The 645-acre park, which is nearly twice the size of Austin’s Zilker Park, is now the focus of a major voter-approved investment.
“Old Settlers [Park] is probably one of our greatest assets in Round Rock,” Mayor Craig Morgan said. “We’ve grown, the population has grown, so local use has grown the demand for practice fields.”
The big picture
Old Settlers Park has been a central gathering place in Round Rock for more than 30 years. Now, a voter-approved bond is reshaping the city’s largest park with a series of upgrades intended to meet growing demand and expand its role as a regional destination.
Between 2017 and 2020, the city gathered community input on future projects through multiple planning efforts. Residents consistently identified parks and recreation as a priority.
That feedback helped shape Proposition A, a $230 million parks bond approved by voters in 2023. This made way for improvements across Round Rock’s park system, with a significant portion dedicated to Old Settlers Park, the city’s most heavily used park.
Officials say the investments are designed to support everyday use and large-scale events.
City Manager Brooks Bennett said Old Settlers Park serves as a symbol of the city’s priorities, bringing together families, recreation, sports and community health in one place.
“You really learn a lot about a community by what it chooses to invest in,” Bennett said.
Marking a milestone
The Lakeview Pavilion and Stage represents the first major milestone completed as part of the Old Settlers Park expansion.
The project replaced the former pavilion with one nearly three times its size, along with new restrooms, playground equipment and expanded infrastructure designed to support large-scale events. A permanent stage, amphitheater-style seating and vendor space were also added.
The new pavilion and stage debuted during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 15, which included a live performance by singer Allen Stone.
The venue was further tested during Light Up the Lake, a two-day holiday festival held Dec. 5-6, featuring live music, holiday lighting and family activities around the lake. Rick Atkins, Round Rock parks and recreation director, said the event drew approximately 30,000 attendees.
The cost
The Round Rock Multipurpose Complex is set for a major build-out following council approval of a $49 million construction contract in fall 2025.
Planned improvements include six additional fields—four synthetic turf fields, one natural grass championship field and one synthetic turf championship field—along with collegiate-level press boxes, a player amenity building, restrooms, a concession operations facility and associated parking.
The Rock’N River water park is set to undergo one of the largest changes in its history as part of the Old Settlers expansion.
The project includes construction of a new “action river,” cabanas with access to a private pool and additional parking. The expansion is expected to nearly double the water park’s daily capacity—from about 1,600 guests to roughly 2,200—while adding an adventure-style attraction.
Atkins said the action river will feature adjustable wave systems designed to create a faster, more dynamic experience than the park’s existing lazy river. The same system could be used to train local emergency services.
“ We can even use it for training for people like fire [and police] if we want to do swift water and something like that in the offseason,” Atkins said.
Looking ahead
Several other voter-approved projects at Old Settlers Park are in various stages of planning or construction as the overall expansion proceeds.
Construction on the Athletic Performance Center, part of the park’s recreation center complex, began in summer 2025 and is anticipated to be finished in spring 2027, city documents show. The facility is planned to include an indoor gym, an outdoor track and multipurpose fields, along with additional parking and administrative space for the Parks and Recreation Department.
The expansion also includes enhanced pedestrian connections within the park, including a pedestrian bridge to improve access between key amenities and pathways, part of a larger effort to make the park more walkable and safer for visitors.
These projects complement the already completed Lakeview Pavilion and ongoing water park and multipurpose complex expansions.
