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New Round Rock Sports Complex Expected to Bring Extra Revenue To City Coffers


The City of Round Rock is breaking ground on a $14.5 million indoor sports facility. It’s a project that is expected to bring in millions of dollars in revenue to the city each year. It’s nothing but concrete and dirt now, but in less than a year an old lumber yard on Chisholm Trail Drive, just west of FM 3406 will be home to Round Rock’s Indoor Sports Facility. 

Nancy Yawn with the Round Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau says, “We have great outdoor facilities, but now it’s time to move indoors, with cheerleading, basketball, martial arts, badminton -- the list goes on and on.”

The money to build the 81,500 square foot facility comes from a 2 percent hotel occupancy tax. Joseph Yousefy who owns the Best Western Executive Inn in Round Rock says he doesn’t mind charging customers the tax because he’s hopes the new facility will bring in more revenue. “Occupancy will go up especially in the slow season, in the winter time, that would help us tremendously,” he says.

The outdoor sports complex has already helped generate an estimated $9.4 million in 2011. City officials hope this new facility will do double the amount of revenue.

While it may not be open yet, there’s already interest. Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw says, “It’s already being booked as we speak, there’s already been a tremendous amount of interest in it and we think it’s going to be huge.”

Work begins by the end of this week and the sports complex should be open by December 2013. The new facility is part of the city’s program to help attract tourism to the area.

By Lydia Pantazes