Texans nonpareil training facility-mixed use

Image: Houston Texans

The National Football League (NFL) team Houston Texans, the Howard Hughes Communities and the County officials recently unveiled the first renderings of their proposed state-of-the-art headquarters and entertainment district in the Bridgeland community of Northwest Harris County (US).

‘HOUSTON CHRONICLE’ stated that the Texans’ training facility, which will be on 22 of the 83 acres for the project, will be a 175,000-square foot building and will rival the other NFL teams’ projects.

New York (US)-based the National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and the highest professional level of American football in the world.

The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston (US). The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference South Division.

The NRG Stadium (previously known as the Reliant Stadium) is a retractable roof multipurpose stadium in Houston, Texas, US. The construction was completed in 2002 at a cost of $352 million and can pack in 72,220 supporters. It was the first NFL facility to have a retractable roof. It serves as the digs of the Houston Texans.

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The Woodlands (US)-based Howard Hughes Communities develops, owns and operates the United States premier large-scale master planned communities and mixed-use developments. Strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on the market demand they offer one of the strongest real estate platforms in the United States. Dedicated to innovative placemaking the Howard Hughes Communities is the real estate platform of Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (a real estate development and management company).

‘HOUSTON CHRONICLE’ further stated that it will include three outdoor NFL-sized football fields and an indoor fieldhouse which will include another NFL-sized field that can also be converted into three flag football fields, 21 volleyball courts and a venue for high school graduations.

As for the other 61 acres there will be a hotel, medical offices, restaurants, and other mixed-use facilities which the Harris County and the Howard Hughes officials hope will help transform Bridgeland into a major destination in the County and serve its fast-growing population.

Together, the three parties – which agreed to go into business together earlier in the month of February – the former players and the other stakeholders gathered for a reception at the site which will be at 10900 Peek Rd.

Image: Houston Texans

Construction on the facility won’t begin for another couple of months but the dirt has been smoothed out for the building process to begin. It is expected to be completed by 2029.

The Texans Owner Cal McNair called it the biggest move the organization has made since its inception in 2002 adding that it will help give his players an added advantage when the facility is built.

Maintained McNair, “Where we are currently is really good and we’ve enjoyed being there. But moving out here, we feel, we won’t be in a facility that was planned 20 years ago. It will be an up-to-date facility with all the world-class things we can put in there to put the best product on the field. The players in the best shape ready to go play a game.”

The Houston Texans Foundation Vice-President Hannah McNair added that it will help them continue to be a part of the community.

The Houston Texans Foundation is committed to encouraging and enabling all the youth and families in Harris County to reach their full potential and to achieve success. It seeks to assist through educational, financial, volunteer, and collaborative support. The Foundation administers programs that develop strong minds and bodies with an emphasis on leadership, integrity and character for the youth who will become the leaders of the next generation.

The Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, whose district is part of where the facility will sit, called it a “win, win, win” for everyone – especially the Harris County residents in her district – which will see additional greenways, parks and other County services.

It’s unclear exactly how much the project will cost but it is expected to cost more than $1 billion.

The County is contributing $150 million in infrastructure needs and roadway improvements while the Texans and the Howard Hughes will foot the bill for the rest of the project’s costs.

The County’s contribution will be paid for through a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) in which part of the County’s property taxes generated each year are set aside to be spent only within the zone rather than be spent elsewhere within the County.

A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) is a political subdivision of a Municipality or County in the State of Texas (US) created to implement the tax increment financing. They may be initiated by the City or the County or by petition of the owners whose total holdings in the zone consist of a majority of the appraised property value.

The County says the project is projected to generate $34 billion in revenue for the County and 17,000 jobs.

The Texans have wanted to build a new headquarters and training facility for several years now. They currently are one of only five franchises in the NFL to house their headquarters in the same building they play their home games. The others are the Carolina Panthers, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Green Bay Packers, and the New England Patriots with the latter in the process of building a new facility.

One of the more underrated aspects of this move is what it can provide the NRG Park (a complex in Houston) and the surrounding area which has struggled with growth since its inception. The County has long wanted to revitalize that area and Briones said with the Texans moving their headquarters to Bridgeland it provides the County more land to do so.

She stated, “It actually highly complements the deal we’re working on for the NRG and gives us even more runway to be extra bold and creative.”

The agreement between the County and the Texans is a positive sign for both the parties as they continue to negotiate a new lease agreement for the NRG Stadium. The current lease expires in 2032. But this partnership keeps the Texans in Harris County for the foreseeable future.

Added Mike Tomon, Texans President, “We’ve always had a good relationship with the County but I think this brought it to a crescendo. And it just gives us so much momentum as we go forward.”

The Howard Hughes Communities approached the Texans about partnering on the facility in 2025 after learning their desire to build a new headquarters. Howard Hughes, which currently owns The Woodlands Development Company, helped develop that community and built other sports facilities across United States.

Commented David O’Reilly, Howard Hughes head honcho, “We build world-class facilities whether they are office buildings, homes, apartments, condominiums. The Texans play world-class football and we’re going to build the facilities and let them execute their mission.”

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