Celina’s Retail Footprint Keeps Growing
Celina has added grocery anchors, home-improvement options, and fast-casual dining over the past few years, but the arrival of a major sporting goods retailer is a different kind of milestone. Academy Sports + Outdoors is opening a new store in Celina at 3525 S. Preston Road, and the Celina Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a formal grand opening and ribbon cutting to mark the occasion.
The store will cover nearly 64,000 square feet — roughly the footprint of a full city block — making it one of the larger single-tenant retail spaces to land in Celina during the current growth cycle.
What 64,000 Square Feet Means for Residents
For context, a typical Academy Sports + Outdoors carries everything from hunting and fishing equipment to team sports gear, footwear, fitness equipment, and outdoor apparel. A store of this size means Celina residents who previously drove to Frisco, McKinney, or Allen for cleats, camping gear, or a replacement softball glove now have a local option on Preston Road.
That matters in a city where youth sports participation is high, Bobcat football draws large crowds, and weekend outdoor activities are a fixture of community life. Families outfitting kids for fall athletics, hunters prepping for deer season, and cyclists looking for trail gear all stand to benefit from a shorter drive.
Location and Access
The store sits at 3525 S. Preston Road, one of Celina’s primary commercial corridors running south toward Prosper. Preston Road already hosts a growing cluster of retail and dining, so the Academy addition continues a pattern of filling out that spine with destination retailers. Drivers coming from the older neighborhoods near downtown will find it a straightforward run south; residents of newer subdivisions along the eastern and western edges of the city have direct routes via the cross streets already built to handle Celina’s expanding population.
The Chamber Ribbon Cutting
The Celina Chamber of Commerce is co-presenting the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. Chamber ribbon cuttings in Celina typically draw a mix of city officials, neighboring business owners, and residents curious about new arrivals, and they serve a practical function beyond the photo opportunity: they signal to the broader business community that a location is open, staffed, and ready for customers.
The Chamber has not yet published a confirmed day and date for the event as of this writing. Anyone planning to attend should check directly with the Celina Chamber of Commerce or Academy’s store management for the exact timing before making the trip.
Part of a Broader Retail Moment
The Academy opening arrives alongside other significant retail news in Celina. Costco’s new Celina location reached exterior completion with permanent signage and parking lot landscaping in place as crews finished the interior buildout, with an opening pegged to late August 2026. Together, the two openings represent the kind of retail infrastructure that residents of fast-growing suburbs typically have to travel to find.
For Celina specifically, landing a 64,000-square-foot sporting goods store is a signal that national retailers now view the city’s population base — and its continued growth trajectory — as sufficient to support large-format stores that once required a trip down the tollway.
What to Know Before You Go
- Address: 3525 S. Preston Road, Celina, TX
- Store size: Nearly 64,000 square feet
- Ribbon cutting: Scheduled through the Celina Chamber of Commerce; confirm date directly with the Chamber or store before attending
- Official site: academy.com
Preston Road traffic near a major retail opening tends to be heavier than usual in the first few weeks, so early-morning visits or weekday trips will likely mean shorter lines and easier parking as the store settles in.
