Renovated Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center Reopens, Serving Plano Residents
Plano reopened the Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center after an 11 month renovation, with a grand reopening on December 4 and regular operations resuming December 5. The $15.9 million project funded by the 2021 bond delivers extensive mechanical and amenity upgrades at the citys busiest recreation facility, restoring services that more than 400,000 annual visits depend on.
Plano officially returned the Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center to public use in early December following an 11 month closure that began in January 2025. City leaders held a grand reopening on December 4 and reopened regular operations on December 5, concluding what officials described as the largest refresh the facility has received since it opened in 2007.
The renovation cost approximately $15.9 million and was paid from funds approved in the 2021 bond election. Contractors replaced the HVAC system and the main sewer line, resurfaced the indoor track and the gym floor, upgraded locker rooms, installed new cardio equipment and built a new childrens pool play structure and pool deck. The center serves more than 400,000 visits annually, making it Planos busiest recreation facility and a central hub for fitness and community activity.
For taxpayers and bond voters the project highlights the tangible outcomes of the 2021 bond and the need for ongoing oversight of scope, cost and timelines on large municipal projects. The city has said these upgrades are part of a broader program of bond funded work, with other projects still underway across municipal facilities. Restoring full operations at the recreation center preserves high capacity programming and access to recreation for residents while easing pressure on neighboring facilities.
Local impact will be felt across age groups and user types who rely on consistent pool and gym access, particularly given the centers high visitation. Restored equipment and mechanical systems should reduce maintenance interruptions and improve energy efficiency, though continued reporting on operational performance and maintenance budgets will be relevant to residents tracking long term value from bond investments.
The reopening also underscores the link between voter approved capital plans and day to day services in Collin County area cities. As Plano completes remaining bond projects, municipal leaders will face questions about project delivery, budget stewardship and how future capital needs should be prioritized in subsequent bond proposals.
