League City Council voted 7-1 on Tuesday, Aug. 25, to let a $10 million youth sportsplex defer $460,000 in impact fees over five years.

The Hope Center Sportsplex, a 60,000-square-foot facility planned along FM 528 near the Midline neighborhood, will not have to pay its capital recovery fees upfront when it opens. Instead, developer Hope Center Enterprises, LLC will use revenue from the complex to cover the $460,000 over five years after opening day, which must come no later than June 2028 under the terms council approved.

City staff projects the sportsplex will generate $1.3 million in revenue for League City over its first decade of operation, Community Impact reported. That figure dwarfs the $460,000 the city agreed to collect on a delayed schedule.

The facility will feature six courts for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and futsal. Proponents told council the complex could serve as a regional tournament hub, particularly for Clear Creek ISD athletes who currently travel outside the area for large-scale competitions.

Council Member Andy Mann, Position 1, said he considered the deferral inappropriate but still voted yes.

"No one is asking if I can delay my taxes," Mann said.

Council Member Tommy Cones cast the lone no vote. Cones did not explain his opposition at the meeting.

Capital recovery fees fund infrastructure improvements such as water, sewer and drainage capacity needed to serve new development. The deferral does not reduce the total amount owed. It shifts when the city collects the money.

The June 2028 opening deadline is the next public milestone for the project. No construction start date or additional council action on the sportsplex has been announced.