Round Rock to build new sports complex

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) - A groundbreaking is just the beginning as city managers prepare to build a new sports facility due to open in a year. The $14.5 million, 50,000 square foot complex will be able to host sporting events year-round.

The outdoor sports complex in Round Rock is one major reason the city was able to raise nearly $10 million from its sports tourism program last year. Now the indoor facility is expected to make at least that much plus revenue from hotels and restaurant spending from visitors from out of town.

The facility was approved by voters in a Nov. 11 election which approved a 2 percent hotel occupancy tax. Now they are off to the races to book events that have not been on the calendar before.

"There's a ton of sports that we're having to basically leave on the table because we don't have an indoor sports complex, basketball, volleyball -- all the sports that play indoors," said Mayor Alan McGraw, "so we're not able to attract them to the city because we don't have the indoor complex for it."

Business owners say winter events will bring in new out-of-town dollars to make up for slow times of the year.

"We already have people started booking for volleyball games, basketball, indoors and all that," said hotel owner Joseph Yousefy, "which we were losing before."

Hosting sports events is competition in itself as cities across Texas are always vying for the rights to host big events.

"A lot of people don't realize but there are cities and communities all over the country that compete for these competitions and these groups," said hotel manager Kyle Covington. "Bringing those people on the weekend not only helps drive our business and pump more money into our local economy, but also helps all of the citizens here in Round Rock."

It's all part of keeping up with their title of being the "Sports Capital of Texas."