The Woodlands Township Board of Directors earmarked $600,000 for a feasibility study on a multi-use indoor sportsplex, a facility Board Chair Brad Bailey pitched as a "moneymaker" that could serve youth sports teams and host community events.

The allocation, approved during the board's Aug. 20 budget workshop, would fund research into an air-conditioned, indoor practice facility with an artificial field, potentially located at Bear Branch Park on Research Forest Drive. The township is exploring a partnership with Conroe ISD on the project, though no formal agreement has been signed. The district has not publicly commented.

"I just think [a multiplex sports facility] is going to get a lot more use and with [Chief Operating Officer] Chris [Nunes] and his team able to program an indoor, artificial field, soccer, football, lacrosse, band, as a partnership with CISD, I think [that] would be a moneymaker for this board, and we like revenue," Bailey said at the workshop, according to Community Impact.

Bailey first floated the CISD partnership idea a day earlier, at the Aug. 19 budget session where Township President and CEO Monique Sharp presented a $13.7 million FY2027 capital budget. Parks and Recreation claimed the largest share at $8.7 million.

The $600,000 was redirected from the township's park needs assessment fund, which had initially been slated for a skateboard, scooter and bike loop course. Bailey steered the money toward the sportsplex study instead, saying the facility could accommodate soccer, football, lacrosse, band and other events.

Chief Operating Officer Chris Nunes and his team would be expected to program the facility if built.

Bear Branch Park already houses a recreation center with a fitness room, indoor gymnasium, tennis courts and a sprayground. Bailey indicated other large township parks could also be considered as sites.

The FY2027 budget has not yet been formally adopted. A public hearing and adoption vote is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3. The board voted 6-1 on Aug. 20 to propose a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.1594 per $100 of taxable value, down from the current $0.1714 rate.

No timeline has been announced for an RFP or completion of the sportsplex study.

Residents can weigh in at the Thursday, Sept. 3 public hearing at Township Hall.