PHOTO #1: Victoria residents on May 3 approved Proposition A, creating a new motor vehicle rental tax and an additional hotel occupancy tax to finance improvements at the Victoria Community Center.
PHOTO #2: The improvements at the Victoria Community Center will include a new covered arena, renovation of the existing dome, RV hookups, fairground improvements and other upgrades.
Victoria voters on May 3 approved a ballot measure to help fund the renovation and expansion of the Victoria Community Center.
According to unofficial results from the Victoria County Elections Administrator, Proposition A passed with 65.03% of the vote. This proposition creates a new 5% motor vehicle rental tax and an additional 2% hotel occupancy tax to finance improvements at the Victoria Community Center.
The project includes plans for a 3,000-fixed-seat covered arena with an option to expand to 4,500 for concert events. The reorganization of existing interior spaces will also enable the current building to host several unique events simultaneously.
The Community Center & Fairgrounds Master Plan also calls for RV hookups, improvements to the fairgrounds, updated lighting, technology upgrades, improved kitchen and concession spaces, additional restrooms, new air conditioning, and disability access to improve the patron experience.
“We know it has been a desire for our community to see the Community Center modernized for quite some time now, and I am pleased that we were able to find a way to fund this project without raising the property tax rate or detracting from important initiatives such as street improvements and employee compensation,” said City Manager Jesús A. Garza. “This project will give Victorians an improved venue for local and out-of-town events alike, and we intend to move quickly to give our community the state-of-the-art facility this community deserves.”
Also on May 3, voters re-elected Mayor Duane Crocker with 80.86% of the vote, according to the unofficial results.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust our community has placed in me once again,” Crocker said. “I’m eager to see the fruition of key projects that will benefit our community and to continue building on them while creating a future that every resident—now and in the years to come—can take pride in.”
Councilman Andrew Young and Councilman Mark Loffgren were declared elected to represent City Council Super Districts 5 and 6, since their races were uncontested.
What’s next
The City Council will canvass the votes at a special meeting May 13. The canvassing process will produce official election results that will include provisional and absentee ballots received by the elections administrator after election day.
Crocker, Young and Loffgren will be sworn in at the start of the May 20 City Council meeting.
Design work on the Community Center project will begin in June and will finish by the end of the year. The City’s goal is for construction to begin in March 2026 following the Victoria Livestock Show. The project would be substantially completed in time for the 2027 livestock show.
Stay connected
For more information about elections in Victoria, visit www.vctxelections.org.