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College Station SPORTS Planner Guide

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About College Station

Sports Facilities

10 Hotels At A Glance 12 Eat & Drink 13 Activities & Attractions 14 About Compete College Station 15 Meet The Team 16 Next Steps Fun Fact: Aggie or not, the spirit you’ll feel around town is palpable. Midnight Yell, Silver Taps, the 12th Man—it’s more than football, it’s a vibe.

Howdy, let us be the first to thank you for considering the City of College Station to host your next sporting event. Here in Aggieland, we have a proud tradition of sporting excellence and a long history of welcoming visitors with open arms, and we’re eager to share both with you. We have an extensive collection of indoor and outdoor sporting venues, including those operated by Texas A&M University itself, sure to make competing here a joy for athletes, spectators and organizers alike. And when it’s time to get some rest before or after your event, everyone will appreciate our wide array of accommodations that suit teams of any size or budget. In-between games, matches and meets, we can’t wait to welcome you to activities and attractions across town. You can shoot for a hole-in-one at PopStroke, sit at the Resolute Desk in the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum’s Oval Office or find food and fun in the Historic Northgate District. Want to try something else? Just ask, and we’re happy to point you in the right direction. Read on, and you’ll find it easy to picture your players, families and fans having the time of their lives in College Station. And once you meet our skilled team, you’ll discover that we’re here to support you every step of the way, too. Sports is our passion, and bringing people together is what we do best, so call us out of the bullpen and put us in coach—we’re ready to play!

— The Compete College Station Team

ONCE A RAILROAD STOP. NOW, A ROBUST CITY.

In 1876, Texas A&M University was inaugurated as the state’s first institution of higher learning. Then, in 1938, the residents living around the “college station” on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad that served the university decided to turn the area into a proper town…but kept the familiar College Station moniker. In the years since, College Station has made a name for itself in countless other ways. The city now has a population of over 130,000 residents and is expected to keep right on growing, earning the #3 ranking on a list of America’s Next Boom Towns in 2024. 2

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All that growth hasn’t changed the Aggie spirit of a place rooted in education, community and a commitment to service, however, and it remains a wonderful place to live and work today. The city was named the #1 Best Texas City for Young Families, the #3 Top US City for Fresh Graduates and among the Top 10 Cities for Retirees, showing College Station’s appeal to people of all ages. Choose this thriving Texas city for your next sporting event, and you’ll soon discover its unique charm for yourself. And don’t be surprised if this ends up becoming your preferred tournament location year after year, as it has for many others.

WHERE YOU’LL FIND US Drive northwest from Houston, northeast from Austin or just about due south from Dallas, and in just a couple of hours, you’ll find yourself in College Station (approximately 90 min. from Houston, 2 hrs. from Austin, 3 hrs. from Dallas). If you’re coming by plane, you can fly into DFW, IAH, HOU or AUS and drive the rest of the way, or land right in College Station at Easterwood Airport (CLL) for the ultimate in convenience.

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A DESTINATION BUILT FOR SPORTS College Station offers a wide range of venues designed to host youth and amateur competitions of every kind. From expansive outdoor complexes to modern indoor arenas, aquatic centers and multi-use fields, our city provides the flexibility and scale to accommodate everything from weekend tournaments to national championships. What makes these facilities stand out more than the quality of the spaces is the way they’re supported. Professional event services, convenient lodging and a community that embraces visiting teams all combine to create an environment where competitions run seamlessly and families feel right at home.

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SOFTBALL & BASEBALL FACILITIES Whether the ball comes at the batter overhand or underhand, tournaments taking place on the diamond find themselves perfectly at home in College Station. From the first pitch to the last out, outstanding facilities and even better hospitality will give athletes and coaching staffs everything they need to secure a victory. And when the games are over, the fun here always goes into extra innings. BASEBALL FIELDS 2 Area High School Fields • Estimated combined 1,100 seating capacity with concessions Brian Bachmann Community Park • 6 natural grass fields with lights and bleachers • (4) 200’ fences • (2) 300’ fences • Batting cages • 4 T-Ball fields

SOFTBALL FIELDS 2 Area High School Fields • Estimated combined 850 seating capacity with concessions

Wayne Smith Ballfields • 3 natural grass fields with lights • 200’ fences • 2 T-Ball fields • Batting cages

