The Converse EDC is creating spaces for the community to gather, shop, and dine. Not only does this make Converse a better place to live, but it also creates opportunities for businesses moving to the area. Now is the time to choose Converse as these projects are in development.
See your future here. Learn about the various investments and districts in development across the community.
Category: Quality Jobs, Destination & Quality of Life
The ADS Sports Complex is a destination project designed to expand recreation, entertainment, and community gathering opportunities in Converse. The development combines sports, dining, and flexible event space to serve residents, attract visitors, and support local businesses while contributing to the city's long-term economic development goals.
Where The Project Stands Today
August 2026
The ADS Sports Complex represents a significant investment in creating a destination for sports, recreation, entertainment, and community activity in Converse. The project includes facilities for basketball training and competition, along with spaces designed to support dining, events, and everyday community use.
The complex will serve as the home of the ADS Sentinels, a professional basketball team competing in The Basketball League (TBL), while also providing opportunities for player development, youth inspiration, and community engagement. Beyond athletics, the project is intended to create a place where residents and visitors can gather for entertainment, dining, and special events.
The project reflects Converse's broader vision of supporting quality-of-life amenities while encouraging visitor activity that can benefit local businesses and strengthen the local economy. Throughout planning and development, the complex has been presented as an investment in both recreation and long-term community growth.
Residents consistently expressed a desire for more places to gather, dine, and enjoy recreation and entertainment close to home. The ADS Sports Complex is designed to help meet those needs while supporting local businesses and creating a destination that encourages community activity.
The project brings together the Converse Economic Development Corporation, ADS Sports Complex leadership, the ADS Sentinels organization, and City of Converse leadership. Their collaboration supports project planning, business development, community engagement, and the creation of new recreational and entertainment opportunities for residents.
The project combines sports, entertainment, and community amenities to create a destination that serves residents throughout the year. Planning has focused on providing flexible spaces that support athletic competition, family activities, dining, and events while aligning with the city's long-term economic development strategy.
The ADS Sports Complex is intended to strengthen Converse as a destination for recreation, entertainment, and community gathering. As the project continues to develop, it is expected to support local businesses, encourage visitor activity, and help position the community for continued economic growth and investment.
What the Project Includes
Key elements of the project include:
Professional basketball venue
ADS Sentinels team operations
Basketball training facilities
Coffee shop
Restaurant space
Flexible event space
Family entertainment amenities
Community gathering areas
Project Timeline
Date of Project Update
Description of Progress
July 2026
Come join the EDC team and the ADS Sports Complex team celebrate the opening of the ADS Coffee shop! During the month of July we expect to not only have the coffee shop open, but we are anticipating the parkinglot to receive its first layer of asphalt!
May 2026
The domes are being installed and raised.
April 2026
The concrete foundations for the buildings are being poured and the coffee shop is under construction.
January 2026
Sitework including underground utilities (water and sewer) begins.
July 2025
Tim Porter announced that the complex will serve as the home of the ADS Sentinels, a professional basketball team competing in The Basketball League (TBL).
April 2025
The ADS Sports Complex represents a significant investment in creating a destination for sports, recreation, entertainment, and community activity in Converse. The project includes facilities for basketball training and competition, along with spaces designed to support dining, events, and everyday community use; while also providing opportunities for player development, youth inspiration, and community engagement. Beyond athletics, the project is intended to create a place where residents and visitors can gather for entertainment, dining, and special events.
The project reflects Converse's broader vision of supporting quality-of-life amenities while encouraging visitor activity that can benefit local businesses and strengthen the local economy. Throughout planning and development, the complex has been presented as an investment in both recreation and long-term community growth.
The Converse Arts & Entertainment District initiative is a long-term planning effort to explore the creation of a vibrant mixed-use destination near the city's core. Led by the City of Converse and the Converse Economic Development Corporation, the project is designed to evaluate opportunities for entertainment, dining, retail, gathering spaces, and community amenities while ensuring future development reflects resident input, market realities, and the community's long-term vision.
Where The Project Stands Today
July 2026
Earlier this year, City Council approved updates to the Toepperwein Road improvement project that shifted roadway improvements away from Hilltop Avenue. As a result, Hilltop Avenue is no longer expected to reopen as previously anticipated, creating an opportunity to reevaluate the surrounding area and its long-term potential. The Converse Economic Development Corporation is now assessing potential investments and development opportunities that align with the community vision established through the Arts & Entertainment District planning process. This evaluation will help inform future decisions as the City continues exploring opportunities for thoughtful redevelopment and future private investment in the area.
Residents consistently identified a desire for more places to gather, dine, shop, and enjoy entertainment close to home. This initiative helps the city evaluate how future development can enhance quality of life, strengthen the local economy, and create destinations that reflect the community's priorities and identity.
