Key Takeaways
- CenTex Sports expects to spend $55 million on phase 1 alone, anchored by an indoor facility topping 150,000 square feet on land bought from the city.
- The full two-phase buildout could reach $100 million, according to local reporting, though the city has not confirmed that total.
- The letter of intent requires phase 1 construction to start by December 31, 2027, with phase 2 diamonds and fields finished by December 31, 2030.
- Leander plans a Chapter 380 economic development agreement with clawback provisions if CenTex Sports misses its investment or construction commitments.
The Leander City Council in Texas approved a letter of intent (LOI) with CenTex Sports on Thursday, clearing the way for a Leander sports complex on a roughly 40-acre city-owned site at 204 Heritage Grove Road. CenTex Sports will purchase the land and anticipates a $55 million investment in the project’s first phase, according to a September 21, 2026 announcement from the City of Leander.
The full two-phase development could represent a $100 million investment, according to the Williamson Reporter. Leander sits north of Austin in Williamson and Travis counties, according to the city. The project would give a local youth sports operator ownership of a multi-sport venue built for tournaments, league play, and year-round programming.
What Will the Leander Sports Complex Include?
Phase 1 covers a commercial indoor sports complex of more than 150,000 square feet, a covered track, four beach volleyball courts, and two soccer fields, per the city’s announcement. The first phase also includes stormwater detention sized for the full buildout, meaning site infrastructure for both phases goes in at the start.
The LOI sets firm dates. Phase 1 construction must begin by December 31, 2027, and be completed by December 31, 2028, the city said.
Phase 2 would add at least four baseball or softball fields and one more soccer field. Under the LOI, that work must begin by December 31, 2029, and finish by December 31, 2030. At full buildout, the site would hold indoor courts and turf alongside at least three soccer fields, four diamonds, and four sand courts.
The facility is also designed to go beyond competition space. Veronica Romero, Chief Development and Operations Officer of CenTex Sports, said the project includes health and wellness, commercial and retail offerings, dining, community programming, and events. Leander Mayor Na’Cole Thompson said the venue “will offer retail and meeting spaces plus high-end facilities for athletes and families.”
How Leander’s Chapter 380 Agreement Protects the City
The LOI is a precursor, not the final contract. It sets up a Chapter 380 economic development agreement, a tool under the Texas Local Government Code that lets municipalities structure incentives and support for private development.
According to the city, that agreement will spell out commitments on both sides, including private investment levels, construction and completion milestones, and city support for the development process. It will also include clawback provisions and other performance protections if CenTex Sports does not meet its obligations.
Randall Malik, director of Economic Development for the City of Leander, framed the deal around regional tourism. “A sports complex of this scale can draw tournaments and families from across the region, support nearby restaurants, hotels and retailers,” Malik said.
A Local Youth Sports Operator Steps Into Development
CenTex Sports is not an outside facility developer. The city describes it as a youth sports organization offering skill development, recreational and competitive league play, camps, clinics, and year-round athletic programming. It was founded and is operated by Adrian Chapa, a Texas native and Leander-area resident.
Romero said Leander has “already been an important part of our Central Texas sports community.” CenTex Sports is branding the development as the Game Changers Field of Dreams Project.
That operator-as-owner structure means the same organization that runs programming will control the venue. For an organization running leagues, camps, and clinics, owning a 40-acre complex with indoor and outdoor capacity removes dependence on rented gym and field time and creates inventory for hosted tournaments, retail tenants, and events.
A December 2027 Groundbreaking Deadline Now Governs the CenTex Build
The next milestone is the Chapter 380 agreement, which will convert the LOI’s timelines into enforceable commitments backed by clawbacks. After that, the clock runs to December 31, 2027, the latest date phase 1 construction can begin.
The Williamson Reporter puts the potential total investment at $100 million, which would leave roughly $45 million for the diamonds, additional soccer field, and remaining buildout in phase 2. The city’s announcement did not confirm that total, the land purchase price, or the value of any city support in the forthcoming agreement. Those figures should surface when the Chapter 380 terms come back to the Leander City Council.
Source: City of Leander, September 21, 2026, https://www.leandertx.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1350
Source: Williamson Reporter, September 23, 2026, https://williamsonreporter.com/2026/09/23/leander-advances-plans-for-potential-100-million-sports-complex/
Image:CTX LLC
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How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
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Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
