A new outdoor fitness court could be coming to Cecil Holman Park after the Brownwood Municipal Development District Board of Directors approved financial assistance of up to $150,000 for the project during its Tuesday afternoon meeting at City Hall.

The BMDD approved up to $100,000 for a standard fitness court or up to $150,000 for a studio fitness court. The project is intended to expand outdoor recreation and wellness opportunities in Brownwood and complement the renovation of the Bennie Houston Recreation Center.

How the project would be funded

The City of Brownwood has already been approved for a $60,000 grant through the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Campaign through the National Fitness Campaign. A further $53,000 is anticipated from a sponsor who has not yet been identified publicly.

Estimated construction costs are $179,000 for the standard court and $210,000 for the studio court. Installation is expected to add another $55,000 to either option. If another donor is not found, the city will pay the portion of the project cost not covered by the BMDD, according to Deputy City Manager Ray Tipton.

The BMDD has $460,000 budgeted for parks improvements during the 2026-27 fiscal year. The proposed court would measure 38 feet by 38 feet and be organized around seven fundamental movements: core, squat, push, lunge, pull, agility and bend. Its equipment would support bodyweight exercises at multiple workout levels.

Brownwood sports tourism continues to grow

During the same meeting, City of Brownwood Sports Coordinator Robert Anders presented the sports tourism report for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The city hosted 45 sporting events that directly affected Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue. Each event generated an average estimated economic impact of $78,590, while the average event drew 1,233 visitors and 196 purchased room nights.

The National Junior College Athletic Association national championship tournament produced an estimated $453,750 economic impact. Brownwood also received the Destinations Texas Excellence Award for a highlight video promoting the event.

The TexasBank Holiday Classic had the largest visitor total, with 21,600 people, while the Stars Across Texas softball tournament produced the highest room-night total at 408 rooms.

Upcoming tournaments and local business updates

Three tournaments discussed by the board are expected to bring additional visitors to Brownwood:

  • Small Town Baseball Tournament: Oct. 25, with an estimated 1,392 visitors, 252 room nights and a $64,928 economic impact.
  • NCS Softball Tournament: Nov. 7-8, with an estimated 1,152 visitors, 204 room nights and an $80,496 economic impact.
  • TexasBank Holiday Classic: Dec. 28-30, with 45 teams, an estimated 15,360 visitors, 1,208 room nights and a $1,024,780 economic impact.

Since 2023, Brownwood has added 10 sporting events for a total of 45, hosted 785 visiting teams and recorded 55,510 visitors. The city also reported 8,856 room nights and a $3,532,926 economic impact, an increase of $716,712 from 2023.

Tipton also reported that all businesses at the Shops on Commerce are now open. A children’s boutique is expected to move into the former CrisTea’s location downtown, and Layne’s Chicken Fingers is anticipated to open in the former Popeye’s location in November.