NFL franchise set to depart 72,000-seater stadium HQ for $34bn global hub 24 years after opening

The Houston Texans are on the move out of NRG Stadium… sort of.

The NFL franchise – worth an estimated $7.4 billion in 2025 according to Forbes – have announced their plans to build the ‘Toro District’, a global sports and entertainment hub in Bridgeland, located in Northwest Harris County.

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The Texans are co-funding the venture with Harris County and private equity firm Howard Hughes, to build a 22-acre, state-of-the-art global headquarters and training complex for the team.

The remainder of the 83-acre site will be used to house entertainment, hotel, retail, medical and community event space.

This will mark the biggest move in Texan’s 24-year history, and this statement project is being slated to be completed by and opened in 2029.

Texans’ HQ move revealed

Toro District is focused on having the NFL team collaborating with public leadership and community development, and is currently projected to bring in $34 billion in long-term economic impact.

Simultaneously, the project is estimated to provide 17,000 jobs across the region.

“Our organisation continues to grow and this aligns with our goals of bringing a championship to Houston, enhancing community services and making sports more accessible,” Cal McNair, CEO and chair of the Houston Texans said.

“This project reinforces our long-term commitment to Harris County and our focus on driving growth and opportunity for the community. It will set the new standard for the global sports and entertainment industry and it’s the most significant evolution for our organisation since our inception.”

The goal is that Toro District will serve as a year-round destination for local residents, visitors and businesses.

Initial plans also state that there will be opportunities created for students of local universities via internships, sports-focused educational programs and career pathway programs.

These are said to be made available to those who attend Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Waller ISD and Lone Star College.

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AP

According to the Texans, “this landmark public-private partnership reflects the Texans’ commitment to redefining and elevating engagement with the community.”

Harris County Commissioners Tom Ramsey and Lesley Briones worked together to ensure that the project has the community at its core.

“This public-private partnership reflects what we strive to do every day in Harris County—transform lives through education, job training, and employment opportunities,” Commissioner Briones said in a statement.

“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.

“As a former teacher, I am especially energized by the collaboration that will take place with high school and college students through internships and other educational programs.

“The Toro District is a huge win for our community. We keep our beloved Texans here at home, and are catalyzing a transformative economic development project that will grow the economy of Northwest Harris County for decades to come.”

What does this mean for the Texans at NRG?

Unlike their basketball and baseball counterparts in the Rockets and Astros with the Toyota Center and Daikin Park, respectively, the Texans are not the primary tenants at NRG Stadium.

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Instead, they have to share the 72,000-capacity arena with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which has created some scheduling issues in the past.

The stadium also hosts huge college football matchups from time-to-time.

The Texans are just one of three teams in the NFL to have their headquarters inside the stadium, with the others being the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers.

As a result of their HQ being inside the stadium, employees therefore have to navigate with additional noise coming from that of rodeo functions and traffic etc.

Therefore this move to Toro District, where day-to-day life would be much quieter than previously, could be franchise-altering for the football team, in a good way.

“This is not just a headquarters. It is a statement about where Houston is going,” David O’Reilly, CEO of Howard Hughes, said.

“When you bring together visionary public leadership, a world-class NFL franchise, and a long-term development partner, you can do something far bigger than any one organisation alone.

“Toro District will create jobs, strengthen infrastructure, expand access to services, and deliver a gathering place that families will enjoy for generations.”

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