Bee Creek Park • 2 natural grass fields with lights and bleachers • 250’ and 275’ fences • Concessions • Batting cage Stephen C. Beachy Central Park • 4 natural grass fields with lights and bleachers • 275’ fences • Concession Veterans Park & Athletic Complex • 5 natural grass fields with lights and bleachers • 300’ fences • Gated complex • Musco Vision • Batting cages • 1,000 sq. ft. meeting space with concessions

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multipurpose facilities

From equestrian to soccer, lacrosse to rugby, College Station’s multipurpose facilities provide the flexibility to host camps, tournaments and events of all kinds. Simply choose the venue that suits your sport best, then let the skilled professionals here put decades of sports planning expertise to work.

MULTIPURPOSE FACILITIES 2 Area High School Fields

•E stimated combined 12,600 seating capacity with concessions Brazos County Expo (Equestrian) •T wo arenas—North Arena: 70,000 sq. ft. and 3,000 seats; South Arena: 75,000 sq. ft. and 720 seats •E xhibit Hall—50,000 sq. ft. with over 28,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space •B allroom—26,000 sq. ft. with over 13,600 sq. ft. of meeting space Brian Bachman Community Park •5 natural grass fields • ( 2) 70x110-yard fields with lights • ( 2) 50x80-yard fields • ( 1) 45x75-yard field Stephen C. Beachy Central Park •3 natural grass fields with lights • ( 2) 65x100-yard fields • ( 1) 70x110-yard field Veterans Park & Athletic Complex • ( 4) 80x110-yard synthetic fields • ( 9) 80x110-yard natural grass fields with lights overed pavilion area with kitchen for 550 •C • 1 ,473 parking spaces

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texas a&m facilities

Thanks to our longstanding partnership with Texas A&M University, Compete College Station has preferred access to many of their world-class facilities. That puts your athletes on the very same courts, fields and courses as some of the nation’s best D1 stars.

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Davis Diamond (Softball) • Seating capacity for 2,000 • 6,744 sq. ft. indoor hitting facility with four batting cages E.B. Cushing Stadium (Track & Field) • Seating capacity of 2,200 with ample room to expand for large meets and championships • 9-lane oval and a 9-lane sprint and hurdle runway inside the oval • Field events held inside the oval and at the warm-up track adjacent to the stadium

R.A. “Murray” Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility (Track & Field) • 130,000 sq. ft. stadium with a seating capacity of 4,000 • 200-meter, six-lane track with a Mondo Super X 720 surface permanently banked at 12 degrees • 8 sprint lanes with a pole vault runway and two triple-jump runways with sand pits Reed Arena (Multipurpose) • Seating capacity for 12,989 • 25,000 sq. ft. of column-free space

Ford Hall of Champions

Student Rec Center (Multipurpose)

• Located at Kyle Field

• 10 multipurpose courts that can accommodate basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer and badminton

• 30,000 sq. ft. virtual sports museum that celebrates the iconic football stadium and Texas A&M Athletics • Reception capacity: 1,250; Banquet capacity: 1,000 George P. Mitchell Tennis Center (Tennis) • Seating capacity for 3,000 • 12 lighted courts • Players’ lounge Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park (Baseball) • Seating capacity for 6,100 • Tiffway 419 Bermuda grass outfield and Latitude Bermuda grass infield • 1,358 sq. ft. videoboard Omar Smith Instructional Tennis Center (Tennis & Pickleball)

• 14 racquetball, handball and squash courts • 5,500 sq. ft. of climbing terrain including 3 climbing facilities, 2 bouldering walls and a rope-climbing facility The Golf Club at Texas A&M (Golf) • Par 71, 7,008-yard course • Features an 18-hole championship course • Driving range and short game practice area • Golf shop The Natatorium (Swimming & Diving) • Permanent on-deck seating for 1,100 with an additional 1,200 seats available • 50-meter, 8-lane competition pool; graduated depths of 7 to 9 feet

• 10 lighted pickleball courts

• 17-foot-deep dive pool contains 1, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10-meter diving platforms; also doubles as an 8-lane, 25-meter pool

Penberthy Rec Sports Complex (Multipurpose)

Watts Cross Country Course (Cross Country Running)

