Here’s a look at several stories making news around Amarillo this morning. A fire prompted an evacuation at the Big Texan, construction is moving ahead of schedule at a new sports complex, and city leaders raised questions over how Amarillo’s tax rate is being calculated.
Grease trap fire prompts evacuation at Big Texan
The Amarillo Fire Department responded to a grease trap fire Tuesday evening at the Big Texan Steak Ranch that prompted the evacuation of customers and employees. Crews arrived shortly before 9 p.m. and found that restaurant employees had already extinguished the fire. Firefighters confirmed the fire was out, found no additional hazards and shut off a nearby gas line. Management was advised to close the restaurant and contact the local health department. No injuries requiring medical treatment or structural damage were reported. Because the fire was determined to be cooking-related, no further investigation by the Amarillo Fire Marshal’s Office was required.
Rockrose Sports Park construction ahead of schedule
Construction on Kids, Inc.’s $40 million Rockrose Sports Park is ahead of schedule after a mild winter and dry summer helped crews make faster-than-expected progress. The 36-acre complex will include turf fields for soccer, baseball, softball and flag and tackle football, along with 1,600 parking spaces. Crews are expected to conduct a final check of the eight baseball and softball fields within the next two weeks before moving on to soccer and football fields. “It’s just big. It’s huge out here,” Kids, Inc. President and CEO Jimmy Lackey said, adding that the complex will be “a nice feature for Amarillo, Texas.” Kids, Inc. broke ground on the project in October 2025. The sports park is expected to be completed in late March or early April.
Amarillo City Council questions tax rate calculation
Amarillo City Council members raised questions Tuesday about data presented by Deputy City Manager and COO Andrew Freeman during a discussion of the proposed budget and tax rate. Mayor Cole Stanley questioned city staff’s interpretation of state Form 50-856, a tax rate calculation worksheet that became the rule at the beginning of the year, and suggested contacting Gov. Greg Abbott’s office for clarification. City Manager Grayson Path disagreed that the governor’s staff would be the best source, saying, “I don’t think they’re experts in this honestly,” and pointing instead to the Texas Comptroller’s Office. Stanley said his concern was not with the math but with how the form was being interpreted. The council and city staff are scheduled to hold a special meeting Sept. 22. The budget and tax rate must be finalized at the council’s regular meeting Sept. 29.
