Brownwood’s Visitor Center is headed to a new downtown location after City Council members approved the purchase of the building at 215 Center Ave., across from Pat Coursey Park. The move will place the city’s tourism information center closer to visitors already gathering in the downtown district.
The council approved the purchase Tuesday, according to Brownwood News. The building will become the Visitor Center’s new home after the city completes the transaction. The center is currently housed at the Lehnis Railroad Museum.
Purchase will use Hotel Occupancy Tax reserves
The property purchase is priced at $350,000 and will be paid for with reserves from the Hotel Occupancy Tax fund. The city has not announced a new operating schedule yet, but officials said regular hours will be established after the move, along with possible special hours tied to future events.
Deputy City Manager Ray Tipton said the facility will be staffed by the city’s existing visitor center and Lehnis Museum employees. He said the city expects to close on the property “in the next month or month and a half,” after which officials will provide a full operations plan and more information to the public.
“The intent of the purchase is to use that as a new visitor center for the City of Brownwood so we can get tourist information out,” Tipton said.
Move planned with limited immediate work
Tipton said the building does not require immediate renovations. The city plans to begin using the property as it is, while reassessing later whether additional improvements are needed. The building has undergone recent renovations and was described as habitable for the center’s initial operations.
Before opening, the city will outfit the building with office furniture and other basic items. The Visitor Center is expected to move “as soon as possible after we close on the property,” Tipton said.
The facility also includes restrooms. City officials plan to coordinate operations so the building can provide public restrooms as part of the property acquisition, adding a practical amenity for people visiting downtown Brownwood.
“We do think it’s a great way to engage visitors in the downtown district and get in front of where visitors already congregate,” Tipton said.
The new location at 215 Center Ave. is across from Pat Coursey Park and is intended to improve the Visitor Center’s visibility and accessibility for tourists in the downtown area. The city said additional information about hours and operations will be released after closing and planning are completed.
Separate city property sale considered
In a separate real estate matter discussed at the same meeting, council members authorized City Manager Marshal McIntosh to sign a letter of intent for the sale of 10 acres of city-owned property in the Light Industrial Park.
Tipton said a prospective buyer submitted the letter of intent for a future project, but he said no further details were available at the time of the report.
