Centennial Park in Midland Giving the City a Reason to Develop an Entertainment/Cultural District

Now that Centennial Park is completed, downtown activity is on the rise which has Midland city leaders contemplating an entertainment and cultural district downtown.

According to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, Tuesday at the City Council meeting, the council got a look at what it would take to make downtown a cultural or entertainment district.

The park has already been a part of business functions, community gatherings, and movie nights since its completion earlier this year.

The park was modeled after parks in Dallas and Houston that have turned areas of downtown into community gathering places.

The park was a joint project of private funders, the city of Midland, and the Scharbauer Foundation.

The state allows cultural districts to be created that "generate business, attract tourists, stimulate cultural development and foster civic pride.”

Abilene, San Angelo, Lubbock, and El Paso all have an entertainment or arts districts which is why Midland is looking to do the same thing.

With the number of high rise buildings in downtown which are underusing their space, most around the new Centennial Park, the development of an entertainment or cultural district would see those spaces finally being used instead of just sitting there empty.

“The balance of land uses for working, living, shopping and entertainment will increase quality of life for residents and create a unique identity for Midland,” according to a city document.

City council members believe that the positives of an entertainment or cultural district would outweigh the costs of things like cleanup and parking enforcement.

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