Sports tourism is nothing if not constantly evolving and one case study of this phenomenon is Round Rock, Texas, where key venues are undergoing upgrades in order to allow the destination, billed as the Sports Capital of Texas, to keep pace with other cities.
According to Chad McKenzie, Director Sports Management & Tourism for Round Rock, the improvements will address two facilities in particular, both of which enhance the city’s sports tourism appeal.
Round Rock Sports Center: The indoor facility, which opened in 2014, will experience a renovation to add two full basketball courts (a space that is also usable as four volleyball courts), with additional championship court seating, a secondary facility entrance and surface parking extension. All improved facilities are expected to be open in January 2026.
Round Rock Multipurpose Complex: The 60-acre outdoor Multipurpose Complex opened in 2017, offering a total of 10 rectangular fields, five synthetic turf (including a championship field) and five natural grass (including a championship field). Renovation will add six additional rectangular fields and collegiate level press boxes. The estimated completion date for this project is spring 2027.
On the weekends, both facilities serve the sports tourism industry, while during the week, they serve the community by offering space to local teams and clubs.
And, says McKenzie, the popularity of both facilities is undeniable, as is the fact that both facility upgrades were needed – something that quickly becomes obvious when comparing hours of play Round Rock is able to provide, vs. the hours that are being requested.
“At the sports center, we have 276 play hours available each week, and we are averaging requests for 340 hours weekly. A lot of teams have just stopped asking because they know we don’t have space for them.”
The Round Rock Sports Center has been in constant use, he adds, and even those events overflow the space available.
“Since we have opened, we have been booked up. When we have big events on weekends on the sports tourism side, quite often, they are using other facilities that are located around us. We have been out of space from the beginning.”
Whereas at the time of the sports center’s construction, a six-court basketball space was an industry standard, today’s venues are being built with eight or more courts. Round Rock Sports Center has been attracting regional events that capitalize on its appeal, being within a three-hour drive of 90 percent of the state of Texas. “The additional two courts will help us with our regional events and will put us back in the game,” McKenzie says.
On the outdoor side, he notes, the need is no less, with about 112 hours available and 183 hours requested. (The Multipurpose Complex has both grass and synthetic fields, but it is necessary to rest the grass fields in order to allow them to recover, leaving only the five synthetic fields able to host play during the week.) The renovation will add five more synthetic fields and one more natural grass field, increasing the ability of the venue to host not just sports tourism but community teams as well.
“Our citizens like us,” says McKenzie. They know we support the quality of life here.”
Both projects – and more – are covered by a bond that was approved at not just the governmental level but by residents as well.
Also included in the bond are large-scale improvements to Old Settlers Park, where the Multipurpose Complex is located. Old Settlers Park is the city’s largest park and spans 640 acres; it has space for disc golf, cricket, a 20-field baseball complex, a five-field softball complex, soccer facilities and more. It is also where Rock’N River, the local water park, is located. Specific changes coming to the park as a result of the bond are the following:
- Construction of a recreation center that will include an indoor gym, outdoor track and four multi-purpose fields. The building will also provide additional parking in Old Settlers Park and accommodate administrative functions for the Parks and Recreation Department, currently housed in the downtown area of Round Rock.
- Expansion of Rock’N River, including additional water features and more parking. It will also tie the water park into the new recreational center for improved logistics.
- Replacement of Lakeview Pavilion with a larger structure with a permanent stage, a new, larger restroom facility, a replacement playground and extensive upgrades to provide built-in infrastructure for special events.
- Relocation of the existing tennis complex to a 10-acre parcel nearby, additional parking for tennis players.
And, says McKenzie, Round Rock is just getting started. Already underway is the construction of a permanent visitors’ clubhouse at Dell Diamond, where the Minor League Baseball team, Round Rock Express plays.
Currently, the home and visitors clubhouse were located in separate spaces in one building; however, once the new construction is complete, the home clubhouse will receive its own renovation. Those changes are expected to be completed in time for the 2025 baseball season to begin.
Worth noting, McKenzie adds, is that every venue in Round Rock remains open for business during reconstruction. Even with the tennis court project, construction is expected to occur while the current tennis complex is still in use in order to mitigate any downtime for the tennis community.
“We’re still up and running 100 percent, and Dell Diamond has been up and running the entire season, even with the work continuing on the new visitors’ clubhouse.”
McKenzie is already looking forward to the ability of both facilities to host more events. The Multipurpose Complex, he notes, has a specific interest in attracting tournaments for growing sports, including flag football and lacrosse. Once renovations are complete, between Old Settlers Park itself and the Multipurpose Complex, there will be a total of 27 fields within a quarter mile of one another, making Round Rock an excellent prospect for hosting even the largest events, possibly two at the same time.
And ultimately, he’d like to see the Sports Center get even bigger.
“We’d like to grow it more, maybe even to having 14 basketball or 28 volleyball courts,” he notes. “That would allow us to really go after larger events – and to give our community the space it needs during the week. We want keep providing that quality of life and attracting sports tourism.”
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