Texas Live! In Amarillo? Santa Fe Depot Could Become One

So I was fortunate enough to attend the Texas Rangers opening day game this season. I had never been to the ballpark there and while the experience at the game and ballpark was great, it was after the game that blew me away.

If you've ever been to Arlington, you've probably experienced this as well, and if you haven't, you need to the next time you go.

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It's called Texas Live!, and it's absolutely spectacular. Two levels, full of restaurants, places to get a drink, shopping, dancing. You name it, it's probably in there.

When you walk in the front doors, there's literally a bar to greet you. You can grab one there, or head in a bit further to this massive dance floor with music pumping through the speakers. They've got tables all around that you can sit and relax at, and plenty of places to snag a beverage.

Upstairs, you've got several restaurants to choose from and a patio you can venture out to. So all of this got me thinking. Where could we put one of these in Amarillo? I mean it would become the center of the universe here.

Somewhere downtown is an obvious setting, but there's a lot to deal with there. Historical buildings that are on the registry, space, enough room to accommodate something this large. It would also be ideal for it to be near something that is already an attraction.

That's when it hit me. Santa Fe Station. What a PERFECT location. It's not a historical registry building, so the limitations there are gone. It's a building that never gets used and has plenty of open space to build upon. Not to mention it's only a few blocks from HODGETOWN and the Civic Center.

Seeing as how those two aforementioned places have events all the time between baseball games and concerts, hockey games, etc., there's a built-in crowd to come out after the events, and that is something Amarillo is desperately lacking.

It would become the center of the city, a place where everyone could gather, have some drinks, eat some great food, and enjoy some live music. What's stopping Amarillo from having something like this? Are we afraid it wouldn't be supported well enough?

I'm sorry, but if you put a Texas Live! kind of place in Amarillo, it would constantly be bustling with people, generating a ton of revenue for the city, and giving Amarillo a vibe it hasn't had in...well, from what I understand, ever.

So who do we need to start talking to in order to make this happen? I'm all in, so let's get the conversation rolling.