The doors are locked and the lights are off at the last standing dance hall in Bryan-College Station: Stampede. On Wednesday, May 7, the popular location closed its doors permanently. While Stampede was not necessarily a staple of life in the Brazos Valley, its closure is significant for another reason: It was the last dance hall within range of campus.

Country dancing is a significant part of Texas A&M’s culture, and its extinction doesn’t provide benefits to anyone residing in the BCS area. Not only does it exclude students from an overwhelmingly popular state-wide activity, but it will also affect the new students who want to embrace the pastime.

Benefits of boot scootin’

From two-stepping the night away to tearing up the dance floor while doing the footloose line dance, there is no doubt that country dancing holds a special place in the hearts of many current and former students. This past year, Aggies worldwide witnessed the closure of the legendary bar and dance hall, Hurricane Harry’s. In response to the announcement that this titan of life in Aggieland would permanently close its doors, many individuals expressed strong opinions on its shutdown. 

For example, in response to the Battalion article confirming its closure on Facebook, Jamie McRavey commented, “For a place that celebrates traditions, they sure are getting rid of a lot of traditions. It is no longer the College Station I remember.” 

This statement encapsulates the feelings of many people. Many older Ags have lost the places where they created fond memories, saw country music stars early in their career or even met their spouse.

Unfortunately, the negative externalities do not end there. Future generations of Aggies will miss out on the opportunity to experience the feeling of sawdust on boots, the neon allure of Hurricane Harry’s or the adrenaline rush of asking someone to dance.

While being in Texas means that a larger number of Aggies have experienced dancing before enrolling, it is not a universally shared experience for students. Plenty, including myself, would have never been introduced to it without A&M, and its absence will be felt for years to come.

However, this does not have to remain the case. Although Hurricane Harry’s and Stampede will never return, a new establishment could fill this gaping void. 

Who will put boots back on the dance floor?

A new dance hall would most likely have to come through a new, privately funded endeavor. The BCS market is simply too large for someone not to capitalize on its potential. This new venue would come with obvious risks, but also truly unparalleled upsides.

Disappointingly, there is no guarantee this will ever occur. Entrepreneurs may decide it is not worth the financial risks. Fortunately, I believe there is another avenue for country dancing to make a return to College Station. This would require action taken by the university or the cities that make up the heart of Aggieland.

This could take place in a variety of ways. The first is a venue operated by the university. A&M has the land and funds available to establish a country dancing facility on campus. Regrettably, this would come with a set of challenges. Not only would this venture require a diversion of funds from other areas, but the university would become responsible for an establishment used similarly to a bar.

On the surface, this may seem a bridge too far, yet the University of Texas at Austin currently operates a concert hall that serves liquor on campus. The Cactus Cafe, which has been open since 1979, has hosted truly legendary concerts, including Aggie alumni Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen. Although not exactly a dance hall, this live music venue could serve as a blueprint for the Aggie project. 

Additionally, Texas State allows for a full-service bar in its student center. George’s not only serves alcohol but also hosts country music concerts. While I am not asking to add an open bar in the MSC, I think reasonable arguments could be made to convince the administration to open up campus to the idea of a similar venue.

While I do not know if there is a workable solution, I believe it would be worth investigating. Not only would this safeguard a key part of A&M’s culture, but it would also provide a new potential revenue stream for the institution.

Even if the administration decides opening a dance hall is not something they are willing to risk, there is a similar but importantly different path to bring country dancing back to Aggieland.

Through a public-private partnership, the cities of Bryan and College Station could influence the calculations of potential investors. These partnerships have become increasingly common in recent years, but have typically been used to fund infrastructure projects. However, this is not a requirement. For example, Frisco, Texas — my wonderful hometown — partnered with the Dallas Cowboys to develop a new district containing the Ford Center, which serves as an arena for high school sports and a practice facility for America’s Team. The area surrounding this stadium was privately developed into the premier shopping and food destination.

Although the dance hall would serve a different purpose, the two ambitious projects share several key commonalities: first, the goal of both projects would be to create a space for residents to enjoy, and second, both projects require funding assistance from municipal sources.

Funding fun

The STAR development in Frisco was supported by a $115 million joint investment from Frisco Independent School District and the city itself. Comparatively, smaller contributions from either Bryan or College Station would significantly increase the viability of a dance hall.

While this seems like a large burden for the public to fund, the total investment was over $1.5 billion, leaving total property revenue at $1.385 billion. This demonstrates the potential impact of a public investment. By providing a small portion of the funds, the city could attract significant investments from outside shareholders. This could not only help bring a dance hall back to BCS but could also spark a new era of investment, which would positively impact all residents.

New developments create jobs, more income through taxes and shared spaces that improve students’ and permanent residents’ quality of life. While all of these benefits would certainly be nice, they should not take away from the main purpose of the partnership: bringing a dance hall back to College Station. 

Finding the rhythm

Country dancing is a key part of culture for our wonderful university, and continuing to accept its absence is not viable in the long run. I understand the lack of a honky tonk in Aggieland will not realistically cause a negative impact on the university, but it does represent a piece of The Spirit of Aggieland that has eroded. Eventually, if this negative change isn’t addressed, other historic areas may continue to fall. 

Efforts from individuals and students can only go so far to protect these important aspects of college life. Fortunately, this is an opportunity for both institutional and municipal figures to set a strong precedent and protect what it means to be an Aggie.

So put on your dancing boots and giddy up, because the Fightin’ Farmers are on a search for the next honkey tonk hall.