ATX-SWA: Impact 10/27/2025

City Council signed off on hundreds of millions of dollars of new spending related to the Austin Convention Center redevelopment this fall, as a campaign seeking to halt the project aims to put the process to a public vote next spring.

The details: The financing items and overall project were strongly backed this week by downtown business leaders and hoteliers, who cited the convention center as an "economic engine" supporting local jobs and Austin's place in the tourism industry. Council's Oct. 23 approvals came over the opposition of some residents promoting a campaign to halt the expansion, who said the project is unnecessary and pulling resources from cultural programs.

New spending will go toward the overall construction project, as well as a new Austin Energy facility, mobility improvements on Red River Street, and marketing of the convention center expansion.

Also of note: Some Austinites are pushing back on the overall project, and the public could end up considering whether to halt the redevelopment in a May election.

The Back Nine is opening this fall in Southwest Austin

The details: The indoor golf studio offers course-like golf simulations where guests can practice their swing at any time of day, as the business will be open 24/7.

Meet the team: Owned by local couple David and Orit Mann, The Back Nine team is offering discounts to the first 30-40 people to sign up to be founding members.

Mendocino Farms has expanded its reach with an additional location now open in Austin.

What to know: The restaurant launched its 11th Texas location earlier this month with its signature salads and sandwiches. CEO Kevin Miles said the restaurant’s team is excited to join the Arbor Trails food scene.

“Surrounded by families, local professionals, and businesses who share our passion for gathering over thoughtful, delicious meals, this neighborhood is the perfect place to plant roots and continue our Texas growth,” Miles said.

On the menu: Customers can find popular options such as the “Not So Fried” Chicken Sandwich and the Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada as well as chef specials including The Seasonal Goat with Pink Lady Apples.

• 4301 W. William Cannon Drive, Bldg. H, Ste. 110, Austin

The Austin community is officially preparing for the upcoming holiday season with Austin Energy stringing the 155-foot-tall Christmas light tree at Zilker Park.

The setup: The tree is formed using 39 strings of LED bulbs which feature 81 red, yellow, green and blue bulbs. Lights are placed strategically so the yellow bulbs create a swirl pattern, accompanying a 10-foot by 10-foot double star at the head of the display.

The historic moonlight tower in the park which is used as the base for the holiday tree is one of the original 31 towers that the city used for its urban lighting system in 1895, as stated in a news release. Today, the tower is one of 17 original towers still remaining in Austin.

Stay tuned: The lighting of the tree will happen right after Thanksgiving on Nov. 30 at 5:15 p.m. at Zilker Park. Attendees can look forward to live music, entertainment and food.

• Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin

Travis County officials approved a $124,953 feasibility study Oct. 21 to explore a potential commuter rail line between Austin and San Antonio.

The big picture: Championed by Travis County Judge Andy Brown, the study will examine passenger rail options along state-managed land near highways, potentially connecting the Amtrak station in San Antonio to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Brown said the goal is to use existing corridors like SH 130 and I-10 to avoid major land acquisition and speed up development.

Why it matters: Brown said a rail line could remove up to 25% of I-35 traffic between the two cities as the corridor’s population—projected to reach 8 million by 2050—continues to grow. The study will run 175 days and include engineering, ridership and cost analyses.

Zooming out: The project complements a separate TxDOT study reviewing 11 alternatives along I-35, including commuter rail and multimodal lanes. Rail ranked as the top community preference in 2024 public feedback sessions.

Here are the top trending Community Impact stories in the Austin metro from Oct. 20-24.