A large-scale development project southeast of Austin has taken a step forward after the Mustang Ridge City Council approved a development agreement with an affiliate of SonWest Company. The 211-acre master-planned community, known as Pura Vida, could bring a surf park and up to $1.5 billion in investment to Mustang Ridge, which is located about 15 miles from downtown Austin.
The approval allows SonWest to begin infrastructure work on the long-discussed project. Negotiations over water rights, state approvals, and local entitlements have been ongoing for several years in the city of roughly 1,000 residents.
SonWest partners Andy Bilger and Shawn Breedlove said construction could start by late next year if market conditions remain favorable. Plans for the site include multifamily housing, retail space, restaurants, a hotel, civic facilities, and potentially a surf park covering up to 30 acres. Discussions are underway with multiple surf park operators such as Surf Lakes Holdings; however, no final agreement has been reached.
SonWest previously developed the 5,000-acre Sonterra community in Jarrell. For the Mustang Ridge project, they have spent four years acquiring land and negotiating terms for utilities and infrastructure at the location near U.S. Highway 183 and FM 1327. The property sits across from an industrial development led by Clay Development & Construction that includes space leased to a Tesla supplier.
The developer will finance tens of millions of dollars in new utilities for Pura Vida. Coordination is ongoing with Creedmoor Maha Water Supply District to install a 30,000-foot water line and build a wastewater treatment facility capable of processing up to 3.3 million gallons per day.
Mustang Ridge Mayor David Bunn commented on the significance of this development: “significant ancillary business” is expected as a result of Pura Vida.
The agreement also gives city officials authority to consider financial incentives like property tax abatements along with sales and hotel tax rebates for future businesses locating within the project area. Developers are already speaking with potential multifamily and retail partners while marketing available sites to larger anchor tenants.
Water use has become an issue due to Central Texas’s persistent drought conditions; some residents have expressed concern about constructing a surf park in such an environment. Bilger responded that their system would use recycled and reclaimed water instead of drinking water: “very low volumes” would be required through collaboration with Austin-based VVater.
Interest in lagoon- or surf-themed developments continues throughout Texas. Other projects include iLand Development’s proposed $1 billion Leander Springs project northwest of Austin; iLand’s planned $400 million lagoon venture in Marble Falls; Discovery Land Company’s redevelopment of a wavegarden lagoon into a surf-and-condo community near Del Valle; Megatel Homes’ $2 billion Saint Tropez residential project near Lake Houston; and Sports Hospitality Ventures’ recently canceled Sports Illustrated Resort at Lago Mar Crystal Lagoon outside Houston.
