10/16/2025
Now that the pig has been let out of the pen …. the City of North Richland Hills is proud to confirm that we are in the final stages of negotiating an agreement with Patriotic Pig that will bring a full-scale restaurant, event center, and catering operation to historic Smithfield. While known for their award-winning barbecue, Patriotic Pig's focus for this location will be steaks and seafood. That’s why they’re calling it the Chophouse. Their current barbecue location on Rufe Snow Drive will remain as the Smokehouse. This project is expected to serve as a catalyst for revitalization in the area. While the agreement is still being finalized, its details will be released upon its full ex*****on in the coming months.
BACKGROUND
Redevelopment of the Main Street and Smithfield area has been a priority for the City for several years. In late May 2025, Patriotic Pig—a popular and successful NRH business—was being courted by two neighboring cities. Recognizing both the risk of losing the business and the opportunity for local growth, the City began discussions about a potential expansion to the Smithfield site. While there was mutual interest, competition from the other cities remained strong.
The company is expected to invest approximately $5 million in the new, expanded facility. The City’s contribution is the land, appraised at $1.4 million. The project is projected to fully reimburse the City by year six, and generate $2.3 million in local tax revenue over the first ten years. This estimate is based on projected incremental taxable sales and property value at the new location. It does not include revenue from the existing Patriotic Pig on Rufe Snow, nor does it account for increased property values or additional sales tax revenue from future businesses that may be drawn to the area as a result of this catalyst project.
PROPERTY PURCHASE DETAILS
In May 2021, 3.52 acres at the northeast corner of Smithfield Road and the Cotton Belt Line became available for sale. Formerly used as an outdoor fence storage facility, the property straddles the 400-foot-long TEXRail commuter rail station platform at the heart of the Smithfield Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Appraised at $1.4 million, the City purchased the property in June 2021 for $1.35 million as a strategic investment using General Fund reserves. The City is not draining its reserves. General Fund reserves remain strong and well above our minimum requirements, ensuring that funds will be available in the event of an emergency.
This site is considered a land bank—an acquisition of undeveloped or underutilized land intended to guide future development, support community-desired uses, and generate a financial return for the City. This purchase also served as the City’s match for a larger North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) federal grant to support future development in Smithfield.
Various developers had expressed interest in mixed-use concepts, proposing 200–300 multifamily units with ground-floor commercial space to serve rail station riders. However, the required rezoning did not move forward due to concerns about density from City leadership and the community.
Since 2023, the Economic Development Department has shifted its focus to recruiting entertainment, experiential, and dining concepts that align with community preferences and enhance the Smithfield TEXRail station as a regional destination.
CURRENT STATUS
On May 27, 2025, City Council was presented with the opportunity. This presentation was made in a closed, executive session because it included proprietary business information and potential deal terms. The proposal involves granting the land to the business, contingent upon meeting specific performance milestones. No additional grant funds were, or are, being considered. As with all Economic Development Agreements, the deal includes safeguards such as a reversion clause and a lienholder position to protect the City’s interests.
Still under negotiation, the project is expected to fully reimburse the City by year six and generate $2.3 million in local tax revenue over the first ten years. Economic development incentives—used by governments at all levels—are designed to stimulate business growth, job creation, and investment that might not otherwise occur, thereby reducing reliance on residential property taxes. In this case, the opportunity to retain and grow a local business, stimulate redevelopment, and expand the commercial tax base remains under active consideration by City Council.
TRANSPARENCY
As part of our commitment to transparency, once this Economic Development Agreement is finalized it will be publicly available on the State Comptroller’s website:
🔗 https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/development/search-tools/sb1340/search.php
You can also find executed economic development agreements from cities across the state at this website. These types of incentive agreements are common in Texas cities.
