Eagle Pass City Council Selects Oki Villasenor for Sports Facilities Management Contract Talks

By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The Eagle Pass City Council on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 authorized City Manager Homero Balderas to negotiate with longtime football coach Oscar Oki Villaseñor to manage the Patsy Winn Sports Complex and City Golf Course, despite an evaluation committee’s recommendation favoring a higher-scoring management firm.

The proposal sought to develop sports tourism through tournaments and events attracting visitors and spending at local businesses. A proposed contract will return to council for approval.

Balderas said the city issued a request for qualifications on August 30, 2026, with submissions accepted through September 16. Three applicants underwent evaluations that included interviews.

The final tabulation showed Sports Facilities Management received 354 out of 400 possible points, followed by Villaseñor with 279 and ISS Down to Earth with 230. The committee recommended Sports Facilities Management.

Villaseñor received the highest score in the category addressing understanding of Eagle Pass, its facilities and community needs. He earned all 40 available points, compared with 26 for Sports Facilities Management and 15 for ISS Down to Earth.

Sports Facilities Management outscored Villaseñor in the other four categories covering operational experience, facility operations, sports tourism and tournament recruitment, and qualifications of the proposed on-site manager.

Balderas urged council to consider local knowledge and the city’s previous difficulties with outside management. He outlined plans to attract regular weekend tournaments, pointing to a recurring World Series tournament as an example of the community’s potential.

Councilman Billy Davis stressed that the city needed to clearly define its expectations before entering into an agreement.

Davis warned that failing to explain the responsibilities and expected results could set the selected individual up for failure. He urged Balderas to discuss what Villaseñor could realistically deliver, particularly regarding sports tourism.

Davis acknowledged Villaseñor’s coaching reputation, professional connections and involvement in sports clinics. He emphasized that an agreement should benefit both parties and expressed concern about protecting the reputation Villaseñor had built.

Villaseñor’s career included head coaching positions at Eagle Pass, Laredo Nixon and La Joya. He coached the Eagle Pass Eagles from 1991 through 2000, leading consecutive district championship seasons in 1994, 1995 and 1996. His teams finished 11-2 in 1995 and 10-3 in 1996.

At La Joya, he guided the Coyotes to a 10-3 season in 2004 and the school’s first state quarterfinal appearance, an accomplishment recognized in a Texas House resolution.

Councilman Elias Diaz emphasized that the city should determine early in the selection process whether qualifications such as local understanding deserved greater weight, providing clearer direction for applicants and evaluators.

The discussion also included calls for progress reports documenting the results achieved by whichever applicant ultimately received a contract.

Balderas described the golf course’s history under a golf association, city administration and an outside management company before operations returned to municipal control.

He said the previous company struggled to recruit and retain an experienced golf manager. An individual eventually hired stayed only a few months before leaving, according to Balderas.

Balderas said improvements to the clubhouse and course had since strengthened the facilities, which needed efficient management while continuing to serve residents.

Before the vote, city staff clarified that negotiations should proceed with one applicant at a time and that price was not the basis for ranking applicants under the qualifications process.

Councilman Mario Garcia amended his motion to authorize negotiations with Villaseñor first and proceed to the second-ranked applicant if talks were unsuccessful. Councilwoman Jessica Rey Ramon seconded the amended motion, which council approved. A proposed agreement was requested for the next council meeting.

Whether the arrangement will produce the regular tournaments and visitor spending envisioned by city officials remains to be seen. The proposed contract will give council an opportunity to assess the management responsibilities, expectations and reporting requirements before making a final commitment.