Texas’ Premier Sports Facility

With the opening date of Texas’ newest premier athletic complex fast approaching, the Berl Huffman Athletic Complex, the “Hub City” has caught the eye of major sporting event planners across the country, creating a larger market for athletic tournaments in West Texas. 

Lubbock’s history with sporting events has proven it to be a top destination for travel. Along with soccer tournaments, the complex will service a diverse range of games requiring a flat field from quidditch to 7×7 football, attracting a wide range of athletes.

Market Lubbock, Inc. partnered with the city of Lubbock on a $7 million investment to the high-trafficked fields in October of 2018. Since then, improvements to irrigation, bathrooms, fields and other enhancements to the fan experience have been underway. The completion of this project will result in a major economic impact on the city that goes beyond the 350,000 square feet championship turf fields. 

Fans, tourists and outside event sponsors bring in money that wouldn’t otherwise be here. Businesses in the city including restaurants, hotels and local, small business are impacted positively through dollars spent here. A variety of industry sectors found in the “Hub City” like tourism and construction will also see a spike in demand as infrastructure needs will be required to accommodate the number of travelers this new complex will attract each year.

The lasting economic benefits from major sporting events may ultimately come from the new infrastructure created as a result of this addition, but the appeal of this facility to draw in events will have a more immediate effect. Because of Market Lubbock’s forward-thinking investment, this state-of-the-art athletic complex has been a catalytic project for the future growth of Lubbock.

Over Memorial Day weekend, the first whistle will blow as the debut tournament, West Texas Invitational Cup, kicks off a new era of sports tourism in Lubbock. From the sports facilities to performance halls, Lubbock continues to be an attractive place to live, work and play. 

“Jobs are what it’s all about. It’s about good jobs… It’s why our efforts around workforce development make so much sense… It is about the American dream.”

Dan Pope
Former Mayor of Lubbock