[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6429047,"mediaKeyId","5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9","parentId",5897086,"title","Council accepts Buena Vista Sports Complex phase 1, orders cost estimates for items removed and directs phase 2 designs","audioSeconds",1673,"startMs",3257000,"endMs",4930000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9&start=3257&end=4930","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9/thumbnail_3257000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6429047/Laredo/Webb-County/Texas/Council-accepts-Buena-Vista-Sports-Complex-phase-1-orders-cost-estimates-for-items-removed-and-directs-phase-2-designs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429047-c697528bc19680ed44fe50e1367b781d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511386&Signature=Xs5QWYE2JDahYXjGa4ADG02xhtkbBnnRrHcnSLRK05HCyvgqmk80653RO4Ve4WQG07lRiExSPIx0BlySg1UFNTOabkR7qtaJwehx9yhwNKQLsWz39uhVZbXss~9R4YFSJiXBJvblWT71FzxKLvQGjKvJOnsMntFjXP8ua993hwE5EtBL-brQOzbb~M5tG22jucznUlAtyXOAtgCdimtc5zep5ggUOH2cqh16ex3vyZEhpeg0bVgbTTC0QsCLmslQGcR0ebusiUTgfUrnQs9p6zjI9Pawnq~n3gTsCAG3QS8lfjET9tNAYqykOo12aHT-fHsL-k9sQWM83ER64-YPTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Laredo","date","2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","article","Laredo City Council on Oct. 6 accepted the near-complete Phase 1 of the Buena Vista Sports Complex and directed staff to return with estimates and funding options to restore items removed from the original Phase 1 scope and to begin design work for Phase 2.

The council’s votes followed a detailed presentation from the project design and construction team and a long public discussion about schedule, costs and which amenities remain unbuilt.

Why it matters: The Buena Vista complex was approved by voters in referendums in 2014 and 2018 as a major sports tourism venue. Accepting Phase 1 moves the city toward opening the complex for use, and the council’s direction to request costs and plan Phase 2 signals the city intends to expand amenities — including additional fields, parking and a multipurpose/concessions building — if funding allows.

What staff and designers told council
Architects from JHS presented the master plan and described what was included in the approved Phase 1: multiple synthetic turf baseball/softball fields, a multipurpose field, concession/restroom facilities and about 644 parking spaces. JHS project administrator Ed Quito told the council the full master plan had originally been priced at roughly $65–70 million; Phase 1 was budgeted at about $45 million.

Project presenters said work in place to date totaled roughly $39.5 million with an outstanding balance, including retainage and finish work, of roughly $7.4 million; the construction team estimated the site was about 90–92% complete and aiming for final completion in November, with a substantial-completion milestone discussed at the end of October.

Council direction and votes
Council approved three separate motions the mayor had proposed: (1) accept Phase 1 completion; (2) direct staff and the construction manager to provide a cost estimate to add back items that had been removed from Phase 1 (the family/play area, a multipurpose field, concessions and additional parking) and return with a financing plan; and (3) proceed with Phase 2 design plans. Council also approved an amendment to include consideration of $4.5 million (previously held in the capital improvement program for turf fields) as a potential funding source and asked staff to evaluate how and whether to use those funds.

Funding and schedule questions
Council members pressed staff for an explicit cost and schedule for the add-backs and for Phase 2. Staff said the sports-venue tax and existing bond proceeds funded Phase 1 and that sports-venue receipts continue to grow; management said a formal cost estimate for the add-back items would be obtained from the contractor within about 10 days and then returned to council with financing options. Staff warned that some contingency funding was still being held in the project and that additional features for Phase 2 would likely cost less than building from scratch because infrastructure is in place.

Quotes on the record
Architect Paramedo Sanchez summarized the master plan and the items that remain as add-backs. Project administrator Ed Quito said the full program initially was expected to cost “about 65 to $70 million” and that the Phase 1 contract was for about $45 million; the work-in-place total reported to council was roughly $39.5 million. Presenters noted horizontal work is sensitive to rain delays and that each rain day can translate to multiple lost working days for heavy equipment.

