City Manager Lawton introduced an unsolicited proposal for an indoor multiuse sports complex at the Palms Park site and asked the council for direction on whether to move forward with a scoping and feasibility study.

Cole Peacock, representing Carden Associates, and Billy Bonkafis, president of Carden Associates, presented a concept that would convert Palms Park into a mixed‑use destination anchored by an indoor field house and supporting hotels, retail and housing. Bonkafis said the scoping agreement before the council would let the developer and local consultants evaluate site planning, operations and financial feasibility over roughly an eight‑month period.

The developers described the proposal as a private‑public partnership intended to produce a self‑sustaining asset: “We do not look at a development and focus singularity on one asset and say, we are gonna build this, and we promise it's gonna work,” Bonkafis said. He also said the scoping package would include a feasibility study the team expects could be completed in about three months as part of the eight‑month scoping period and that the scoping budget laid out was “a little north of $400,000.”

Council members raised questions about green space in Midtown and about coordination with the Community Redevelopment Agency. Councilperson Gerald asked whether the team had talked with the CRA; Peacock replied they had not met the CRA yet and would do so if the city wanted to proceed. Gerald pressed how the plan would address Midtown’s limited open space; the developers pointed to a proposed linear park on Broadway and said the design would seek to preserve and add passive green areas.

Councilmember Ball said she supported moving forward with the feasibility study. When Mayor and council asked if anyone opposed the city manager moving forward to refine the unsolicited proposal, no council member raised an objection and the city manager said staff would refine the proposal and return it for formal adoption.

The presentation also said the developer would operate the facility if built, and that the scoping agreement anticipates repayment of scoping costs from future project revenues if the larger project moves into development.

The council did not take a formal recorded vote during the discussion; members instead gave direction to staff to continue negotiations and to return with a clarified proposal for formal action.