Billy Bob Barnett Reshapes Texas' Entertainment Industry

Billy Bob Barnett is a business and civic leader from Texas. At various points in his career, he has been involved in entertainment, food and beverage, business consulting, and legislative lobbying. He has had an outsized impact on the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the state of Texas as a whole. Barnett is perhaps best known for Billy Bob's Texas, a large and thriving nightclub and entertainment venue in Fort Worth, Texas, that he founded in 1981. While the business is now under new management, his hard work and dedication helped it become what it is today.

Background

Barnett is from central Texas. He attended Texas A&M University where he was named to the Basketball All Southwest Conference Team each year, awarded the achievement of Most Valuable Player, earned two Southwest Conference Championships, and remains on the Career 1,000+ point scorers with 1,064 career points. Barnett also played football for one year at A&M and is one of only a few players to letter in Basketball and Football. After attending Texas' A&M, Mr. Barnett was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2nd round, 61st pick. He also went on to play for the Chicago Bears.

Billy Bob's Texas

In 1981, Billy Bob Barnett and his business partner, Spencer Taylor, were inspired to create a large and unique entertainment complex in Fort Worth, Texas. They chose a 100,000 square foot building in the Stockyards district that had previously been used as a department store, airplane factory, and open-air cattle barn. Barnett renovated the building and opened it to the public as Billy Bob's Texas on April 1, 1981. Billy Bob's Texas holds the title of the world's largest honky-tonk. Music fans have loved the venue since its founding, enjoying concerts by such stars as Merle Haggard, Alabama, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, and ZZ Top. Billy Bob's has also been frequented by headliners like Garth Brooks, George Strait, Tina Turner, Chuck Barry, and Tim McGraw. The nightclub has been recognized multiple times as the country music Club of the Year by both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. The venue features more than 30 bar stations and an enclosed pro bull riding arena. It can host up to 6,000 guests. The venue features live music every night, and it is open for private parties from 20 up to 6,000 people. Billy Bob's pays tribute to music history by hosting famous memorabilia. In addition, performers on the main stage have the opportunity to place handprints on a Wall of Fame.

Work in the Beverage Industry

In addition to his successes in entertainment, Billy Bob Barnett has also been a leader in the beverage industry. He was instrumental in attracting a Miller Beer franchise deal in Dallas and Fort Worth. Dallas and Fort Worth distributorships experienced a growth in their sales of Miller Lite from $1 million to $80 million. Barnett sold his interest in the Miller distributorship in 1980. Barnett was also responsible for introducing the 7-ounce beer bottle to the state of Texas.

Legislative Work

As a lobbyist, Barnett has been instrumental in reshaping the entertainment industry and the historical Fort Worth Stockyards District. In 1983, he purchased the Stockyards from a New York investor, bringing it back under local control. Later, Barnett was instrumental in helping to acquire $100 million in public funding to preserve the Stockyards and make sure that its historical and economic impact is felt far into the future. Barnett's legislative efforts also helped to legalize horse and dog racing in the state. Horse and dog racing combined produce over $5.5 billion in revenue and 36,000 jobs in the state of Texas each year.

Business Consulting

Barnett's successful record led him to a career in business consulting. His expertise in the entertainment and gaming fields led him to bring important projects to life. Barnett helped the City of Irving, Texas, enhance its entertainment scene by getting critical legislative bills passed, supporting the Toyota Music Factory. He also consulted for the founder of Circus Circus in Las Vegas, Bill Bennett. He also worked with other Las Vegas venues including Caesars Palace, and helped to bring new gaming licenses to Louisiana at the Horseshoe. His work in the gaming industry is supplemented by his work in facilities development. He consulted for Bruno D'Agostino, the architect behind the Boardwalk Project for Walt Disney World, the Athletic Center at Harvard University, and Braves Plaza at Turner Field, Atlanta. Barnett was also crucial in securing the legislation needed to build a $100 million Alliance Airport in Fort Worth.

Barnett's Wide-Ranging Influence

Billy Bob Barnett has had a wide-ranging influence on the business world in Texas, especially in the entertainment industry. The development of Billy Bob's Texas was the first project where he came to prominence, and he has gone on to provide expertise for developing gaming and entertainment projects in other parts of the country. With his work on legislation, Barnett has made a lasting impact on Texas law. His interest in making Texas the best it can be will continue into the future. Billy Bob Barnett was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame in 2017 and has his star beside the front entrance of Billy Bob's Texas.