The initiative is being led by the City of Converse and the Converse Economic Development Corporation, with planning and community engagement facilitated by Gensler. Resident participation through public meetings, workshops, and surveys has played a central role in shaping the project's vision and guiding future planning efforts.
The project uses community engagement, planning analysis, conceptual design, and market evaluation to guide future decision making. As planning advances, the city will continue evaluating regulatory considerations, implementation strategies, and opportunities for future collaboration with private-sector partners before any development moves forward.
The Arts & Entertainment District initiative is intended to provide a roadmap for future investment that reflects community priorities and market opportunities. Continued planning can help position Converse for thoughtful mixed-use development while creating opportunities for future private investment, new destinations, and expanded amenities that serve residents and visitors alike.
What the Project Includes
The conceptual vision identified through planning and community engagement may include:
Dining and restaurant destinations
Entertainment venues
Retail and shopping opportunities
Public gathering spaces
Outdoor plazas and green space
Mixed-use development
Public art and cultural amenities
Streetscape and pedestrian improvements
Project Timeline
Date of Project Update
Description of Progress
January 2026
The Arts & Entertainment District initiative remains focused on long-term planning and implementation. Following completion of the conceptual planning phase, staff continue evaluating the regulatory framework, market considerations, and future development strategies needed to support the project. While no private development has been approved, this work establishes the foundation necessary to attract future investment and guide thoughtful growth that reflects the community's vision.
July 2025
Following months of community engagement, Gensler presented conceptual renderings and community-informed recommendations to the Converse EDC Board and City Council. The planning effort provided a clearer vision for a potential Arts & Entertainment District while reinforcing the importance of resident input in shaping future development. The report established a conceptual framework for continued evaluation and confirmed that additional planning would be necessary before any future implementation could occur.
January 2025
Community engagement continued through workshops and public input sessions led by Gensler as part of the Arts & Entertainment District planning process. Residents shared ideas about future gathering spaces, entertainment opportunities, dining, retail, and other amenities that could strengthen the city's core. Feedback collected during these sessions helped refine the project's conceptual vision and provided valuable insight that would inform the recommendations presented later in the planning process.
July 2024
The Converse Economic Development Corporation received direction from City Council to continue exploring the concept of a potential Arts & Entertainment District near the city's core. With Council's support, the EDC began seeking proposals to conduct community workshops and public engagement activities. These efforts were designed to gather resident input before making long-term planning decisions and marked the beginning of a community-driven process to evaluate the concept and its potential role in Converse's future.
Category: Destination & Quality of Life, Parks Investments
The Parks Design Initiative will create a long-range planning and design framework for Converse North Park and Converse City Park. Through a consultant-led planning process, the project will establish foundational concepts that can guide future park improvements, identify opportunities for new amenities and event spaces, and provide a shared vision for future investment by the City of Converse and the Converse Economic Development Corporation.
Where The Project Stands Today
July 2026
Converse is investing in long-term planning to help guide the future of its two regional parks. The Parks Design Initiative will engage a qualified consultant to prepare foundational design concepts for Converse North Park and Converse City Park. These concepts are intended to provide a clear framework for evaluating future park improvement projects rather than serving as construction plans.
The effort will examine how each park can best support recreation, community gatherings, and future amenities while creating a cohesive vision that reflects the unique character of each location. The resulting planning document will help the Converse Economic Development Corporation and the City identify, prioritize, and pursue future park improvement projects over time. This work also supports recommendations identified in the City's Parks, Recreation & Open Space planning efforts to prepare concept designs for parks and establish a consistent design identity across the park system.
Well-planned parks support recreation, community gathering, and quality of life. Establishing a shared design vision helps the City and Converse EDC make future investments more strategically while creating a roadmap for improvements that respond to community needs and opportunities.
The Converse Economic Development Corporation and the City of Converse will work together throughout this planning effort. The consultant's recommendations will provide a common framework that can guide future decision-making and help coordinate park improvement initiatives over time.
The project will use a consultant-led planning process to evaluate existing park conditions, identify opportunities for future improvements, and develop conceptual designs for Converse North Park and Converse City Park. The resulting framework is intended to support future planning and investment decisions.
This initiative is designed to provide a lasting roadmap for future park improvements. By establishing a clear design vision today, Converse can better prioritize future projects, evaluate funding opportunities, and strengthen its parks system as community needs continue to evolve.
What the Project Includes
The planning effort is expected to establish a long-term framework for future park improvements.
Conceptual designs for North Park
Conceptual designs for City Park
Long-range park improvement framework
Evaluation of future event spaces
Evaluation of potential park amenities
Park character and design recommendations
Prioritization framework for future projects
Project Timeline
Date of Project Update
Description of Progress
June 2026
The EDC Board of Directors directed staff to begin the process of identifying and engaging a consultant for the project.
