Hays County coalition says no to proposed 5,000 seat concert venue

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Several environmental groups are working to stop a new outdoor concert venue from coming to Fitzhugh Road in Hays County. Its members cite environmental concerns like water runoff from the venue, noise and light pollution as their main motivators.

Late last month, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had a public meeting about the venue currently being proposed by the company Blizexas.

According to Bob Ayres, co-owner of Shield Ranch and member of the Stop Fitzhugh Concert Venue Coalition, many neighbors attended the meeting to share their opposition to the venue’s construction.

He says the group’s concerns are largely environmental, and that building the venue would overwhelm local roads, disrupting the quiet the community is accustomed to.

Ayres says the potential for this land, which is a conservation site, is one of his biggest concerns.

Other groups that are like-minded about water conservation have joined the coalition against the venue, like the Save Barton Springs Association and the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance.

“My family owns the Shield Ranch, which is 10 square miles in the center of the Barton Creek watershed,” Ayers said, “This property where we’re standing is just a few 1,000 feet from Barton Creek. So there’ll be runoff from storm water and potentially from you know, treated wastewater.”

A spokesperson with Blizexas says the company is aware of the opposition from neighbors and “plans to continue working with the community to discuss concerns and craft solutions.”

The spokesperson also says Blizexas is still working through the necessary permitting process with TCEQ on the concert venue, but the timeline for it to open would be in Spring of 2025.