• 4 artificial turf fields and 7 natural grass fields

uitable for races from 2k to 10k in distance •S

• 2 softball fields with dirt infields

• Wide starting area, combined with ample racing room during the first 1,000 meters, makes it suitable for hosting championshiplevel events

• 15 courts, 9 lighted

• Covered pavilion area and lighted shelter with outdoor picnic tables and seating for 200+ Physical Education Activity Program (Multipurpose) • 4 full-size basketball courts

• Scenic course features tree-lined areas as well as sections that are heavily wooded

• 6 volleyball courts • 12 badminton courts

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HOTELS AT A GLANCE Use this handy chart to scan through our numerous accommodation offerings,

# OF MEETING ROOMS

105

505

Baymont by Wyndham College Station

600

Best Western Plus College Station Inn & Suites

517

Cavalry Court

Yes

141

6,000

Comfort Suites Texas Avenue

372

Comfort Suites University Drive

Courtyard by Marriott

125

2,300

Days Inn- Texas Avenue

560

Days Inn- University Drive

1,000

Drury Plaza Hotel College Station

160

1,122

Embassy Suites

Yes

162

3,500

EZ Travel Inn

Hampton Inn

133

198

Hampton Inn & Suites

1,056

Hawthorn Extended Stay by Wyndham College Station South

400

Hawthorn Extended Stay by Wyndham College Station

530

Hilton College Station Hotel & Conference Center

Yes

301

27,000

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

1,260

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Aggieland

116

3,500

Home2 Suites by Hilton

111

480

POOL

TOTAL MEETING SPACE (SF)

FITNESS CENTER

# OF ROOMS

Aloft College Station

RESTAURANT /BAR

PROPERTY NAME

FULL-SERVICE

then come say howdy to one that suits the needs of your teams and their fans.

Fun Fact: College Station offers more than 4,500 hotel rooms—that’s double the inventory since joining the SEC. Whoop! 10

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# OF ROOMS

TOTAL MEETING SPACE (SF)

# OF MEETING ROOMS

RESTAURANT /BAR

650

Hotel McCoy

Hyatt Place College Station

805

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham College Station North

584

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham College Station South

558

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham

1,066

Motel 6

110

Ramada College Station

800

Red Roof Inn College Station

114

Residence Inn by Marriott

726

Sleep Inn & Suites

Staybridge Suites

1,260

Super 8

Texas A&M Hotel & Conference Center

Yes

250

35,000

The George

Yes

162

5,800

Towneplace Suites by Marriott

Vineyard Court Designer Suites

650

voco College Station Aggieland

166

Wingate by Wyndham College Station South

350

Wyndham Garden College Station

135

4,800

POOL

FULL-SERVICE

Homewood Suites by Hilton

FITNESS CENTER

PROPERTY NAME

1 -

Fun Fact: From soccer & baseball to 7-on-7 football & swimming, youth sports tournaments here bring in teams from across America. Game on! C O L L E G E S TAT I O N S P O R T S P L A N N E R G U I D E

SINK YOUR TEETH INTO CENTRAL TEXAS College Station is a Texas town through and through, and the culinary options you’ll find here make no bones about it. But mixed in amongst the mouthwatering BBQ and Mexican cantinas, you’ll also find a wide variety of options sure to suit any player…and every palate. Fuel up with breakfast at Mess Waffles, The Toasted Yolk or Stella Southern Café. Have a hearty lunch at Burger Mojo, Crust Pizza Co. or the famous Dixie Chicken. End the day with dinner at the Hullabaloo Diner, La Familia Taqueria or The Republic Steakhouse. And adults…don’t forget to celebrate a victory with a stroll down Bottlecap Alley to one of the Historic Northgate District’s watering holes. Scan For Our Visitors Guide 12

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MAKE A GAME PLAN FOR WHAT TO DO AFTER GAMES

You may be focused on winning, but that still leaves time for a little fun. Or, since you’re in College Station, a lot of fun. Whether your team is in search of adventure or just looking to relax between competitions, you’ll find plenty of ways for them to spend their time. Even better, many of the best things to see and do change with the seasons, so there’s never a shortage of new experiences to be had. Chalk up and scale the air-conditioned, indoor walls at Stone Co. Climbing. Stroll through

Fun Fact: At the Museum of the American G.I., you can see fully functional tanks from as far back as World War 1.

history at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum, complete with a retired Marine One helicopter and replica of the Oval Office. Visit Santa’s Wonderland during the holiday season and marvel at millions of dazzling lights while experiencing true holiday cheer. Or, just walk the campus of Texas A&M University and let the kids dream of when they’ll star for the Aggies one day before taking a picture beneath the larger-than-life Aggie ring replica. You’re sure to take home plenty of photos and even more memories.

