Mark Wahlberg, Brothers to Bring Their Burger Joint to Texas at Cowboys' Headquarters
Celebrity actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers, Donnie Wahlberg and Paul Wahlberg, plan to bring the first Texas Wahlburgers to the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and training facility at The Star in Frisco, Texas, which is a 91-acre mixed-use development being built by an affiliate of the world's most valuable sports team.
The Hingham, Massachusetts-based casual dining burger-and-bar concept, founded by the three Wahlberg brothers in 2011, is making its move in the Lone Star State with plans to open the restaurant, which was the subject of a reality show on the A&E Network, in conjunction with the Cowboys.
"We are all huge sports fans and to be able to open our first Texas location in tandem with a legendary organization like the Dallas Cowboys is icing on the cake," Mark Wahlberg said in a statement.
Mark Wahlberg attended the Dallas Cowboys training camp practice this past weekend in Oxnard, California, to spend time with the Jones family, the owner of the team, as well as the team's players and coaches. He announced the new Wahlburgers location in the Dallas area of North Texas at the practice.
In all, the burger chain currently has 32 locations throughout North America and the United Kingdom. The new Texas location at The Star in Frisco near 1 Cowboys Way is expected to open this fall.
According to Wahlburgers' website, a Houston location appears to be coming soon. Details on additional Texas locations of the burger and bar restaurant were not immediately available.
By bringing Wahlburgers to The Star in Frisco, Dallas Cowboys Chief Operating Officer Stephen Jones said the team's fans and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the restaurant within walking distance of the team's headquarters and practice facility.
"Working together with family to create a solid business with strong values is something both the Joneses and Wahlbergs have in common," Jones said, in a statement.
Along with a chef-inspired menu created by Executive Chef Paul Wahlberg, the restaurant will also include a full-service bar offering cocktails, wine and beer to guests, including the custom brewed pale ale by Boston-based Harpoon Brewery, called the Wahlbrewski.
The fast-growing city of Frisco has been a dynamic area for retail space in North Texas, which is also the fastest-growing metro area in the United States. According to CoStar data, developers have added 1.5 million square feet to the retail and restaurant space in Frisco, boosting its inventory of space by 20% since 2010.
The average asking rent for retail space in Frisco is $32.16 per square foot, a premium compared with the average asking rent in the North Texas region, which is $19.92 per square foot. The Star in Frisco has some of the highest rents in Frisco tied to an additional premium to locate within walking distance of the Cowboys. Terms of the deal with the Wahlburgers location were undisclosed.
Last week, the Cowboys opened up its newest venture, a coworking concept called Formation, at The Star in Frisco.
