UT Approved To Buy Popular Players Burger Joint
A greasy burger spot may give way to another UT academic building before too long.
At a meeting at UT-San Antonio today, the UT System Board of Regents unanimously authorized UT-Austin to purchase popular burger joint Players, located at the corner of Guadalupe and West MLK, right behind the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.
According to President Bill Powers, this southwestern tract of land “will be important for advancement of our programs.”
Player’s is owned by Carlos Oliveira and Eddie Hempe, both UT graduates, and the 24-hour restaurant has been serving up late-night “drunk food” to Longhorns since 1981. According to the Players Yelp page, the most popular entrees on the menu include greasy burgers, onion rings, and fried mushrooms.
The restaurant’s relationship to UT has never been simple, despite being named in tribute to UT sports and having a picture of the Tower on its homepage. The University Regents authorized use of eminent domain in 2004, but UT decided to go a different route.
According to Powers, negotiations are ongoing—but UT won’t pay more than fair market value for the land.
The last time we reviewed Players (with several other campus classics last summer), the cooks making our cheeseburger forgot the cheese! Doh.
How about you? Do you have fond memories, or does Players need to go?
Alcalde file photo.
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10 Comments
In 2004-2005, there was a nice student-led effort to “Save Players” that a friend and I started. If the owners are not eager to sell, it may be making a comeback…
I remember this effort and would totally help you do it again. Players saved my wedding when the AT&T Conference Center made us all evacuate due to a faulty fire alarm. I owe them one and would gladly stand up for them if they didn’t want to close.
It is disturbing to me that no information on the UT System Board of Regents plan to acquire this property is on their website or blog (at least that I could find). Where and when is the student body’s opportunity to voice its opinion? How does the UT System take this into account, or does it? Is the best option to request the opportunity to speak at the next open meeting? Let’s not let this be another example of UT’s history of abuse of eminent domain. The last thing the campus needs is another parking garage.
Related – do y’all know if there an usage plan in place for that land, if acquired, and the former Shell station at MLK/Guadalupe?
Sad news! Lots of great memories. Gonna miss the chips & salsa and crushed ice cokes.
I would always swing through the drive thru on my way to evening classes at the Comm School. Yes, it was out of the way. And yes, the drive thru took forever. But those fresh-out-of-the-oil fried mushrooms with ranch were SO worth the hassle, and they made a 3 hour campaigns class all the easier to endure.
If this awful moment happens, it will be the worst day in Austin since January 7, 2010.
I feel thar if UT wants this land so much, the owners of the restaurant should really bank if they sell. I went to UT and u cant deny its bid and BAD in you know what ways.
This spot was where many UT athletes would go after home games. I hate to see this spot leave.
This is HORRIBLE news! How many more Austin traditions and family-owned businesses is this city going to devour? Seriously, the UT Board can’t find another solution? I am all for change and expansion when needed, but there has to be a better way to find balance. I hardly recognize this city since I graduated from UT in 1996. Please reconsider!