Ending
Council accepted Phase 1 and directed staff to seek firm pricing to finish the Phase 1 add-ons and to prepare design documents for Phase 2. Staff said the city will return with cost and financing options before committing funds for add-back work.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council","oneSentenceSummary","Laredo City Council on Oct. 6 accepted the near-complete Phase 1 of the Buena Vista Sports Complex and directed staff to return with estimates and funding options to restore items removed from the original Phase 1 scope and to begin design work for Phase 2.","taxTitle","Laredo, Webb County, Texas","taxId",2820,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6429048,"Laredo council approves Lafayette Tiny Homes rental project after debate over veterans prioritization",2430,2510000,4940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9&start=2510&end=4940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9/thumbnail_2510000.jpg","/articles/6429048/Laredo/Webb-County/Texas/Laredo-council-approves-Lafayette-Tiny-Homes-rental-project-after-debate-over-veterans-prioritization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429048-7f510df87804e07efda20bfd2f089319/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511386&Signature=CGzzQ-Bu2ZAGotswCPwh5nh2bPPVaaAiilZxpqDowUxRP8etC9SAbVcbr0WrQ1zFDj2jMEGrym5adhx8wk4DVfadFaTTMzV73Pv~tXZs5buqo7AqFzeMuOrofz3NW4ByUixHKrsUvApwgwaamj2RJjmVPuK4ijuLcEYawPQR83OA2eCFdt3vlXed1i3eKFqlgpsDKjwoYbjDS5N3p8KT3OnubMKvKDY~DARJaTQowjdOPeQNnTjm~J2vsj-8uW60EJrFe9qNwVMjLtu9s0QRAgvgU7hx2Q9JhO8q7pbae9K1qqq4ZOvo~plRKkskCZ-XKBo0XwH01jCQ0QTczJ5olQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laredo City Council voted on Oct. 6 to accept the Lafayette Tiny Homes rental housing project, approving the use of HOME and HOME-ARP funds to build compact rental units targeted to low-income residents, people who are homeless, and those at risk of homelessness.

Council and staff debate focused on how the project’s eligibility rules changed after an early donation and a veterans-focused plan did not materialize. Community Development Director Tina Martinez told the council that the project’s scope “did change because the original program and the original donation that was being considered didn't — it fell through.” She said the city subsequently matched available federal affordable-housing funding to the site and revised the program to comply with HOME program rules.

Why it matters: Council members who had supported the project when it was presented as housing for homeless veterans pressed for clarity on whether veterans would remain a priority for the Lafayette development. Staff said federal HOME rules and the specific funding sources require broader eligibility but that the city will keep homeless veterans in mind through existing referral networks and by setting aside some units for people meeting homeless categories.

Council discussion and staff details
Staff said the project will create a small number of rental units at the Lafayette site funded largely through HUD HOME and HOME-ARP allocations that are already assigned to affordable-housing projects. Tina Martinez and other staff said the original donation of tiny-home structures and a private partnership that had made a strictly veterans-focused project possible did not come through; city staff then restructured financing and design to make a feasible project using HUD funds.

Martinez told council that the HOME funds require objective eligibility criteria tied to HUD rules, which led to a broader low-income and homeless focus rather than exclusive veteran-only eligibility. Martinez also said the city will operate two wait lists — one for homeless/at-risk categories and one for general low-income applicants — and that the funding made possible a small set of tiny homes that will be tenant-paid rental units rather than fully subsidized units. “Out of the nine units, four will have to be set aside for homeless that they will have to meet one of the categories,” staff said during the meeting.

Council members expressed frustration that the project’s original veterans-centered label had been retained in some documents after the change. One council member requested a timeline and documentation showing when the scope changed; another urged staff to keep veterans’ needs prioritized through referrals and casework despite the broader eligibility.

Action and direction
Council approved the item and directed staff to return with supporting documents and the timeline the council requested. Staff said they will continue coordinating with the veterans referral effort the city maintains and will report back with specifics about wait-list management and any preference mechanisms that can be used without violating HUD rules.

