SPORT_155.qxp_Layout 1 11/17/19 12:27 PM Page 155 2020TEXASGUIDE YEE-HAW Cowboy Culture Thrives at the Lone Star State’s Rodeos and Ranches 7 Everything’s Site InSpections of Bigger in Texas, Event-Ready Especially the Destinations Barbecue SPG A Premier Travel Media publication www.SportsPlanningGuide.com SPORT_2-3.qxp_Layout 1 11/21/19 1:37 PM Page 2 GoRoundRock.com SPORT_2-3.qxp_Layout 1 11/21/19 1:37 PM Page 3 A STAR IS BORN. NEW BRAND. NEW DAY. 2020 State Guide TOCs pp10.qxp_Layout 1 11/17/19 12:37 PM Page 156 NANCY YAWN, CSEE, CDME Director, Round Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau WELCOME TO TEXAS, Y’ALL! The Biggest Host in the Country! On behalf of my colleagues across the great state of Texas, we would be thrilled to share our southern hospitality with you! Texas has invested smartly in infrastructure to support a plethora of events. Our all-star venues range from the iconic Texas stadiums professional sports teams call home, to regional indoor sports facilities and versatile multi-purpose complexes. The Lonestar State has a site for every event of any size. The variety of lodging for every budget, convenient travel options, award-winning restaurants and top-notch leisure activities make Texas an exceptional destination for sports associations and organizations. From Super Bowls and World Series, to Little Leagues and everything in between, we have helped our sports events planners with a game plan to ensure event success. We take great pride in going the extra mile so every visitor has a home run experience in Texas. In short, the people of Texas are your biggest fans, champions, and hosts. We believe that our state-of-the-art facilities, central location and Texas hospitality make us the perfect destination for your next event. We are excited for you to team up with Texas! Sincerely, Nancy Yawn, CSEE, CDME Director, Round Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau TEXAS 6 Home on the Range 8 Best BBQ in the West ©iStock.com/bgblue 10 Arlington, TX 18 Round Rock, TX 12 Bryan College Station, TX 20 Midland, TX 14 Portland, TX 23 Abilene, TX 16 Fort Worth, TX Cover Photo Courtesy of Travel Texas SI4 Sports Planning Guide @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG SPORT_154.qxp_Layout 1 11/18/19 12:02 AM Page 154 Come for the competition. Stay for the coast. Bring your best game to Portland’s Sports Complex and our Municipal Park, the premier sports venues on the Texas coast. Play on all artificial turf fields for baseball, softball, soccer, or football. For great competition and coastal fun, it’s a win for everyone. PlayPortlandTexas.com Located in the Coastal Bend, across the bay from Corpus Christi. SPORT_158-161.qxp_Layout 1 11/17/19 12:43 PM Page 158 ON THE RANGE THE INN AT DOS BRISAS ygone days of the rampant lawlessness that governed Texas in the Wild West may be gone, but the lore of the cowboy, tales of the Nestled between Houston, Austin and College Station, The Inn at Dos HOMEOld West and a tradition of ranch and rodeo life live on within the Brisas is a culinary oasis in the hills of Washington County. Here you’ll find BLone Star State. A paragon backdrop for a myriad of Hollywood films, the only Forbes five-star restaurant and Relais & Châteaux property in all of Texas’ natural beauty and unique landscape serve as a fantastic stop for Texas, where a luxurious hotel meets the peaceful scenery of a landscape those who’d like to hit the trails on horseback, while its vibrant cities bring framed by lakes, wildflowers and pecan trees. Enjoy wine tasting, baking the showmanship and skill of the modern-day cowboy to the biggest stage. and cooking classes, indulge in upscale rooms, take a riding lesson from one of the largest equestrian facilities in the state or stroll leisurely through RANCHES the gardens. For the sports enthusiast, engage in clay target shooting, hunt- FLYING L RANCH RESORT ing or fishing, as well as tennis and golf with access to nearby private clubs. Bandera is known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World” and Flying L PRUDE RANCH Ranch Resort delivers that experience and much more. Horseback and pony riding adventures along the San Julian Creek will give every buckaroo Here’s a challenge; try not to have the Dixie Chicks stuck in your head the chance to spot the whitetail and axis deer, black buck antelope, road while cruising around Prude Ranch in Fort Davis. Surrounded by the runners, wild turkeys, armadillos, owls, hawks and more that populate incredible rolling mountains of Big Bend, the ranch is the perfect stop for the region. When you’ve spent enough time on the trail and just want to a family vacation, corporate retreat or much-needed breath of fresh air. relax, this full-scale resort caters to your every need, offering four-bed- Horseback riding through rustic trails rewards riders with the serene room villas, five restaurants, and a 3-acre water park and 18-hole golf beauty of scenic West Texas, while a bevy of housing options are course. Enjoy wagon rides, champion Western entertainment, live music, available upon your return to the ranch. Relax in the pool and take in the roaring campfires and more in Texas’ Hill Country. breeze while learning about the ranch’s historic roots. 