost recovery). For initial annual operating estimates, staff cited about $147,000 in recurring costs for one full‑time coordinator plus 4–5 part‑time staff, and projected roughly $37,500 in first‑year rental and program revenue, with the town supplementing the difference while programs mature.

On funding, staff said the town has roughly $2 million in existing capital funds from prior bond series (2023) plus leftover project money (pickleball project) that could be allocated to the purchase. Brennan, addressing fiscal impact, told the boards that those funds are "already accounted for" and said the proposed allocation would not raise residents' taxes.

Board members and councilors asked about parking, condominium restrictions, and use of adjacent outdoor areas. Chase said the building is part of a condominium association with shared parking rights and that staff are negotiating a license agreement to secure use of the outdoor play area and adjoining green space. Staff also confirmed the building itself is not in a floodplain and emphasized bus and drop‑off logistics for summer programs.

Staff outlined next steps and public engagement: a project page is posted on the town website and staff will issue social media notices and include the project in the town weekly. Council will hold a public hearing and consider a capital budget amendment at the July 13 meeting (with additional discussion planned July 27). Staff said the purchase is under a 50‑day contingency period; if contingencies are cleared, closing would follow (staff estimated roughly 30 days after contingencies are satisfied) and a ribbon cutting could be scheduled in the early part of the next year.

The boards did not vote on the acquisition during this meeting; the discussion centered on due diligence, community outreach and budget implications. The town will report inspection and appraisal results and proceed with public hearings and the contingency timeline before any final purchase decision.