A dream well over a decade in the making has finally become reality in Brownwood, as the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Event Center Complex took place as part of a ‘preview event’ Saturday afternoon.
Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes addressed well over 100 in attendance at the dedication and ribbon cutting for the Event Center Complex, and shared his vision for what the new venue will become, harking back to the arrival of the Brownwood Coliseum 61 years prior in the process.
“This is supposed to represent the same can-do spirit that lit a fuse in 1963,” Haynes said. “Of course it’s also supposed to bring you joy when you have weddings or banquets and the things of that nature, but most importantly for me it’s supposed to represent the hope and be the catalyst for job creation and economic development that will last this community another 60 years.”
Haynes shared some Brownwood history with those in attendance, beginning with Memorial Hall, which opened on May 12, 1924. Memorial Hall served as “the first major gathering place within the city of Brownwood,” Haynes said, until 1960 when it was struck my lightning and burned to the ground. The loss of Memorial Hall served as another devastating blow to Brownwood, which had lost Camp Bowie and the population and economic boom it provided. But a turnaround began in 1963 with the opening of the Brownwood Coliseum.
At the time of its opening, the Coliseum was state of the art and triggered growth in Brownwood that resulted in the arrival of 3M and Superior Cable within in a year. Over the next decade after the opening of the Coliseum, a new library was built in 1966, work began on the new hospital in 1967, in 1968 a new City Hall opened, in 1969 the Academy of Freedom opened, and in 1973 Kohler came to town.
Haynes stated he is hopeful the Brownwood Event Center Complex provides another boost for similar growth in Brownwood 60 years later.
“From 1963 to 1973, the framework and the groundwork was laid that would last Brownwood for another 60 years,” Haynes said. “You may think that had nothing to do with the Coliseum, but for me, I think it was the catalyst that led to all that success. The Coliseum represented a can-do attitude that brought hope to the people, and jobs that sustained us for six decades.”
The mayor also stated the idea of revamping the area where the Event Center Complex stands began before he took office. But in 2014, the vision of the Event Center Complex was hatched following a visit to Midland.
“We went to every facility we could think of in about a 300-mile radius,” Haynes said. “We still didn’t know what we wanted to do until the trip to Midland. We went out there to look at a Coliseum-type replacement, a gigantic building that seats 20,000 people. But on the back side of that, they had built an amphitheater with an outdoor stage that opened into a green space. As we talked about the amphitheater, the director said the big house that seats 20,000 is used four times a year, but the amphitheater is used every single weekend, and the idea was formed.”
As for the location of the Event Center, City officials noted the dock of the vacated Ice House stood at the approximate height of the stage at the Midland amphitheater, and the former RV Park could serve as the open space that is now Reunion Lawn.
Prior to the conclusion of the ceremony, Haynes thanked the Brownwood City Council, Brownwood Municipal Development District, and the City of Brownwood Executive Team of City Manager Emily Crawford, Deputy City Manager McIntosh and BMDD Executive Director Ray Tipton.
Haynes also stated Debbie Childs will be in charge of booking the venue. More information on how to do so can be found at brownwoodeventcenter.com. McIntosh stated the waiting list for events is already over 100.
Sam Waldrop with Waldrop Construction then spoke and considered the Brownwood Event Center Complex as the “crowning achievement” of both his professional career and in the transformation of downtown Brownwood, as Waldrop Construction also worked on the construction of the Lehnis Railroad Museum, Fire Station No. 1 and the recent renovations at the Brownwood Coliseum.
Waldrop also recognized several of the Brownwood and Brownwood County businesses who were involved in the construction of the complex, stating “We were probably able to keep probably about $13 million of the $15 million (associated with the project) circulating right here in the community, and I’m proud of that.”
Crawford, who emotionally opened the ceremony Saturday, greeting those in attendance by stating, “We are overjoyed to be celebrating the completion of the biggest public project that this city has undertaken in decades. I am incredibly grateful that you have entrusted this legacy project to us. You made a courageous decision to invest in this facility and then turn the responsibility over to us and our professional partners to make it happen. I want you to know that this is a labor of love, and we are proud to present this to all of you today.”
