Nueces County breaks ground on new event center at Briscoe King Pavilion

The Padre Balli Park project will add an air-conditioned event space with room for up to 300 people.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A longtime gathering place on Padre Island is getting a major upgrade as Nueces County broke ground Tuesday on a new event center at the Briscoe King Pavilion at Padre Balli Park.

The project will add an air-conditioned event facility with more than 5,000 square feet of usable space and capacity for up to 300 people.

Nueces County Coastal Parks Board Chairman Troy Adler said the public has requested the addition for decades and that it will provide a new space for conferences, city and county meetings, weddings, birthday parties, and other community events.

“This new addition has been requested by the public for decades and has been on my personal wish list since I became involved with the Coastal Parks Board many years ago,” Adler said.

Adler said he has been visiting the site since he was a child and has attended everything from birthday parties and quinceañeras to memorial services there.

“I’ve had great memories of each event; however, I can remember sweating at every one of them,” Adler said. That’s one problem the new facility is expected to solve.

“This new facility will be air-conditioned and beautiful,” Adler said.

Along with air conditioning, the new event center will feature updated audio and visual equipment and will be fully accessible to people with disabilities.

A second phase of the project is expected to include improvements to the parking lot. Adler credited the Nueces County Commissioners Court and Coastal Parks Board for working together to move the project forward. He also recognized Nueces County Judge Connie Scott and Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney for their support.

“The Coastal Parks Board and Commissioners Court have worked hand in hand to bring a new and improved facility to the island community,” Adler said.

Officials said the improvements will allow the Briscoe King Pavilion site to accommodate a wider range of community events while providing visitors with a more comfortable year-round gathering space.