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Compete College Station is the sports

Texas-sized hospitality. From multi-day

tourism arm of Visit College Station, the

tournaments to training camps to

city’s official destination marketing

invitationals, our team is here to make

organization. Our mission is simple: to help

your event seamless, successful and

you host exceptional sporting events in a

uniquely College Station. How? Well…

city that blends tradition, innovation and

glad you asked!

services One thing you’ll notice about College Station—you’re never

•S ite Visit Coordination

alone. Everywhere you turn, friendly faces are ready to help

•V enue & Hotel Recommendations

with whatever you may need, and the same is true when

•R oom Block Assistance

planning a sporting event here. Compete College Station is your local partner, supporting you every step of the way with services like:

•S pecial Event Planning •V endor Referrals •W elcome Bags & Promo Items •L ocal Business Connections •C ustom Itineraries & Activity Recommendations •R egistration Assistance •H otel Welcome Signage •V olunteer Recruitment •C ity Liaison Support

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MARKETING We don’t just help you plan your event, we’ll help you promote it too, using a suite of marketing tools to help you build hype and

MEET THE TEam Remember those friendly faces we mentioned? Meet our Compete College Station sales team who are ready to assist in any way possible.

attract both teams and spectators. These include: •W elcome Materials & Visitor Guides (Print/Digital)

Jeremiah Cook Assistant Director, Tourism

•A ccess To High-Res Images, Video Assets & Written Content •L ocal Media List Creation •E vent Listing On VisitCollegeStation.com (If Applicable)

Alex Aguero Sports Sales Manager

ocial Media Collaboration & Co-Promotion •S (If Applicable)

HOT GRANTS = REAL SAVINGS

Sydney Sohn Sports Sales Coordinator

Compete College Station administers the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). Why does that matter to you? Because if your event includes

Madison Palmer Sports Servicing Coordinator

overnight hotel stays, it may be eligible for HOT funding. That can help cover your facility rentals, food & beverage, transportation, marketing or other direct expenses. Interested? Here’s how to apply:

Questions or ready to schedule a site visit? Contact us at 979.764.2625 or email us at visitcs@cstx.gov.

1. Submit a HOT Grant Application through the Compete College Station website. 2. Provide a detailed budget, marketing plan and proof of hotel room block or anticipated bookings. 3. All applications are reviewed by the Tourism Committee. 4. If approved, funding is awarded post-event, based on performance metrics.

Fun Fact: College Station is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, booming not just with coeds, but thanks to a mix of tech, education, sports and lifestyle development. C O L L E G E S TAT I O N S P O R T S P L A N N E R G U I D E

YOU’VE REACHED THE END, BUT IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING

Now that you’ve had a chance to explore College Station and Learn Why You’ll Love It Here, don’t say goodbye—reach out and say hello instead. We can’t wait to answer any additional questions you may have and to help you work through the details of your upcoming sporting event.

OTHER EVENTS

CALLING COLLEGE STATION HOME Our experience planning and executing sporting events continues to draw teams, tournaments and competitions of all kinds. Here are just a couple of the exciting events that have been held here, or will be held here in the near future: 2025-2026 TEXAS AMATEUR ATHLETIC

DAVE CAMPBELL’S TEXAS FOOTBALL

FEDERATION GAMES OF TEXAS

7 ON 7 STATE TOURNAMENT

The largest amateur athletic competition

This prestigious event attracts the best

in Texas, this event returns to College

talent in the state each year to compete for

Station, having previously been held here

the crown in three different divisions, and it

seven times in the past.

returned to College Station in 2025.

SKIP STRAIGHT TO THE RFP Already have the basics of your sporting event mapped out? Just scan the code to contact us, submit your request for proposal and let us bring your vision to life.

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notes

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To l e a rn m o re , g o to C o m p e t e C o ll e g eSt at i o n . co m Connect with us @CompeteCSTX