NewQuest Asia-Pacific has catapulted the Southwest to the forefront of the U.S. expansion for its newest international client, Takoro Sports, with one baseball-focused gaming complex now open and several sites under construction in Texas and Arizona.
NewQuest is poised to break ground on Taiwan-based Takoro Sports’ first new-build in the U.S., which will be constructed on a ground-leased site in the developer’s Stone Hill Town Center in Pflugerville near Austin. Also coming on the heels of Takoro Sports’ celebrated launch in Katy, Texas, are tenant finish-outs on leased spaces in Arizona – Kimco Realty Corp.’s Mesa Riverview at 1061 N. Dobson Rd. in Mesa and a former Potato Barn on 1.5 acres at 865 N. 54th St. in Chandler.
“Takoro Sports is pioneering a new era of sports and entertainment. It has spent years planning and refining the concept for its U.S. launch,” says Heather Nguyen, managing director and executive vice president of Houston-based NewQuest. She founded the Asia-Pacific brokerage division in 2013.
The NewQuest Asia-Pacific team is continually lobbying popular international brands to come to the U.S., particularly Texas, home to the third-largest Asian population in the nation. To date, Nguyen and her colleagues have signed or are negotiating eight leases in Texas and Arizona for Takoro Sports’ emerging U.S. footprint.
“Heather has always invested her time into looking for new concepts to bring to America,” says Rebecca Le, senior vice president of NewQuest Asia-Pacific. “Takoro Sports is filling a void in the country for a tech-driven baseball gaming experience of this caliber.”
Takoro Sports is one of the world’s largest baseball entertainment operators. Venues typically are 20,000 sf of gaming space featuring beginner-friendly to professional-level challenges. Immersive features include high-tech batting and pitching cages, a Hit-Trax swing suite with simulated play in MLB stadiums; 5D racing simulators; arcades; and food/beverage options. Some locations are indoor-only while others, as will be the case in NewQuest’s Stone Hill Town Center, will feature indoor and outdoor experiences.
“The enhanced technology offers adjusted pitching speeds and an automatic retrieval system,” Le says. “I’m a mom with baseball-age children. Batting facilities in the U.S. simply can’t compare to Takoro Sports’ technology-driven and family-friendly experience.”
Le was instrumental in sourcing Takoro Sports’ newly opened venue by securing the 20,000-sf lease via off-market talks with the landlord of Katy Ranch Crossing. One of the highlights for the kick-off event featured a guest appearance by Geoff Blum, a television commentator for the Houston Astros and a former MLB star.
Takoro Sports’ complex in Katy has 10 batting cages with two lanes for fast- and slow-pitch softball and eight lanes of baseball with pro-level adjustable batting and pitching speeds. Other gaming experiences include air hockey, “pop-a-shot” basketball, miniature bowling, electronic darts and arcade games.
“I love bringing a new concept to the market,” Le says. “I’m a broker and a consumer. I believe Takoro Sports’ tech-driven technology in baseball gaming will be well received everywhere.”
Takoro Corp., founded in 1973, is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. With 14 established batting centers in its native country, the company is planning to make the U.S. its largest market.
“NewQuest is thrilled to support Takoro Sports’ growth and bring its innovative vision to new audiences,” Nguyen says. “Our firm has signed two new construction leases thus far and is planning to incorporate this tenant into several other developments.”
NORTH TEXAS SALE
Upper Image Services LLC has sold a 1.098-acre retail pad site at Lebanon Road and Parkwood Boulevard in Frisco to Bank7. Nick Ramsey of NewQuest and Brandon Trimble of the Retail Connection represented the seller. Daisy Patel of White Rock Realty represented they buyer.
SOUTH TEXAS LEASE
Aisha’s Salon & Spa has leased 1,202 sf of retail space in Cypress Village Station, located at the intersection of TX 290 and Skinner Road in Cypress, from NewQuest. Nina Irwin of NewQuest represented the landlord in the direct deal.
NewQuest, founded in 2001, is a privately owned, full-service commercial real estate firm specializing in development of retail and mixed-use shopping centers, asset management and brokerage services. Headquartered in Houston, NewQuest owns a portfolio encompassing more than 100 retail and mixed-use projects exceeding $3 billion in value and 12 million square feet of commercial space in Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia and throughout the U.S.
