Janett Avalos / Houston Public Media
Pictured is an entrance to NRG Stadium, where the Houston Texans play and practice.
After lengthy negotiations about the future of the Houston Texans, the NFL team and county officials set a path toward creating a new headquarters and training facility in northwest Harris County.
Harris County commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved 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, retail and entertainment district in the Bridgeland community in Cypress. The planned development — called the “Toro District,” a nod to the Texans’ mascot — would include a new headquarters and training facility for the team.
Though no cost estimates were put forward Thursday, officials estimate the Toro District will bring a $34 billion economic impact to the region, creating more than 17,000 jobs. The development would be funded in part by the creation of a new Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), which uses a portion of property tax revenue for local infrastructure projects.
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“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, said in a news release. “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 operate entirely at the NRG Park, which is owned and operated by Harris County and located in south Houston, about 40 miles away from Bridgeland. The team’s lease to play home games at NRG Stadium expires in 2032.
Having team offices and practice facilities located at a stadium complex is a rare setup within the NFL, and McNair previously said it was not sustainable in the long-term.
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The Toro District initiative, facilitated in part by Harris County Commissioners Lesley Briones and Tom Ramsey, would also bring investments into the county’s community services, youth programming and public greenspace and infrastructure. That includes the creation of a Harris County Community Services Center, four new parks and use of a new Texans fieldhouse for graduation 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 said in a news release. “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 based there, also developed the Bridgeland community. Company CEO David O’Reilly said the plans for the Toro District reflect “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.”