Water concerns last year delayed any city decision on whether to allow a proposed pro-quality golf course facility to be built in East Austin, but the projects developers said they remain optimistic about gaining approval.

Many of the water-related issues raised last November have since been addressed, said Warren Hayes of Decker Lake Golf LLC, the group seeking to develop golf courses on Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park land.

"The only water I want to use is water 3,000 feet underground," said Hayes, referring to water from the Trinity Aquifer, which he claims would cost about $1 million to tap into preventing the project from using city of Austin or Highland Lakes water.

The pending city contract calls on the project to use reclaimed water or any other water source approved by City Council. The new 11-member council is expected to take up the contract at its Feb. 26 meeting, although the item may be postponed, said Kevin Gomillion, golf division manager for the city's Parks and Recreation Department. If the project is approved, the Parks and Recreation Department would receive a portion of the revenue each year. Any delay to the contract approval could prevent a planned PGA Tour event from coming to Austin, Gomillion and Hayes agreed, although neither could reveal the exact event.

"The timeline is there, and its very real," Hayes said. "These events don't come available very often, and if you miss one, it could be years before it becomes available again."

Aztex moving up soccer ladder

The Austin Aztex will play 14 regular-season contests at House Park, an Austin ISD facility, between March and October. There will also be a beer garden this year in an adjacent property that connects to the stadium.[/caption]

The pursuit to bring Major League Soccer to Austin also advanced in 2014, with the Austin Aztex upgrading one tier from the Premier Development League to the United Soccer Leagues Pro Division, which is two levels below MLS. The Aztex will also partner with the Columbus Crew, an MLS club, and receive four pro players, Aztex team spokesman Jeffrey Burns said.

"It's very cool to become a partner of a team that had the first soccer-specific stadium built while were trying to bring a municipal stadium to the city," Burns said.

Before the Aztex season opener in March, the team on Feb. 13-15 will host the ATX Pro Challenge, a four-team tournament that matches the Aztex with MLS clubs Columbus Crew, FC Dallas and D.C. United.

"This is the biggest professional soccer tournament in the city's history," Burns said. "It's not only an event to show the city pro soccer, but its also an opportunity to leave a good impression of the city of Austin to the Major League Soccer clubs coming to town."

The Aztex organization hopes to build the clubs fan base in hopes of establishing an MLS team in Austin by 2020—the year the pro soccer league stated it hopes to reach 24 teams.

"We know Austin is a market that MLS believes in," Burns said. "It's a good fit that were trying to make sure happens."