Why did the PGA of America move to a Dallas exurb? You can guess some of the reasons (and they’re are over 150 millions)

FRISCO, Texas — If the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a city bulging on steroids, the exurb of Frisco is an overly enthusiastic spotter egging on the beast, screaming loudly for one final rep.

In late August, city council members and officials from the city enjoyed a day most other municipality planners would dream of: the unveiling of a cutting-edge, multi-million dollar home of a national sports organization, one that will bring a dozen or more major events to town over the next decade. Celebrities stirred about the 100,000-square-feet facility, which includes practice bays, indoor putting greens, conference rooms, and a massive foyer/conference area.

Among those on hand at the event were Dallas Cowboys greats Tony Dorsett, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Drew Pearson, Billy Joe DuPree and the team’s owner, Jerry Jones, as well as LPGA Hall of Famer Kathy Whitworth and former WNBA superstar Nancy Lieberman.

But for Frisco City Councilman Bill Woodard, while the ceremony was celebratory, it’s something he and fellow city officials have become comfortable with. Frisco — a once-sleepy prairie town that had a little more than 6,000 residents in 1990 but is now closing in on a quarter of a million — has used sports as a vehicle to distance itself from the numerous other small municipalities in the region, using unique public-private partnerships and massive incentives to lure teams. Or in this case, the PGA of America.

Although it seems to be working, it’s still a work in progress. Originally a train stop near a watering hole, Frisco’s humble beginnings have not kept its planners from thinking big. And when pro golfers are milling about town when the PGA Championship comes calling in 2027, they’ll have to fade into the background behind numerous other high-profile athletes.

The city is the home of the 12,000-seat Ford Center at the Star, a complex where the beloved Cowboys practice, and area high school football teams are often given access. The National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars practice at the Comerica Center, a 7,000-seat venue that is also the home of the G-League affiliate of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

There’s more. The 20,500-seat Toyota Stadium that houses FC Dallas, a member of Major League Soccer, has hosted of the Frisco Bowl since 2017, and the Division I FCS football championship game for a dozen years.

And the movement to sports really began back in 2003 when the Texas Rangers moved their Double-A affiliate into what is now called Riders Field, an interesting and much-lauded park that sits at the intersection of the Dallas North Tollway and the Sam Rayburn Tollway.

While we’re on it, let’s talk tolls and travel. Yes, Frisco is technically a bedroom community of Dallas, but the only way to get from the north part of town — where the two new PGA Frisco championship courses are housed — to, say, Reunion Tower in the heart of downtown Dallas is by taking the tollway. This is no small feat. Without traffic, it’s at least a half-hour commute and during rush hour, this can easily turn into an hour. Also, the cost? A cool $12.12 to make the round-trip.

But despite the distance from downtown, Frisco officials hardly seem worried. In fact, Woodard — who has been on the city’s council for six years after spending six years on the planning and zoning commission — was pleased but not surprised this day was finally here as he mingled with other city representatives off to the side at the opening ceremonies.

“We’ve always believed we can act like a big city. And we can do a lot of things that other cities can’t,” he said. “And it’s that mentality that’s allowed us to go after these big projects that most people would say, ‘Well, there’s no way, a city that size can do that project.’ We find a way, and we’ve always had a very positive proactive attitude in doing that.”

How much will Frisco, others kick in?

Of course, that attitude includes giving large tax breaks to sports organizations. In fact, when city officials approved the incentives package for the PGA of America back in 2018, it was expected to top $160 million.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the breakdown looks like this:

• For the initial development of the public portion of the project,
  the city of Frisco was on the hook for $13.3 million; the Frisco Community Development Corp., $13.3 million; Frisco Independent School District, $5.8 million; and the Frisco Economic Development Corp., $2.5 million.
• Now that things are in motion, the city will also provide performance incentives, which could reach as high as $74 million.
• And the state of Texas will allow PGA Frisco to run without hotel or sales taxes for a decade, along with some mixed beverage taxes. That is expected to save the project somewhere in the neighborhood of $62 million over the first 10 years.

Frisco’s Economic Development Corp. is also on the hook for about $1 million a year to help with the relocation from Florida, job creation and other incentives.

Those massive numbers, especially for a city that only has about 225,000 residents, were enough to woo the PGA of America, which had a number of major suitors.

In fact, Seth Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America, said the group didn’t think it would leave its home in Palm Beach Gardens.

“We were totally happy in Florida,” he said. “We’d been there for 60 years, you know, all good. We did an RFP [request for proposal], sort of assuming we’d get paid to stay, right? That’s how it works, right? You get the state and the county to step up. They kind of did it. But we went to, you know, all the other places in the country that you would go to, so Charlotte and Atlanta and Phoenix and, you know, everywhere you can imagine. Frisco jumped out. They just jumped out.”

But why?

“Financially, they were attractive,” he said. “It’s obviously a business-friendly place. But this isn’t just a building. This is a destination where we can really get a return on our investment here in a way that we can’t elsewhere.

“And then, as you start adding it up — you’ve got a workforce that’s as good as anywhere, educated and willing. And then, the centrality was a big deal because you know we actually built something that our members are going to come see. There’s no reason to come to our old headquarters building right now. They’ve got a reason to come.”

The PGA of America Frisco had its official opening Aug. 22, 2022, in Frisco, Texas. (Photo: Tim Schmitt/Golfweek)

Omni, school district played major roles

Since the tax base alone isn’t enough to leverage to offer huge incentives, Frisco and the PGA of America found other willing partners to help finance the project.

Omni was quick to jump on the plan, and is putting the finishing touches on a project that includes 501 guest rooms and seven four-bedroom golf villas. The hotel will feature a dozen restaurants/food shops, three pools — including an adults-only rooftop infinity pool — 127,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, and a destination spa.

A 10-hole short course called The Swing and a 75,000 square foot putting course called the Dance Floor will also add to the flavor of the property.

And the school district’s involvement is key as well. Since Frisco ISD put up nearly $6 million for the project it’s getting a few key pieces in return — including use of the swing bays and simulators. Also, the new Panther Creek High School, the district’s 12th high school, recently opened its doors across the street.

Waugh joked during the opening ceremonies that Panther Creek will be one of the state’s best golf schools immediately.

“If they don’t win a state championship in like five years, either they’re not very athletic or we’re not very good teachers,” he joked.

So for now, this seems a match made in heaven — albeit a hot, muggy heaven. And while there are certainly those who have opposed the massive incentives offered up, Woodard said he and the city’s councilmembers believe those who live in Frisco are on board.

“I think overwhelmingly people are supportive of it. I mean, there’s always going to be detractors for one reason or another, but I think our residents have seen what we’ve built and what we are trying to do and the positive aspects of the job attraction and what that brings to the area,” Woodard said.

So is this finally it? Has Frisco landed its last big sports fish?

“I’m afraid to say it’s not possible to do something else because we kind of thought that with it with The Star and then the opportunity with the PGA came along and we’re like, ‘Oh we gotta make that happen,’” Woodard said.

“So I’ll just say that, you know, we’re looking for these great things, that’ll make the city that much stronger, and be a great place to live and work and to play.”