At its Aug 5 meeting, the San Marcos City Council approved the renewal of a lease agreement with the San Marcos Lions Club.
The approved lease agreement with San Marcos Lions Club, which operates the Lions Club Tube Rental located in City Park, would lease a portion of the Pauline Espinosa Community Hall during a five-year term lease with an annual rent of $12,500.
Under the current leasing term, the club and city agreed on the addition of the inclusion of funds donation from the concession stand at Rio Vista, creation of the creation of the River Parks Improvement Fund, the and an increase in litter abatement responsibilities for the club.
The club’s current three year lease is set to expire on April 11, 2026, with the required renewal deadline for the lease set for October 1, 2025.
During the meeting’s citizens comments, members of the community shared their support for the renewal of the San Marcos Lions Club lease and the club’s impact on the city.
“It’s an iconic and cherished part of our community, bringing people together and benefiting hundreds, if not thousands each year, it offers meaningful volunteer opportunities, employs Texas State University students,” said Norma Blackwell, CEO of CASA of Central Texas.
Corey Wheeler, president of the San Marcos Lion Club, said roughly 65% of hired employees for the summer season are local high school students totaling around 280 students in the past four years.
The motion passed in a 6-to-0 motion vote with one absent.
The council also approved incentives for a $40,000,000 full-service hotel development, known as “Project Cat Tree.”
The downtown 130 key hotel was proposed by Midway Development Group LLC, and would include an event lawn, amphitheater, restaurant, bar, and meeting space.
As the development is set to be located on Texas State University property, Christian Smith, economic and business development manager, said a long term ground lease between the university and the city will be implemented.
“[Lease] that would render the improvements and all of the personal business property within the development subject to property taxes that none of that will be subject to any rebates under this agreement, which will result in 100% captured by the city, county and school district,” Smith said.
However, two rebates will be associated with the agreement and would be held over the course of ten years, including Hotel Occupancy Tax and Sales Tax and Performance Day Sales rebates.
During its July 1 meeting, council member Amanda Rodriguez proposed the minimum wages for non-tipped positions, such as dishwasher and laundry attendant, to be increased from its established $16/hr to $20/hr in the current plan.
The agreement was amended to provide a minimum $18/hr wage for hourly none tip positions.
The new agreement also added a new requirement for an annual living adjustment linked to the annual adjustment in the consumer price index.
In a 5-to-0 vote with two absent, the project was approved.
The San Marcos City Council meets at 6 p.m. every first and third Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit its website.
