Janett Avalos / Houston Public Media
After prolonged negotiations about the way forward for the Houston Texans, the NFL team and county officers set a path towards making a new headquarters and coaching facility in northwest Harris County.
Harris County commissioners on Thursday unanimously accepted a memorandum of understanding with the Texans and Howard Hughes Holdings, authorizing the county to pursue a public-private partnership to develop an 83-acre sports activities, retail and leisure district in the Bridgeland group in Cypress. The deliberate growth — referred to as the “Toro District,” a nod to the Texans’ mascot — would come with a new headquarters and coaching facility for the team.
Though no price estimates had been put ahead Thursday, officers estimate the Toro District will deliver a $34 billion financial affect to the area, creating greater than 17,000 jobs. The growth can be funded in half by the creation of a new Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), which makes use of a portion of property tax income for local infrastructure initiatives.
“Today is a historic day for the Houston Texans, our fans, and the Greater Houston area as we partner with Howard Hughes and Harris County on a world-class sports and entertainment destination, including our new headquarters and training facility,” Cal McNair, chairman and CEO of the Texans, mentioned in a information launch. “Our organization continues to grow, and this aligns with our goals of bringing a championship to Houston, enhancing community services and making sports more accessible.”
The Texans function totally on the NRG Park, which is owned and operated by Harris County and positioned in south Houston, about 40 miles away from Bridgeland. The team’s lease to play house video games at NRG Stadium expires in 2032.
Having team places of work and follow services positioned at a stadium complicated is a uncommon setup inside the NFL, and McNair beforehand mentioned it was not sustainable in the long-term.
RELATED: Houston Texans map out possibilities for new practice facility, entertainment district
The Toro District initiative, facilitated in half by Harris County Commissioners Lesley Briones and Tom Ramsey, would additionally deliver investments into the county’s group providers, youth programming and public greenspace and infrastructure. That contains the creation of a Harris County Community Services Center, 4 new parks and use of a new Texans fieldhouse for commencement ceremonies for Cy-Fair ISD and Waller ISD.
“This public-private partnership reflects what we strive to do every day in Harris County — transform lives through education, job training, and employment opportunities,” Briones mentioned in a information launch. “Bringing county resources deeper into the heart of this fast-growing area of Northwest Harris County will create good paying jobs, allow more convenient access to county services, enhance health and wellness with new green spaces, and increase connectivity with needed infrastructure investments.”
Howard Hughes Holdings, which developed The Woodlands and is predicated there, additionally developed the Bridgeland group. Company CEO David O’Reilly mentioned the plans for the Toro District replicate “the ambition and energy of this region.”
“This is not just a headquarters,” O’Reilly added. “It is a statement about where Houston is going.”