Q1 2020 Texas CEO Magazine

Perfect Game — Nestled in the Austin suburb of Hutto,
Texas, will be the largest baseball development the state has
ever seen. Iowa-based scouting organization Perfect Game
is partnering with the city and other investors to anchor an
$800 million development in the City of Hutto. In addition
to the baseball facilities, the new development will feature a
200,000-square-foot indoor sports and events center designed
to seat 13,000, and a convention hotel. The organization is already
talking with major sports franchises and universities about
expanding opportunities for children to advance in the sport.
Yes, the Field of Dreams will still remain in Iowa, but about 24
baseball fields used to train students of the game will soon be here
in Central Texas. When will it be done? Some say as early as 2021.
Dallas Renegades and Houston
Roughnecks — If you are wondering if there is
any more room for football in Texas, the answer is an
astounding yes. The XFL, financed by the chairman and
CEO of the WWE, Vince McMahon, chose two of the eight
markets to launch in Texas. The two Texas teams join
Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Tampa Bay,
and Washington, DC, as the league’s inaugural cities.
Texas nemesis and former OU head coach Bob Stoops
is head coach for the Dallas Renegades, with much of
the leadership coming from other Texas sports franchises,
including the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. The team will play
its home games at Globe Life Park in Arlington, which is being
repurposed as a football venue after its previous tenant, Major
League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, relocates to the newly built
Globe Life Field. The Houston Roughnecks will be led by former
SMU coach June Jones, with their games being held at TDECU
stadium on the University of Houston campus. The opening
season, beginning on February 9, will have a 10-week season,
with each team hosting five home-field games. What’s interesting
is that the game will feature a few new, tested rules for a faster
pace that should complete in under three hours. The league will
draw from former college and NFL players, many of whom have
talent to show the world. My analysis—the talent level will be top
notch. Season tickets start as low as $20 per seat, and premium
seats can be purchased for less than $100 at xflrenegades.com
and xflroughnecks.com. You’ll definitely be seeing me at one of
these games.
Sports bring a healthy sense of competition to our neighborhoods
and build strong communities. With a growing population, ripe
with future talent and a fan base eager for entertainment, sports
will continue to expand in our great state. Will there be a new
NFL team making it to Texas? Well, that may be a longshot. Only
time will tell.
Ed Curtis is the founder and CEO of YTEXAS. He launched YTEXAS after 20
years in banking and private sector business, where he held various positions
such as Market CEO, Chief Lending Officer, and Chief Executive Officer.
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