Travis Bryan Midtown Park: Transforming the Heart of the Texas Triangle”
Nestled at the core of the Texas Travis Bryan Triangle, which is delineated by the state’s major urban hubs—Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio—is the city of Bryan. Despite its population being under 100,000, this Brazos County city, named after Texas’ founding father Stephen F. Austin’s nephew, William Joel Bryan, may seem smaller compared to its metropolitan counterparts. However, both Bryan and its adjacent sibling, College Station, housing Texas A&M University, play a crucial role in the region, particularly in the realms of sports and recreation.
READ: New York Businesses Ordered to Require Masks Indoors or Vaccine Proof
Travis Bryan
Former Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson emphasizes the city’s unique position, stating, “We’re not New York, we’re not Orlando, and that’s OK. We love the size of our community. We’re a wonderful midpoint for four of the 10 largest cities in the United States.”
Recognizing its significance in the Texas Triangle, Bryan has recently undergone a transformation, notably in Travis Bryan Midtown Park, strategically positioned between Texas A&M’s main campus and downtown Bryan. This commitment reflects the city’s more than 150-year history while keeping an eye on the future.
The Golf Course Dilemma
Despite the increasing popularity of golf, having multiple courses in a limited area proved detrimental in Bryan-College Station, with Travis B. Bryan Municipal Golf Course, City Course at the Phillips Event Center, and The Golf Club at Texas A&M, all within three miles of each other. Travis B. Bryan Municipal faced annual losses of $200,000 to $350,000, prompting a decision. When The Golf Club at Texas A&M closed for a year, the other two courses turned a profit, leading to an obvious choice: one had to be let go.
City Course at Phillips Event Center, formerly Briarcrest Golf Course, was generously donated by local developer Wallace Phillips to Bryan, which took over the 107-acre course in December 2017.
Redevelopment through Transformation
Anticipating the sacrifice of Travis B. Bryan Municipal Golf Course, the city explored options for the land. After studying similarly sized cities in the Texas Triangle and comparing recreational amenities in College Station, the Bryan City Council concluded that a mixed-use development would benefit both residents and tourists.
Over five years and extensive planning, the 150-acre Travis Bryan Midtown Park became a reality, featuring BigShots Aggieland (a 40,000 square-foot golf and entertainment venue) and Travis Fields (a youth and amateur baseball facility) opening in early 2022. The park also includes a 4,000-foot-long walking path, Midtown Lake, and the 122,000-square-foot multipurpose Legends Event Center, catering to indoor sports like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and cheerleading, costing $41 million and opening on December 10, 2022.
Legends Event Center, operated by The Sports Facilities Companies, has attracted over 36,000 tourism event attendees and generated more than $10.8 million in total economic impact for the community since opening seven months ago.
A key focus in building Legends was to offer unique amenities not found in neighboring cities while complementing existing sports facilities and parks. The development aimed to avoid competition with similar facilities or activities in the Texas Triangle.
Future Developments in the Heart of Texas
With further enhancements planned, Travis Bryan Midtown Park now serves as an integral part of Bryan’s own triangle, connecting Midtown Park to Union Hill and Downtown, according to Mayor Bobby Gutierrez. The City Council has approved a new recreation and entertainment facility featuring at least 24 bowling lanes, six pickleball courts, an outdoor amphitheater, an arcade, movie theater rooms, and premium concessions. Additionally, a $5.1 million construction contract has been approved for new outdoor amenities at Legends and Midtown Lake, including four NCAA-approved sand volleyball courts, a boathouse, and a multipurpose trail.
The park’s revitalization involves dredging, cleaning, expanding, and deepening the lake, previously known as “arsenic lake” due to a chemical spill and pollution in the 1960s. Despite being approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for safe use, negative perceptions are being dispelled as the city transforms it into the cleanest body of water in the state.
Celebrating its 150th anniversary of incorporation on November 29, 2021, Bryan looks to a bright future from the heart of the Texas Triangle, thanks to the redevelopment of Travis Bryan Midtown Park and its anticipated benefits for residents and visitors alike.
