A whole lot of singing and dancing are headed the way of Round Rock as relocation of Nutty Brown Amphitheater continues to gain momentum.

UPDATE: The Round Rock City Council on Dec. 5, 2019, approved amending the agreement with TOTKN LLC, the parent company of Nutty Brown Cafe and Amphitheater, to allow for more time for the project to be completed.

On April 12, 2018, the City Council approved an economic development agreement with TOTKN, which will invest $10 million and employ 40 in Round Rock. The City will reimburse a percentage of the project’s property taxes over five years and waive up to $30,000 in development fees for the project. The original agreement called for the facility to be completed by Dec. 31, 2019. The amendment approved by the City Council will extend the completion date to Dec. 31, 2021. That’s the only change to the agreement.

Nutty Brown developers have submitted a site development permit application to the City of Round Rock, receiving conditional approval in August. Final approval is pending. 

Earlier actions

On Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, City Council finalized the sale of McNeil Park and approved the zoning necessary to allow for the venue’s relocation project to continue forward progress.

On Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a zoning change that will allow for land along IH-35, south of the University Oaks Shopping Center, to be transformed into a music and events venue by way of a planned unit development, or PUD.

Nutty Brown Café and Amphitheater first announced plans to relocate to Round Rock in 2015. Since that time the City has worked diligently to address concerns related to access, among other things. Road improvements, including the addition of a right-turn lane into the property, are now in queue, with site construction expected to begin by summer of 2018.

Nutty Brown Amphitheater has been located off of Highway 290 near Dripping Springs for nearly two decades, opening in 2000. The café portion of the venue has been around for much longer, with humble beginnings dating back to the 1950’s as Nutty Brown Mills, a specialty flour and candy store.

Despite the tenured relationship with the location in southwest Austin, James Michael Farr, the owner of Nutty Brown Café and Amphitheater, spoke on his desire to truly become a part of the Round Rock community at the recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

“We want to really embrace the opportunity to be a part of this community,” Farr said. “I’m a small businessman who believes in supporting the people that support me. We want to fully embrace everything there is to embrace in Round Rock.”