HUTTO – The announcement that Academy Sports + Outdoors will break ground this month on their new location was met with cheers from the audience at the April 6 City Council meeting.
Austin Alvis, president of NewQuest Properties, told council that the national chain hopes to open in Townwest Commons no later than next spring. The development is located on State Highway 79 between Ed Schmidt Blvd. and Alliance Blvd.
“They provide not only desired shopping for the area but they are a serious economic impact driver with strong sales tax volumes, and they will create great jobs,” said Alvis.
According to a statement from the city April 6, Academy Sports + Outdoors is projected to initially generate at least $15 million a year in sales, bringing at least $225,000 a year to the city in sales tax revenue. Once stabilized, the store is estimated to reach $20 million a year in sales.
“From a tax base perspective, Academy will draw shoppers from surrounding areas, who will bring their spend-dollars to Hutto,” said Cheney Gamboa, assistant director of economic development. “There are a few other exciting additions to be announced soon at Townwest Commons, so we’re confident this will be a really great shopping center at full build-out.”
NewQuest Properties developed Phase 1 of Townwest Commons with Lowe’s as an anchor. Phase 2 swung into high gear after an agreement between NewQuest and the city was approved Jan. 5, awarding a $4 million economic development grant over a 10-year period and a $5 million sales tax incentive over a four-year period, contingent on NewQuest meeting certain performance obligations.
Two weeks later, NewQuest announced EVO Entertainment would be opening as the first major draw of Phase 2. Together with Academy, the complex will have at least two large anchor businesses.
Alvis said one of the key components for the success of the new phase will be enhancement of access and traffic flow.
“We’ve worked with Texas Department of Transportation to create a new accessible intersection with turn lanes and U-turns to Alliance Boulevard. So, that’s a major add, which will help with commercial traffic and residential traffic up Alliance, but also, it’s critical to get some of these major retailers to come to the project,” Alvis said.
With the addition of Academy, along with other future businesses, Townwest Commons is expected to grow moving forward.
“Townwest Commons is poised to be a real community destination, which means we’re also drawing more sit-down restaurants and other new-to-market concepts,” said Alvis. “We don’t always get to dictate what retailers we bring, but we can hold out until we get the ones that are right.”
