Driving dollars into McKinney From the cover
2023 tournament economic impact More than $80 million was generated by the Byron Nelson golf tournament in 2023.
What’s happening?
Direct output (economic activity generated by the tournament itself): $35.36M Indirect output (secondary impact that measures business- to-business spending within the supply chain to support the tournament): $29.14M
the tournament. The city is also committed to spending $500,000 in infrastructure improvements for every $10 million spent by Invited Clubs, a club management company, on golf course improvements at TPC Craig Ranch. If the three-year extension is exercised, the city will contribute $500,000 more. The agreement also includes sponsorship terms for the city and the McKinney Community Development Corp. In 2023, the tournament generated $80.93 million in total economic impact for McKinney and the surrounding region, according to an economic impact study by Eventcorp Services. The tournament also supported 372 jobs. While an updated study has not been completed since 2023, two more are planned during the next five years, Drago said. “We know that McKinney’s growing and changing faster than almost any city in Texas, so I expect that to do the same,” Drago said of the tournament’s economic impact.
The CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament is returning to TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney for the sixth year in a row. The tournament is expected to stick around at least another five years after stakeholders agreed to an extension in late 2025. The agreement also includes an option to further extend the tournament’s stay in McKinney through 2033. The Byron Nelson golf tournament has been played at the TPC Craig Ranch course in McKinney each year since 2021. Two economic impact studies completed in 2022 and 2023 have shown the tournament draws thousands of people to McKinney and the North Texas region while generating an economic impact measured in millions. “We feel it’s now our forever home after having those first five years there,” Tournament Director Jon Drago said. “We’ve had a lot of great success.” Under the extension agreement, McKinney will continue providing police and fire services for
$80.93M total
Induced output (money spent in the local economy by those employed directly or indirectly in support of the tournament): $16.43M
Average spending by category
Attendees of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament spent an average of $1,529.86 for their trip.
Accommodation: $493.33
Dining: $378.34
Retail shopping: $119.95 Transportation: $354.52
$1,529.86 total
Recreation: $99.11
Grocery and liquor shopping: $84.61
SOURCE: SALESMANSHIP CLUB OF DALLAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
McKinney-area golf course investments
A closer look
Zooming out
1 Oak Hollow Golf Course $1M renovation cost
Completed in 2023
Visit McKinney allocates $50,000 every year for promotion around the Byron Nelson, Exec- utive Director Aaron Werner said. That covers Visit McKinney’s booth at the tournament and advertising pointed at other Texas locations. Visit McKinney uses hotel occupancy tax revenues to promote the city as a tourist des- tination. Hotel occupancy taxes are collected from hotels and short-term rentals. The number of hotel rooms booked during the tournament is “extremely high” for McKin- ney and the rest of the region, Werner said. “This event does bleed over into Frisco, Allen, Plano—just with the location of it and also with the prestige of it,” he said.
The tournament has helped “elevate McKinney’s brand” as a major sports destination, Werner said. Every community has different assets, and one of McKinney’s is TPC Craig Ranch, which was able to attract a PGA Tour tournament, he said. “It’s our job as a city and as a tourism depart- ment to try to elevate those assets and make sure that they bring the benefit to the community,” Werner said. PGA players returning in May will find a reimag- ined course at TPC Craig Ranch after a renovation project was finished in December. World Golf Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins led the project, which completely overhauled the existing course. “It’s a fine line to walk between doing a course for a tour event and then understanding that members have to play it the other 51 weeks,” Wadkins said. Renovations are also underway at the Clubs of Stonebridge Ranch, another Invited Clubs golf course, and are expected to finish later this year. The McKinney-owned Oak Hollow Golf Course also underwent renovations in 2023. Oak Hollow Golf Course has increased its playership over the years while also offering opportunities for younger kids to get involved with the sport, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Kinkade said.
2 TPC Craig Ranch $22M
Completed in 2025
renovation cost
3 The Clubs of Stonebridge Ranch The Hills Country Club $10M renovation cost Fall 2026 expected completion
LAKE FOREST DR.
1
Tournament week hotel occupancy
380
100%
80.9%
3
71.1% 72.7%
75
69.7%
75%
5
50%
In 2025, hotel occupancy jumped 10 percentage points from the annual average of 70.9% during the Byron Nelson tournament.
2
25%
SRT TOLL
0%
2022
2023 2024 2025
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCE: VISIT MCKINNEY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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