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Creative Waco asks council to back recertification and expansion of Downtown Cultural District
Summary
Creative Waco board member Chris McGowan asked the council to support an application to the Texas Commission on the Arts to recertify the Downtown Cultural District and expand its boundaries to include riverfront and Baylor‑adjacent cultural assets; staff placed a related resolution on the consent agenda.
Chris McGowan, a board member of Creative Waco, told the council the Downtown Waco Cultural District — established by resolution in 2016 — is due for recertification and that Creative Waco is requesting council support to expand the district’s boundaries to better capture riverfront assets and cultural facilities near Baylor University.
McGowan said the district has produced significant economic returns for the local arts community over the past decade. “Through the cultural district, we’ve increased arts funding by more than 10 times in Waco,” he said, and he cited a local arts economic output increase of about 17% while noting much of the nation has declined. The application deadline for recertification is imminent; McGowan asked council to support the approach so staff can proceed with a corresponding resolution on the consent agenda.
Council members expressed broad support and raised boundary questions, asking whether newly acquired city land along Waco Drive should be included now or could be added later once assets are constructed. McGowan replied expansion can be staged and that there is nothing preventing future boundary revisions once new assets are in place.
City Manager Ryan Holt told the council Item 350 — a resolution corresponding to the presentation — is on the consent agenda and would depend on council support. No formal action was taken in the work session; staff will return any request for a resolution as part of the consent/regular meeting process.
