Houston Texans Howard Hughes Team up on 83-Acre HQ

The Houston Texans are planting their flag in the suburbs.

The NFL franchise is partnering with Howard Hughes Communities and Harris County to develop a new headquarters and practice facility as part of Toro District, an 83-acre mixed-use entertainment hub planned for Bridgeland, a master-planned community northwest of Houston, according to Bisnow. Bridgeland totals 11,500 acres within the Cypress area between U.S. 290 and I-10. It will add roughly 70,000 new residents to the city of The Woodlands at full buildout, according to the website for The Woodlands-based developer, Howard Hughes Corporation. Currently about 50,000 people live within the community.

The deal, approved unanimously by county commissioners, would anchor 22 acres of the district with the Texans’ headquarters, including indoor training facilities and outdoor practice fields, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The broader Toro District will blend retail, restaurants, hotel, entertainment and commercial space within Bridgeland Central, the emerging downtown of the community.

Financial details remain murky. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the county’s proposed contribution would total $150 million, largely earmarked for infrastructure upgrades, and funded through a tax increment reinvestment zone. Under that structure, a portion of property tax growth generated within the zone would be reinvested there rather than flow to the county’s general fund.

The Texans will participate in the development through an affiliate and plan to break ground later this year, targeting a 2029 opening. The team currently practices at the Houston Methodist Training Center near NRG Stadium.

Howard Hughes CEO David O’Reilly framed the project as more than a sports complex, calling it “a statement about where Houston is going.” The company — parent of Howard Hughes Holdings — also developed The Woodlands and controls 118,000 acres nationally, with 10 million square feet of office and retail space across five states, according to Bisnow.

Toro District is projected to generate $34 billion in long-term economic impact and create more than 17,000 jobs regionally, according to project backers. Bridgeland Central recently completed its first office building and an H-E-B grocery store.

— Eric Weilbacher