A Major Retail Arrival on Preston Road
Celina’s southern corridor along Preston Road has been filling in fast over the past few years, and the latest addition is hard to overlook. Academy Sports + Outdoors is opening a new location at 3525 S. Preston Road, bringing nearly 64,000 square feet of sporting goods, outdoor gear, apparel, and footwear to a city that has been adding residents — and the recreational appetites that come with them — at a steady clip.
A Celina Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting is planned ahead of the opening, though a specific date has not yet been announced. The Chamber’s involvement signals the kind of arrival that tends to draw a crowd in Celina, where ribbon cuttings have become genuine community gatherings rather than perfunctory photo opportunities.
What 64,000 Square Feet Actually Means
To put the footprint in perspective, that is roughly the size of a full city block. Academy locations at this scale typically carry a broad inventory that covers team sports equipment, hunting and fishing supplies, camping gear, footwear across multiple categories, and athletic apparel for all ages. For a community like Celina — where youth sports programs, outdoor recreation, and school athletics are woven into daily life — having that kind of inventory within city limits matters in a practical way.
Right now, families driving to equip a kid for a Bobcats football season or a weekend camping trip are making runs to Frisco, McKinney, or further south on 380. The Preston Road location changes that calculus.
Timing and the Broader Preston Road Picture
The 3525 S. Preston Road address places the store in a corridor that has seen significant commercial development as Celina’s population has grown. The Academy footprint joining that stretch is consistent with a pattern of larger-format retailers recognizing that Celina’s growth is not a temporary condition but a sustained one.
For the Celina Chamber of Commerce, the ribbon cutting will be one of several business celebrations this fall. The Chamber’s calendar has already included a ribbon cutting for We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym, a celebration planned for Independence Title’s new Celina office, and a networking mixer at the Dave R. Williams Model Home on September 30 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The Academy event, once dated, will fit into a fall season that has given the Chamber’s event calendar a workout.
A Good Fit for a Sports-Minded Community
It would be difficult to find a better-matched retailer for Celina’s community identity. The Celina Bobcats football program carries nine state championships, tied for the third most among 11-man programs in all of Texas. Youth athletics at every level — from peewee leagues to club sports — draw significant participation across the city. An Academy store within Celina’s own boundaries means coaches, parents, and athletes spend less time in the car and more time on the field.
The store’s typical inventory also serves the outdoor recreation side of Celina life. With Lake Ray Roberts not far to the northwest and a community that skews toward active, family-oriented households, departments covering fishing, camping, and trail activities are unlikely to gather dust.
Watching the Ribbon Cutting Date
Anyone wanting to be among the first through the doors — or simply wanting to welcome another major business to town — should keep an eye on the Celina Chamber of Commerce’s event calendar for the ribbon cutting announcement. The Chamber has been the clearinghouse for these celebrations all fall, and the Academy event will be no different.
For a city that has spent years building the residential foundation to support this kind of retail, a nearly 64,000-square-foot sporting goods store on Preston Road is less of a surprise than it is a confirmation. Celina has reached the scale where major chains are coming to it, and this fall’s arrival is one of the clearer signals yet that the momentum is real and continuing.
