CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi City Council knows it has a big task on it's hands, that task being to turn North Beach into a tourist mecca. At their Tuesday meeting, members will be voting on a number of proposals to fix the drainage, add lifeguards and even restrooms.
Many of the proposals City Council will vote on this week are included in the city's new budget. The money will be coming from the hotel tax revenue.
3NEWS spoke with one City Councilman Ben Molina, who gave a rundown of some of the big ticket items that the Council could pass as part of this latest attempt to improve North Beach.
"Many of us, if not all of us, on City Council right now are big fans of North Beach. We realize that this is a economic driver for our city." Molina says.
North Beach has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Coastal Bend. Molina tells 3NEWS, with the amount of people visiting it every year, it's a crucial area and there are a number of improvements that need to be made in order to keep those tourists coming back.
Molina states. "They're here at the Lexington, they're here at the Aquarium and they're also enjoying all the little shops and restaurants located here on North Beach. So, it's important that we make these improvements so that we can continue making this area attractive for our tourists."
Corpus Christi City Council will vote on multiple North Beach proposals this week to include in the city's budget. The proposals include, a new North Beach restroom facility, four lifeguards and vehicles, a merchant and vendor pilot incentive program, a North Beach Historical Plaza shade structure as well as designs for North Beach Eco Park.
Molina also says they are working on rebuilding streets in the area to improve drainage and limit potential flooding.
"We've identified that as an issue and as we move forward, we know that that's something that needs to be addressed not just from the city as an organization on our side but also from the property owners here in this area." Molina adds.
The city will meet with a contractor in this month to figure out what all needs to be done as tons of sand will be trucked in to improve the appearance of the beach.
Molina tells 3NEWS, "Re-nourishment of the beach actually is to help mitigate some of the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey when it hit. So, that drew away a lot of the sand and so what we want to do is restore all that area and make it usable for our citizens."
A timeline for the beach nourishment project will be determined after the city's meeting with contractors later this month.
The rest of the proposals are still currently pending approval by city council. The vote will be held on Tuesday.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- 60+ stolen shopping carts recovered in Flour Bluff neighborhood, arrest made
- Parent arrested after 4-year-old found with loaded handgun at JFK Elementary
- Woman with ties to Corpus Christi thought to be missing was actually evading arrest, tracked to South America
- 'Irreplaceable leader': Corpus Christi teen died of heat stroke playing football
- Trade Center navigating solutions to reopen after electrical issues
- Beto O'Rourke missed South Texas events due to bacterial infection, he says
Want to send us a news tip?
Put your name and contact information below so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous.
If you do not have a photo/video to submit, just click "OK" to skip that prompt.