Kevin Durant is bringing his off-court playbook to downtown Austin, with plans for Austin Sports Club, an upscale restaurant and sports bar in the heart of the city. The concept is set to take over the former J. Prime space at 205 E. Third Street, backed by Durant, longtime business partner Rich Kleiman, Airbnb co‑founder Joe Gebbia, and local operator Lobos Hospitality. The ownership group is pitching the club as a sophisticated, athlete‑forward hangout built for what they call "the modern athlete, executive and tastemaker."
How The Deal Came Together
The Austin American‑Statesman first reported Durant's plans, noting that Austin Sports Club will be the first restaurant concept developed by Durant and Kleiman together. The paper also reports that Gebbia and Lobos Hospitality are part of the ownership group and that the team describes the concept as "a timeless restaurant reimagined for the modern athlete, executive and tastemaker." According to the Statesman, the club is slated to open in spring 2026.
What The Permits Reveal
City filings offer a more granular look at the project. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation lists Austin Sports Club at 205 E. 3rd Street as a 4,723‑square‑foot restaurant with an estimated $2.4 million buildout. The entry shows a projected construction start in March 2025, and an Oct. 1, 2025, completion date, suggesting work on the space is already moving through the pipeline. That address lines up with the downtown storefront that previously housed J. Prime.
Local Operator Brings Downtown Chops
Austin‑based Lobos Hospitality, the group behind Toasty Badger, Manny's and the Powder Room, is set to handle local operations and interior work for the project, according to coverage of the announcement. Explore ATX notes Lobos's downtown track record and reports that the partnership leans on local hospitality expertise to shape both the food program and the nightlife vibe. It is a familiar formula: celebrity‑backed investment paired with seasoned local operators to keep the day‑to‑day humming.
Durant's Texas Roots And The Athlete Business Play
Durant's Austin move is not coming out of nowhere. He played one standout season for the Texas Longhorns before jumping to the NBA and later made a $3 million donation to the university's basketball facilities, as reported by NBA.com. College statistics show Durant averaged about 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds during his lone 2006–07 Longhorns season, per Sports‑Reference. Austin Sports Club fits neatly into the broader pattern of high‑profile athletes expanding into restaurants, bars, and hospitality as part of their business portfolios.
Timeline And What To Watch
There is one timing wrinkle worth keeping an eye on. State paperwork pegs construction completion around October 2025, while local reporting points to a public opening in spring 2026. That gap suggests the team is building in extra time for finishing touches, permitting, and staffing before flinging the doors open to the public.
Hiring listings already reference Austin Sports Club, including bar and front‑of‑house leadership roles, with one active posting appearing on Talent.com. Expect menus and an exact opening date to be announced as construction advances and permits clear, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
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