South Padre Island city leaders are moving forward with plans to expand the convention center.

During a Wednesday special meeting, South Padre Island council members approved expanding the convention center by 50,000 square feet, or about the size of a football field.

Birders spoke out over the expansion plans during the meeting.

“We have grave concerns over the significant loss of birding habitat, and the cost of the expansion of the convention center,” South Padre Island resident Gayle King told the council.

Bird watching enthusiasts say they’re worried the expansion will encroach on native vegetation nearby.

“It's world renowned, it's special, and it should be saved,” Camila Feldner said. “You should be able to do both.”

The area of vegetation surrounding the convention center is considered a resting place for hundreds of migratory birds after they make their flight from the Yucatan Peninsula across the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

According to a 2011 report by Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, the annual economic impact of nature tourism in the Rio Grande Valley is more than $462 million.

Preliminary designs of the expansion project obtained by Channel 5 News showed about nine acres of vegetation near the convention center would possibly be replaced with a parking lot and a theater.

When asked about the designs, South Padre Island Mayor Pro Tem Joe Ricco said they are preliminary.

“We also proposed 27.6 acres of new, additional mature acres of growth,” Ricco said.

Birders at Wednesday's city council meeting voiced their concern about how quickly that would grow.

Channel 5 News was told the design plans are estimated to be finalized by early 2025. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2026.

Watch the video above for the full story.