As reported by Houston Public Media, the Houston City Council has approved the allocation of $3.225 million for the construction of a rugby stadium for the Houston Sabercats MLR team.

The plan is for the Sabercats to lease 41 acres from the Houston Amateur Sports Park organization, which in turn is leasing the land from the city, and build the stadium in an area south of downtown Houston and east of the Sabercats' current home in Sugar Land.

The money voted on is being reallocated from funds already earmarked for improvements to the park, especially parking. The Sabercats will build two practice fields, a parking lot, and the stadium itself, which is being called a rugby stadium but would also be available for other sports.

As part of the agreement, the Sabercats will also have to make some public improvements, with parking at the top of the list, but with some water runoff and other infrastructure changes also needed.

Houston Chief Development Officer Andy Icken told the Houston Chronicle: "We're going to need to spend [the $3.2 million] for parking anyway. We have a parking problem down there today."

Doing that and getting more recreational space is a bonus, added Icken. But some have asked whether this is just a case of the city government aiding a private entity. 

In the end, the council voted to approve the measure.

The Sabercats now have about two-thirds of the funding they need to get that stadium built. They still need about $2 million. But it's a rarity to have any government assistance for a rugby project, although Glendale, Colorado, has managed to do it.