Casey Development to Helm Civic Center in San Marcos

Casey Development could spearhead development of a civic center just south of downtown San Marcos.

The San Antonio-based developer has entered into a preliminary agreement with Hays County to construct the “Spring Trail Center,” a mixed-used project featuring a 2,500-seat arena, an 80,000-square-foot youth sports complex and a 250-room hotel, the San Antonio Express News reported. The cost hasn’t been reported.

The project, at 1249 Civic Center Loop, would revive a site that housed the county’s civic center for decades. Built in the 1970s and demolished in 2013, the facility — which once hosted a concert for the late queen of Tejano music, Selena — was shuttered after county officials cited the financial burden of $177,000 in annual maintenance costs.

That decision, however, left a gap in the community that County Judge Ruben Becerra is determined to fill.

“I hate to have hindsight bias,” Becerra told the outlet. “The community here loved it and used it a lot. When it was torn down … they felt that it was taken away from them, and that was just a bad look.”

The new civic center is envisioned as a multi-functional space that could draw large-scale events such as music festivals and conventions to the emerging Austin-San Antonio megaregion. It will include an open amphitheater and a conference center designed to meet growing regional demand for venues that cater to large gatherings.

Casey Development’s history with San Marcos gives the project a local connection. Darren Casey, the company’s founder and a Texas State University alumnus, has developed high-profile properties in the area, including Aspire San Marcos and Uptown Square. His firm was the only respondent to a 2022 request for proposals from the county.

Since 2010, the county’s population has surged by nearly 80 percent, reaching approximately 280,000 residents last year.

While the financing model is still under discussion, the preliminary agreement outlines a vision where Hays County will pay for land development and facilities construction.

— Andrew Terrell