Several Grapevine City Council members shared their support July 29 for a consulting agreement with California-based HR&A Advisors on how to develop the 185-acre Palmeiro Tract near Grapevine Mills.

The council tabled the agreement earlier in July to seek more information from the consultant on the ultimate potential costs of the multi-phase effort. The 185-acre tract has been city property for more than six months after Grapevine bought it for about $29.5 million from former Texas Ranger Rafael Palmeiro.

Phase 1 costs for a market feasibility study were marked at $257,000, but council members weren't comfortable signing off without a more comprehensive scope of services in HR&A's proposal. The company returned a plan that outlined up to $700,000 in potential costs for a variety of possible services over four phases, up to and including a search for a national or international developer.

The company suggested that the right development on the land could bring up to $1 billion or more in investments in Grapevine, City Manager Bruno Rumbelow said. The council has expressed a desire for an entertainment development on the land.

Consideration on the agreement is now set for Aug. 5.

"[The revised scope of services] does what I was asking for in terms of telling us possibilities and what they cost," Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate said. "It might be a little abstract in some areas, but it kinda gives me some idea what they think they might need to provide the tools to locate a development we would like to see."

He said the price tag was within what he considered reasonable.

"These are costs that will be passed on to the ultimate user of the property," Tate said. "We only go one way, and that's first class. That's why we picked [HR&A for a proposal]. Apparently, they understand we're not trying to pinch pennies with them. We want them to do a first-class job. We've learned that to be successful, you have to develop the tools you need, and that's why we need somebody like [HR&A] to do that for us. I feel better about it, I'll say that."

Council member Sharron Spencer said she wasn't stunned by the $700,000 price tag for all included options with HR&A, either.

"[The proposal] brings a lot more clarity than we had before," Spencer said. "The total amount is a lot of money. I'm not surprised it's this much because this firm is so good. Frankly, I think they're worth this."

Council member Shane Wilbanks touched on the idea that incoming revenues from a successful development on the site could help the city reduce property taxes to residents.

"This is an appropriate charge, and I'm comfortable moving forward," Wilbanks said.