6 Sports Planning Guide @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG SPORT_158-161.qxp_Layout 1 11/17/19 12:42 PM Page 159 Cowboy culture and the MAYAN DUDE RANCH Wild West live at Texas’ Another staple of Bandera, the gorgeous Mayan Dude Ranch is in the heart of Texas Hill County, where you’ll find refreshing rivers, scenic ranches and rodeos horseback rides and delectable breakfast treats. Be a part of the West- ern tradition that has produced seven world champion rodeo cowboys while you wander through 348 acres of picturesque trails, traversing the Medina River and the panoramic views of the surrounding hills. Swim in the pool, reconnect with family and friends and indulge in farmhouse favorites like sliced bacon, cowboy sausage, oven-fresh biscuits and more. WILDCATTER RANCH Overlooking the Brazos River, Wildcatter Ranch in Graham is merely 90 minutes away from DFW International Airport and close to Possum Kingdom Lake. Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and experience luxurious ranch life, where an infinity pool and hot tub are ready to relax you after a long day exploring the great outdoors via horseback. The Wildcatter Steakhouse serves hand-cut, mesquite grilled steaks, while chicken fried steak is a local favorite. Multiple accommodations are available, ready to host every guest need. RODEOS FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW AND RODEO For 23 days each year Fort Worth makes its case as the most authentic Western lifestyle experience in the country when the show comes to Dickies Arena. Held annually since 1896, the Stock Show features livestock and horse shows, kid-friendly activities and exhibits, live music, carnival midway, shopping, great food and much more. HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO World-renowned as the largest indoor livestock exhibitions and rodeo on the planet, the Houston Livestock Show and Radio is not to be missed. The 2019 rodeo drew more than 2.5 million people over 20 days, with the 2020 event slated for March 3-22. The show features championship rodeo action, livestock competitions, concerts, a carnival, pig racing, barbecue and the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, as Mayan Ranch, Courtesy of Travel Texas Travel of Courtesy Ranch, Mayan well as shopping, sales and livestock auctions. Traditionally the event San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo draws some of the world’s biggest recording artists. RODEO AUSTIN With a family-friendly fairground, Rodeo Austin is “Where Weird Meets Western”. One of the country’s top ProRodeos comes to town every March, where top-ranked athletes compete in bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Plus, aspiring young cowboys and cowgirls can compete in the fan-favorite Mutton Bustin’ event, where kids receive a score no matter how long they stay on a friendly sheep. SAN ANGELO STOCK SHOW AND RODEO The San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is one of the largest live- stock shows in the nation, featuring the fourth-most entries between total contestants and the livestock show. More than 5,500 4-H and FFA exhibitors travel to appear at the show from more than 200 Texas counties, WEST 1077 GUEST RANCH annually drawing more than 150,000 spectators. SAN ANTONIO STOCK SHOW AND RODEO Just 10 miles outside of Bandera this dude ranch has a relaxed schedule, enabling you to completely engage in the peaceful tranquility As one of the most prestigious single events in San Antonio, the San of the Hill Country at West 1077 Guest Ranch. Here you’ll find nearly Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo annually attracts more than two million 230 acres teeming with wildlife, hiking, running and mountain biking visitors. Held from February 6-23 in 2020, the 14-time PRCA large trails, while Hill Country State National Area is nearby and offers an ad- Indoor Rodeo of the Year features a carnival for kids and musical per- joining 5,400 acres to roam. West 1077 always has something new to formances from some of the globe’s biggest names at Rodeo After Dark, do at the place where the old west meets today’s modern world. on top of a slew of amazing competitions. SPG SportsPlanningGuide.com Sports Planning Guide 7 REV2 TX State Guide Features SPG 2020.qxp_Layout 1 11/17/19 12:12 PM Page 160 THESE EIGHT GREAT BARBECUE SPOTS WILL BEST SATISFY THE TEXAS-SIZED APPETITE YOU’LL WORK UP DURING BBQIN THE YOUR NEXT TOURNAMENT IN WEST THE LONE STAR STATE verything is bigger in Texas, including your appetite.