Well, we officially have another name to add to the growing list of businesses coming to Dripping Springs.
Academy Sports + Outdoors is planning a new approximately 50,000-square-foot store in Dripping Springs, according to new reporting from the Austin Business Journal.
And this one caught my attention because it gives us another piece of the puzzle surrounding Headwaters East, the major commercial development taking shape along Highway 290.
If you’ve been following along with me, you know I’ve been keeping a pretty close eye on this project.
Where Will the New Academy Sports Be Located?
The new Academy is planned for the Headwaters East retail development at the northwest corner of Highway 290 and Canyonwood Drive, adjacent to the Headwaters community.
I recently wrote a much deeper breakdown of Headwaters East and everything currently planned for the development. At the time, we knew retailers were actively working with the development, but we didn’t have many actual names to attach to those spaces.
Now we have a big one.
Academy is coming.
Current Headwaters retail information from Endeavor Real Estate Group shows more than 30 acres of commercial development planned here, with a combination of larger retail spaces, smaller shops and pad sites.
In other words, Academy is one piece of a much larger project.
What Academy Means for Dripping Springs
I’ll admit I have slightly mixed feelings whenever another big national retailer is announced along 290.
Part of what makes Dripping Springs special is that it still feels different from Austin. I don’t want to lose that.
At the same time, as someone raising a family here, I understand the practical side of having more of these stores closer to home.
Right now, something as simple as needing sporting equipment, shoes or gear can mean heading toward Bee Cave or farther into Austin. Having another option right here in Dripping Springs will absolutely be convenient.
And I think we’re going to continue seeing this balancing act as our community grows:
How do we gain the businesses and services a growing population needs without losing the character that made people want to live here in the first place?
I think that’s a conversation worth continuing.
Headwaters East Is Starting to Take Shape
This may actually be the part of the Academy announcement I find most interesting.
For a while, Headwaters East has mostly been something we’ve been looking at through plans, renderings and development documents.
Once actual businesses start getting attached to those spaces, it begins to feel much more real.
Academy is a significant name to add to that picture.
According to Endeavor’s current Headwaters retail information, the commercial site spans more than 30 acres at Highway 290 and Canyonwood. Their current site plan shows a combination of larger-format retail, smaller shops and multiple pad sites.
And Academy certainly isn’t happening in isolation.
We already know there are multiple major projects in the works along this stretch of 290. Add them together, and it’s pretty clear that the commercial landscape of Dripping Springs is going to look very different over the next several years.
For those of us who live here, some of those changes will be exciting.
Some may take some getting used to.
Probably a little bit of both.
When Will Academy Open in Dripping Springs?
This is one area where I don’t want to get ahead of the actual information.
As of October 2026, a specific grand-opening date has not been publicly confirmed in the reporting I’ve reviewed.
We know Academy is planned. We know the approximate size and location. But construction and opening timelines can move, particularly with a development this large.
So rather than give you a date that may ultimately be wrong, I’ll update this article when Academy or the development team provides something more definitive.
I’ll Keep Updating This
There are still plenty of unanswered questions about Headwaters East, particularly when it comes to the other businesses that will eventually join Academy.
As additional retailers, restaurants, construction timelines and opening dates are confirmed, I’ll continue updating my Headwaters East guide and sharing the larger developments happening throughout Dripping Springs.
Because at this point, trying to keep track of everything coming to 290 could practically be a full-time job. 😂
Development plans, tenants and construction timelines can change. This article reflects information available as of October 2026 and will be updated as additional details are confirmed.
Sources
Reporting: Austin Business Journal, “Academy Sports plans new location in Dripping Springs”
Development information: Endeavor Real Estate Group, Headwaters Retail