Residents may not see the proposed Fitzhugh Concert Venue come to fruition after three years of protest.

What’s happening

An entity established by The Shield-Ayres Foundation has entered into a contract with developer Blizexas LLC to purchase the property where the venue was slated to be built.

The foundation was created in 1977 by Robert M. Ayres Jr. and Patricia Shield Ayres. It awards grants to charitable organizations in Central Texas. Marshall Bowen, whose grandparents founded the foundation, told Community Impact that he is “really thrilled” with the outcome, and it’s a “great testament to the power of community.”

If the deal closes in January, Blizexas would withdraw its Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wastewater permit application that first prompted community concern back in late 2022.


A spokesperson with the TCEQ confirmed with Community Impact that Blizexas indicated they reached a tentative settlement and may withdraw their application. The spokesperson said the TCEQ is not familiar with the details of the settlement.

Bowen said that while there are no plans for the property now, he knows the concert venue will not be built there.

How we got here

Neighbors first publicly gathered in November 2022 to begin discussing concerns surrounding the proposed concert venue. Concerns included noise, traffic, light pollution and water pollution that community members believed the venue could cause.


The wastewater permit filed by the developer would have provided the venue, which planned to serve up to 5,000 people a day, three times a week, with its own municipal wastewater service.

Multiple residents shared concerns about how the developers would plan to avoid runoff that could potentially pollute local waterways. The TCEQ maintained that the permit will not allow for the applicant to discharge any pollutants into water and that the permit “includes provisions to protect local surface water and groundwater resources."

Additionally, residents had concerns surrounding safety on Fitzhugh Road, which intersects with RM 12 and Hwy. 290, and consists of multiple low-water crossings and no shoulders. The venue had been proposed to include 2,000 parking spaces, with a total venue capacity of 5,000 people, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Multiple community forums and public meetings have taken place since November 2022. Concerned community members wrote a letter to elected officials, and members of Fitzhugh Neighbors and the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance hosted a benefit concert in May 2024 to support the legal fund of Fitzhugh Neighbors as they fought the proposed venue.
A second public meeting on a pending wastewater permit filed by a California-based company seeking to develop an amphitheater took place Jan. 29, and community members came out to urge officials to deny the permit. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
A second public meeting on a pending wastewater permit filed by a California-based company seeking to develop an amphitheater took place Jan. 29, 2024, and community members came out to urge officials to deny the permit. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
At a community forum called by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra to discuss the proposed venue Oct. 2, Hays County Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith told the community the county is limited in its ability to regulate the development.


Bowen told Community Impact he’s not “against any development” that may come to the area, but that it’s important to develop in a way that makes sense for the community.

Also of note

In the surrounding Hill Country, residents have brought up similar concerns to water and wastewater permits submitted to the TCEQ by developers.

Some nearby developments that faced similar opposition include:
  • A 70-acre resort proposed by developers at White Rocks Entertainment LLC within the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve, as previously reported by Community Impact
  • Mirasol Springs, a 1,400-acre development that would include dozens of new homes, a 73-room hotel, two restaurants and a research station for The University of Texas at Austin, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. The development faced some opposition for its proposed permitting for groundwater collection and diversion of water from the nearby Pedernales River. Last year, The West Travis County Public Utility agency finalized and issued an agreement with Mirasol Springs for the extension of a 3-inch water pipeline that will service water from Lake Travis instead.
  • A new wastewater plant put forward by Allied Development, as part of the proposed residential development Madelynn Estates, as previously reported by Community Impact
Community Impact was unable to reach Blizexas LLC for comment but will update this article with any additional comments.


The renderings of the venue can be found here. For more information on the coalition, visit www.stopfitzhughconcertvenue.com. For more information on Fitzhugh Neighbors, visit www.fitzhughneighbors.org. For more information on permits submitted by Blizexas, visit www.tceq.texas.gov.