During Tuesday’s city council meeting, the City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation (P&R) Department presented a new master plan for John Stiff Memorial Park—one of the city’s most visited public assets. The plan, developed in partnership with consulting firm MIG, outlines a long-term framework to balance recreation, open space and revenue-generating opportunities that could help fund park improvements for decades.
Why the Study Began
Parks and Recreation Director Michael Kashuba explained that the department initiated the study for three primary reasons. First, back in 2019, the department only had $100,000 in capital, which led them to examine ways to diversify funding streams through a real estate study.
Second, the park has continued to attract private interest. Kashuba noted that “since that time, we’ve had multiple developers come forward proposing different concepts for this space, and so we want to make sure that we have good guidance that really helps protect development in the long term, so that not one single project limits our abilities for best and highest use moving forward.”
Third, both the city and MIG wanted to improve the park experience. MIG Senior Project Manager Yuri Chang shared that the park sees about 1.1 million visits per year from roughly 240,000 individual users. The surrounding area—southwest Amarillo—has strong residential and commercial activity, high household incomes and substantial recreation and entertainment spending.
“In other words,” Chang said, “there is strong demonstrated demand.”
Infrastructure Challenges and the Case for New Development
Despite the heavy use, the park faces aging infrastructure, accessibility issues and field conditions that require substantial investment. Chang explained that these needs cannot be sustainably met through bonds or the city’s general fund alone.
MIG’s proposed concept focuses on activating an underutilized 30-acre section of the park bordered by 45th Avenue, Parkside Drive and Chippewa Trail. Chang described the area as a flexible transition space with “open character and lack of design damages,” making it a strong candidate for new uses that improve circulation and strengthen its connection to the rest of the park.
The vision centers on developing this 30-acre section into a community-serving, revenue-generating addition to the park—built intentionally to feed its own future. As Chang put it, the revenue would “be returned directly to John Stiff Park, creating a self-sustaining funding mechanism for park reinvestment.”
Proposed Uses: Dining, Recreation, A Hotel and More
The development program envisions a hybrid space that blends park activities, dining, events and recreation. Ideas include:
Family-oriented food and beverage options with flexible outdoor seating
Experience-first retail, such as concepts similar to Chicken N Pickle
Recreational commercial uses like fitness, pilates, yoga or spin classes
A central civic space designed for both spontaneous gatherings and planned events
A boutique hotel to serve youth sports families and visitors
Low- to medium-density housing, targeted at young professionals and empty nesters seeking walkable amenities
Chang emphasized that the plan is an extension of John Stiff Park, not a replacement, adding that the design supports walkability, multi-generational activity and year-round use.
Phased Development for Predictability and Flexibility
The recommended rollout is divided into three phases:
Phase 1: Development along 45th Avenue with retail and dining to establish early momentum and revenue.
Phase 2: Creation of plazas, promenades and the civic space, along with exploration of housing and hotel components.
Phase 3: Additional recreational amenities and expanded green space to reinforce the park experience.
Each phase would include clear expectations for developers and measurable success indicators.
Funding Structures: Long-Term Leases or Shared Revenue
To preserve public control, MIG recommends two options:
A long-term ground lease of 20–50 years, giving developers operational certainty while maintaining public ownership of the land.
A revenue allocation model, channeling lease income directly back into John Stiff Park.
Chang explained that this type of structure follows successful precedents, including Hemisfair Park in San Antonio—now hosting 500 annual events and generating $1.5 million annually through leases, parking, retail and sponsorships.
City Council Response: Supportive but Cautious
The council reacted with general support while raising questions about taxpayer risk and infrastructure responsibilities. Kashuba noted that much of the needed infrastructure already exists but may require upgrades.
Mayor Cole Stanley praised the phased approach but stressed the importance of financial clarity. “We need to look at it like any… business approach,” he said, questioning whether developers would be willing to pay leases upfront or whether the city would need to invest in infrastructure first.
Councilmember David Prescott supported the concept but urged the city not to lose sight of the park’s identity. He said he hoped it would remain a recreation-focused outdoor environment rather than “another retail spot… just asphalt and buildings.”
City Manager Grayson Path added that the city will use the master plan as a guide during procurement, telling developers: “We’re telling you what we want, a holistic picture here… Bring to us what financially works that you see as a developer.”
Stanley also asked for a more defined framework to outline allowable uses, required green space, design standards and expectations for financial return. He favored seeing developer Letters of Intent before the city funds any major infrastructure upgrades, emphasizing that “no cost up front to us to go out and get hard money LOIs would be very appealing.”
What Comes Next
The plan has already received unanimous support from the P&R board, with the condition that revenue generated should be reinvested into the city’s park system or John Stiff Park specifically. Kashuba reiterated that the plan remains flexible and conceptual—a “vision book” for potential developers.
As the city prepares for next steps, the goal is to balance opportunity with stewardship: attracting high-quality private development while ensuring John Stiff Park continues to serve the families, athletes, library visitors and dog owners who already rely on it. The new master plan represents the city’s effort to create long-term sustainability without sacrificing the park’s core identity.
