Entertainment Venues Overview

Visioning Statement

This land presents a unique opportunity for collaboration between public & private entities to create an integrated mixed-use urban destination. The development should reflect distinctive architectural character & promote a pedestrian feel in a multi-modal environment.

It is envisioned to be a place to live, work, learn, play & visit. This should be a regional employment center with a wide variety of recreational, educational, & entertainment venues for everyone including performing & cultural arts & sports facilities, as well as a conference center with full service hotel amenities.

Nature, open space & water help define the development. The plan should also ensure connectivity to other key locations throughout the City.

Project Overview/Summary

The idea behind the creation of several destination entertainment venues within the community combines more than a decade of citizen surveys, parks master plans, City Comprehensive Plans and Economic Development plans with the efforts of a citizen task force. The combined input identifies five specific venues to be developed by or on behalf of the City on the last remaining tracts of undeveloped land within Sugar Land.

Specific elements identified are a professional minor league baseball stadium, indoor concert venue, festival site, full-service hotel and convention center, and cultural arts facility.

The City Council appointed a 25-member citizen task force in May 2007 to develop a vision statement. That task force created the initial vision statement for the City on which the specific entertainment venue components were drawn from. The City Council reconstituted the visioning task force in June 2008 to review the proposed funding tools. The reconstituted task force recommended City Council proceed with calling an election in November of 2008 which resulted in four ballot propositions.

City Council called the election for Nov. 4 to allow voters to decide whether to utilize funds from the Sugar Land Type A Corporation and venue taxes to fund the development of three specific venues: 1) Minor League Ball Park, 2) Indoor Concert Venue, and 3) Festival Site.

The Sugar Land Type A Corporation, also known as the Sugar Land Development Corporation, is a non-profit corporation formed by the City of Sugar Land through a public vote in 1993 to undertake economic development activities in Sugar Land. The Sugar Land Type A Corporation can only be used for economic development purposes.

On November 4, 2008 voters approved all 4 ballot propositions.

Since 2008 the City has been studying and further defining the scopes for these three projects and working to find qualified private sector parties to join in their development. As a part of this effort the City requested interested parties submit a response earlier this year to Requests for Solicitation's of Interest for both the Concert Venue and Minor League Ballpark projects.

Following an extensive review process, Opening Day Partners LLC was chosen as the exclusive development partner for the Minor League Ballpark project. The review period for the Concert Venue RSI is currently underway and no partner has been selected as of yet. Please click on the appropriate tabs above for the latest information on the Ballpark and Concert Venue projects.

Nov. 2008 - Election Results

Proposition A - City of Sugar Land (SLDC Funding for Minor League Ballpark)
FOR		17,658 -- 65.33%
AGAINST		8,965 -- 33.67%
	Cast Votes:	26,623 -- 81.63%

Proposition B - City of Sugar Land (SLDC Funding for Concert Venue & Festival Site)
FOR		19,392 -- 73.00%
AGAINST		7,171 -- 27.00%
	Cast Votes:	26,563 -- 81.45%

Proposition C - City of Sugar Land (Venue Taxes for Minor League Ballpark)
FOR		15,981 -- 60.41%
AGAINST		10,472 -- 39.59%
	Cast Votes:	26,453 -- 81.11%

Proposition D - City of Sugar Land (Venue Taxes for Concert Venue & Festival Site)
FOR		17,696 -- 66.95%
AGAINST		8,736 -- 33.05%
	Cast Votes:	26,432 -- 81.04%

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the specific destination entertainment venues being pursued?

The idea behind the creation of several destination entertainment venues within the community combines more than a decade of citizen surveys, parks master plans, City Comprehensive Plans and Economic Development plans with the efforts of a citizen task force. The combined input identifies five specific venues to be developed by or on behalf of the City on the last remaining tracts of undeveloped land within Sugar Land. The specifically identified entertainment venues are:

Professional Minor League Baseball stadium
Indoor Concert Venue
Festival Site
Full Service Hotel and Convention Center
Cultural Arts Facility

What is the Sugar Land Type A Corporation?

The Sugar Land Type A Corporation, also known as the Sugar Land Development Corporation, is a non-profit corporation formed by the City of Sugar Land through a public vote in 1993 to undertake economic development activities in Sugar Land.

Why doesn't the City use the Sugar Land Type A Corporation funds to lower my property taxes?

The Sugar Land Type A Corporation is a separate non-profit corporation that by state law may only use its funds for economic development purposes. Its funds may not be used for general City operations.

Is there already a deal in place to build a minor league baseball stadium?

Yes. The City recently signed a letter on intent with Opening Day Partners, LLC (ODP) to be the City's exclusive development partner in the design, construction and funding of a professional minor league baseball stadium—built to MLB’s Triple A standards with numerous family-oriented amenities—in Sugar Land. The LOI also identifies ODP as the owner of an Atlantic League expansion team that is committed to play long term in Sugar Land, with a 20-year lease and a renewal option for an additional 10 years. The LOI has set in place a process that the City and ODP are now following to work through the other binding agreements and details on the stadium with the expectation of a Sugar Land team taking the field in April 2012.

Is there already a deal in place to build an indoor concert venue in Sugar Land?

No. The City has completed a market assessment of the opportunities to develop an indoor concert venue in Sugar Land, but there is no agreement in place to develop the indoor concert venue at this time. Earlier this year, the City requested interested parties submit a response to a Request for Solicitation of Interest (RSI) for the Concert Venue and is currently in the process of evaluating all of the responses received.

Now that the ballot propositions have been approved will the sales tax rate increase in Sugar Land?

No. The rate will not be affected.

What is the Sales Tax Rate in Sugar Land today?

The total tax rate on sales in Sugar Land is 8.25% That 8.25% is divided between the State of Texas and the City of Sugar Land. The state of Texas keeps 6.25% and the City collects the other 2%.

Has there been any public input into the development of this idea?

Yes. The City Council appointed a 25 member taskforce of community members in May of 2007 to develop a vision statement. The taskforce created the initial vision statement for the City on which the specific entertainment venue components were then drawn from. The City Council reconstituted the visioning taskforce in June of 2008 to review the proposed funding tools. The taskforce recommended City Council call the November 4, 2008 election.

25 Member Citizen/Owner Taskforce
12 Public Formal Actions/Discussions
Council specific actions include
- CC Workshops, MOU and approval of Visioning Statement
- CC Resolution No. 08-14 Entertainment Venues Concept Plan
- 4B Budget Adjustments
- Council Acceptance of Sugar Festival Funds from committee for furtherance of development of the entertainment venues
- CSL Contract for Concert Venue Feasibility Study
- CSL Contract for Baseball Feasibility Study
- CSL Council presentations on market assessment for both indoor concert venue and minor league baseball
- Council reconstitution of the Visioning taskforce to provide input to Council on venues and calling an election
- Visioning taskforce recommendation to City Council on calling an election

Is Sugar Land the first community to consider the development of these types of entertainment venues as an economic development project?

No. Communities all over the country have identified the benefits of pursuing the development of entertainment venues such as these to promote economic development and increase the quality of life for their residents. In Texas there are at least 7 communities currently considering or undertaking similar projects. Those communities include Allen, Cedar Park, Corpus Christi, Frisco, Grand Prairie, McKinney and Round Rock.

City of Sugar Land

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