Title
Consider/Discuss Citywide Third-Party Special Events and a Potential McKinney Half Marathon
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in McKinney
MEETING DATE: December 2, 2025
DEPARTMENT: MPAC / Main Street & Community Events
CONTACT: Barry Shelton, Assistant City Manager
Andrew Jones, McKinney Cultural District Director
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• No action required - discussion only
ITEM SUMMARY:
• The City of McKinney has received an inquiry from the organizers of the BMW Dallas Marathon about a potential McKinney Historic Half Marathon to be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
• The McKinney Historic Half Marathon anticipates a combined 4,000+ participants in the half marathon, 5k, and children’s fun run on that day.
• The event is planned to be hosted by TUPPS Brewery and will benefit Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Frisco.
• The event is planned to start on East Virginia Street, near City Hall, and finish at TUPPS Brewery on East Louisiana Street. The race routes cross Highway 5 and incorporate a series of streets and trails extending as far west as Lake Forest Drive.
• The planned race routes are not aligned with the Preferred Routes laid out in Chapter 87, which are defined as routes that have been identified by the city as a race route presenting minimal residential/commercial impact and are assigned discounted rates on city services and equipment.
• Independent Routes, as defined by Chapter 87, do not involve restricted use streets. An event organizer is responsible for securing labor and devices from a state-certified traffic control device provider.
• Section 87-26 includes a list of “Restricted Streets”, which are defined as streets or roadways that have been identified by the city as unsafe for pedestrian and cycling race activities due to traffic speeds and volumes.
o State Highway 5 (McDonald) is included in the list of restricted streets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• The City of McKinney hosts over 60+ special events annually. These events are comprised of City-produced events, events organized in support of non-profit organizations and events that are produced by commercial ventures.
• In 2018, a series of City Council work session discussions were held to consider the cost of supporting private special events in McKinney. The Special Event Committee offered recommendations to consider designated routes, partial cost recovery options and restricted use streets.
• Special Event Applications are evaluated monthly by a Special Events Committee comprised of representatives from different departments impacted by activities, including - McKinney Police, McKinney Fire, McKinney Fire Marshal, Public Works, Engineering and Code. This is a follow-up to the presentation from March 5, 2018.