Ending
Staff said construction and tenant-selection procedures will be brought back to council for final approvals and that the city will continue to monitor the referrals list for homeless veterans to help place eligible households when units become available.","City council voted to accept the Lafayette Tiny Homes rental housing project funding package that uses HOME/HOME-ARP funds; council members debated whether the project should remain focused on homeless veterans after an original donation and veterans-centric plan fell through.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6429044,"Council creates a secondary-water task force as staff outlines long-term options, seeks regional partnerships",2490,4090000,6580000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9&start=4090&end=6580","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897086-79669ad61f6c92ebbd56c8eec71685c9/thumbnail_4090000.jpg","/articles/6429044/Laredo/Webb-County/Texas/Council-creates-a-secondary-water-task-force-as-staff-outlines-long-term-options-seeks-regional-partnerships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429044-009dc43d78aefb8e50399a8b834d0cd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511386&Signature=SNE-Tn80zs73XoAqi6dJrxDZHCKI5sgv3SQy3UimCWqmw-ZYzN7-R4yWqsK8kM4uHdLRScofl-TyKL~8Q2x9lnWOMCv3WbQyLlBkXh~QapaOaLJ3oJ5EWMlEonIrEfz8v4BsZAThcnzAjLuiMSWMIj7sGr4ihzBg5fY8UDZiar8bmn1ggAIaXoooi99wYcZxr3olPka0d3~sMnrAgmRK1z3naj31h6E-sgQO3FXSh2iuHdE74p4MUS1qwyH1ZZ3n6ya72Y1Y5uoE2b123pmxGKtnGY33Oh3hgJ0u0q4DmPrlIhdc0K-yNwc6oQuZpCRbp0rjv7eKOjvWVkMswsP2IA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Laredo City Council voted Oct. 6 to establish a staff-led secondary water task force to identify and pursue alternative water sources for the city, directing the city manager to appoint staff and provide quarterly status updates to the council.

Staff briefed council on the city’s current water position and short- and long-term options. City staff said the city currently consumes roughly 35 million gallons per day (MGD) and holds water rights that total about 55 MGD. Staff described several lines of activity already under way: private-sector-led groundwater efforts, ongoing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with regional partners and exploratory work on reusing treated wastewater.

Why it matters: Laredo relies predominantly on the Rio Grande. Staff and council members said climate variability and downstream water demands make pursuing additional sources a long-term priority. The task force is intended to centralize city efforts and accelerate coordinated work with regional partners and state agencies.

Staff brief and key numbers
City staff (Dr. Elzebet, water resources) told council the city’s two treatment plants currently can produce significantly more than current demand; however, water-rights limits and source reliability pose longer-term constraints. Staff reported the city treats roughly 23 MGD of wastewater daily — a volume that could be considered for reuse projects that would reduce reliance on river withdrawals. Staff also summarized active private projects and regional discussions: a private entity known as Legacy is pursuing a large groundwater/water-rights program that could produce an estimated 5–6 MGD for participating customers (staff estimated that project’s funding and permitting path would likely take two to three years), and a separate regional scheme centered near Eagle Pass could offer larger volumes but at much higher cost and with longer timelines.

Council direction and timing
Council members emphasized both short-term contingency planning and long-range strategy. The council voted to create a staff-coordinated secondary-water task force, with staff appointments chosen by the city manager and with quarterly council briefings. Staff said they will continue to pursue MOUs and funding, coordinate with state agencies and prepare an action plan that identifies priority projects, timelines and funding pathways.

Ending
Staff noted that some options — groundwater development, desalination and treated-wastewater reuse — carry high upfront costs and multi-year timetables. The task force is intended to centralize analysis and move the city from reactive emergency response to a coordinated, multi-source water strategy.","Laredo City Council directed city administration to form a staff-led secondary water task force and provide quarterly updates after staff described current water use, regional MOUs and potential sources including groundwater wells, treated wastewater reuse and larger projects under study.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council accepts Buena Vista Sports Complex phase 1, orders cost estimates for items removed and directs phase 2 designs

Laredo council approves Lafayette Tiny Homes rental project after debate over veterans prioritization

Council creates a secondary-water task force as staff outlines long-term options, seeks regional partnerships