A market and financial feasibility study presented to the Cameron County Commissioners Court found demand for a new live‑entertainment venue in the Brownsville/Cameron County market but concluded that construction costs would require outside funding.

Josh Balkan, an analyst with Convention, Sports & Leisure International (CSL), presented the study’s findings. CSL modeled two options: a municipal-scale arena of about 12,100 seats and a smaller hybrid music/event venue of about 4,780 seats. Both venues, the study found, could generate net operating income before debt once stabilized, but construction cost estimates — approximately $275 million–$375 million for the arena and $100 million–$150 million for the hybrid venue — exceed what venue operations alone could finance.

CSL’s market analysis identified a primary market of roughly 428,000 people in Cameron County and a wider Lower Rio Grande Valley secondary market of about one million people. The firm noted market gaps in the region for a high‑quality indoor music venue under about 7,000 seats and for a mid‑sized arena that could attract larger touring acts not currently served by nearby venues. CSL’s operating assumptions project a multi‑year ramp-up of events and stabilized annual utilization for either facility.

The report recommends that the county pursue a private operator experienced in venue management (examples cited include ASM Global and AEG/Legends) and consider combined funding sources — public funding tools such as TIRZ or a voter‑approved venue tax, plus private investment or developer participation. CSL also highlighted the economic-development advantages of colocating a venue within a mixed‑use district of hotels, restaurants and retail; such co‑location increases the project’s ancillary spending effects.

Commissioners asked about the study’s comparables, local tourism impacts and the tradeoffs between the larger arena and the hybrid venue (for example, the hybrid would not support regulatory‑size indoor sports such as basketball). The court acknowledged the presentation and directed staff to continue evaluating financing and partnership options.