CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Changes are coming to athletic facilities across Corpus Christi. This past week, the Corpus Christi City Council approved an increase on Parks and Recreation Department facility fees for the 2024 - 2025 fiscal year.
With this new fee adjustment, come concerns over the new field use agreement between the department and sport leagues.
3NEWS spoke to the director of Parks and Rec who said this new fee change will allow the city to help the leagues maintain the fields they play on. However, several leagues were not aware of the increase in field fees until after it was voted on.
The Corpus Christi Parks and Rec department is increasing their athletic facility fees across the area. The new fees include gym rentals from $46 to $60 an hour and field rentals from $4.25 to $5.25 an hour, depending on lighting and number of hours for use of the field.
Director of Parks and Rec Robert Dodd said this new adjustment in fees is due to inflation, local market and the increased cost of materials necessitates.
"We don't want to have the shock of just putting in a huge fee at one time," said Dodd. "So, we're going to phase these in to help these leagues be accustomed to what they're paying and we'll gradually move forward through the years."
In addition to the changes in fees, leagues will soon be switching their field agreements from leasing to rental. Dodd said that leagues had to maintain the fields but now, parks and rec will take on that responsibility.
"They're going to be renting the fields now instead of leasing the fields and that gives us the opportunity and the city and the Parks and Recreation staff to maintain the fields, to upkeep the fields and to keep them looking as good as they can," said Dodd.
The fee adjustment will be split into two phases. Phase one includes Salinas, Bill Witt and Greenwood athletic fields and will begin on October 1. Phase 2 is estimated to begin in October of 2025.
