
Profile
Franklin D.R. Jones Jr. is Co-Chair of the Public Finance Practice and focuses his practice on public finance, sports and entertainment facilities development, project and infrastructure finance, urban development, and local and state governmental matters. He has public law and municipal finance experience in various areas, including municipal financing, stadium and multi-purpose arena development and financing, and structuring public/private joint ventures. His public finance practice consists of serving as bond and disclosure counsel for tax exempt financings for cities, counties and several local government corporations. In addition to bond and disclosure counsel engagements, Frank also represents national and regional investment banking firms as underwriter's counsel in bond transactions.
Frank has experience representing professional sports franchises and governmental authorities involved in the development, financing, leasing, and operation of stadiums, arenas, and other public assembly facilities and regularly provides counsel to clients involved in these complex public-private transactions. At times, this work includes attendant mixed-use developments related to the sports and entertainment facilities.
Concentrations
- Public Finance
- Sports and Entertainment Facility Development
- Project and Infrastructure Finance
- Governmental Relations
- Urban Development
- Global Energy & Infrastructure
Capabilities
Experience
- Served as bond and disclosure counsel to Harris County, Texas, the Harris County Toll Road Authority, the City of Houston, the Port of Houston Authority of Harris County and the Texas Department of Transportation.
- Served as lead counsel to governmental authorities and professional teams in the development, financing and construction of sports and entertainment facilities, including the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, the Anschutz Entertainment Group/Houston Dynamo, the Dallas Cowboys, the Houston Texans and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
- Served as general counsel to local government corporations and not for profit corporations.
- Served as counsel to companies creating projects with urban redevelopment authorities and tax increment reinvestment zones.
- Advised regional and national underwriters relating to various public and project finance transactions.
- Oakland City Pro Football Group and Fortress Investments in the proposed replacement facility for the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (ongoing).
- Georgia World Congress Center Authority (Atlanta, GA) in the development of a new NFL stadium for the Atlanta Falcons and replacement facility for the Georgia Dome (ongoing).
- Miami Dolphins in the financing of a $450M renovation of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
- Rio Grande Valley Toros (Houston Dynamo USL affiliate) as lead counsel and in various matters related to the development and operation of HEB Park, a new soccer stadium in Edinburg, Texas (ongoing).
- Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets D-League affiliate) as lead counsel and in various matters related to the development and operation of Bert Ogden Arena, a new multi-purpose arena in Edinburg, Texas (ongoing).
- Rio Grande Valley Vipers (RGV Vipers) as lead counsel in the acquisition of a United Soccer League (formerly USL Pro) expansion team.
- RGV Vipers in the negotiation of an affiliation agreement with the Houston Dynamo, a Major League Soccer (MLS) team, to operate the RGV Dynamo as a minor league affiliate of the Houston Dynamo.
- Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), a majority owner of the Houston Dynamo, as lead counsel in matters related to the development and operation of BBVA Compass Stadium (ongoing).
- AEG/Houston Dynamo in the acquisition of the first expansion franchise of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the Houston Dash.
- Harris County-Houston Sports Authority in the site acquisition, contract negotiation, financing and development of various new sports facilities including the retractable-roof baseball and football stadiums (Minute Maid Park and NRG Stadium) and the multi-purpose arena (Toyota Center).°
- Harris County Sports and Conventions Corporation on matters related to the development and construction of facilities at NRG Park (formerly Reliant Park).°
- Dallas Cowboys in the development and financing of AT&T Stadium (formerly Cowboys Stadium) in Arlington, Texas.°
- Houston Texans in matters related to the development of NRG Stadium.°
- Astrodome Redevelopment Corporation in the transformation of the NRG Astrodome into a Convention Center hotel.
- 2009 Houston Super Bowl Host Committee in its bid for the 2009 Super Bowl.°
- 2004 Houston Super Bowl Host Committee in its bid for the 2004 Super Bowl.°
- Doctors Renaissance Hospital as lead counsel in connection with the structuring, negotiating and implementing of a public-private partnership between the Hospital and the City of McAllen, Texas to acquire and develop a medical research and education complex in McAllen.
- $131,230,000 County Board of Education of Richmond County (Georgia) General Obligation Sales Tax Bonds, Series 2017 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- Public Finance Authority $2,210,000 Project Revenue Bonds (Irving Convention Center Hotel Project), First-Tier Series 2017A-1 (Taxable), $54,790,000 Project Revenue Bonds (Irving
- Convention Center Hotel Project), First-Tier Series 2017A-2 and $18,000,000 Project Revenue Bonds (Irving Convention Center Hotel Project), Second-Tier Series 2017B – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- Public Finance Authority $47,000,000 maximum principal amount Project Revenue Bonds (Irving Convention Center Hotel Project), Third-Tier Series 2017C-1 and $2,000,000 maximum principal amount Project Revenue Bonds (Irving Convention Center Hotel Project), Third-Tier Series 2017C-2 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $955,105,000 City of Houston, Texas Combined Utility System First Lien Revenue and Refunding Bonds, Series 2016B - Disclosure counsel.
- $557,615,000 City of Houston Public Improvement Refunding Bonds, Series 2016A – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $50,345,000 Houston Community College System (Harris and Fort Bend Counties, Texas) Combined Fee Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2016 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $530,105,000 Harris County, Texas, Toll Road Senior Lien Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2016A – Disclosure Counsel.
- $126,245,000 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas Sales and Use Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2016A – Underwriter’s Counsel
- $25,635,000 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas Sales and Use Tax Refunding Contractual Obligations, Series 2016B – Underwriter’s Counsel
- Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas Sales and Use Tax Refunding Contractual Obligations, Series 2016D – Special Counsel.
- $55,490,000 Texas Public Finance Authority Texas Southern University Revenue Financing System Bonds, Series 2016 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- 2016 Remarketing of Fort Bend Independent School District Variable Rate School Building Bonds, Series 2015A – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $50,000,000 Fort Bend Independent School District Variable Rate Unlimited Tax School Building Bonds, Series 2015A/B – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $52,575,000 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas Sales and Use Tax Bonds, Series 2015A and $62,485,000 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas Sales and Use Tax Contractual Obligations, Series 2015B – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $125,000,000 City of Houston, Texas Combined Utility System First Lien Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2012A (2015 Remarketing) – Disclosure Counsel.
- $62,650,000 City of Houston, Texas Combined Utility System First Lien Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2015D – Disclosure Counsel.
- $109,500,000 Harris County, Texas Toll Road Senior Lien Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2012B-1 (SIFMA Index Bonds) (2015 Remarketing) – Disclosure Counsel.
- $202,680,000 Harris County, Texas Unlimited Tax Road Refunding Bonds, Series 2015A – Bond Counsel.
- $50,095,000 Harris County, Texas Permanent Improvement Refunding Bonds, Series 2015B – Bond Counsel.
- $46,875,000 Harris County Flood Control District Improvement Refunding Bonds, Series 2015A – Bond Counsel.
- $30,145,000 Harris County Flood Control District Contract Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2015B – Bond Counsel.
- $700,000,000 Rice University Taxable Bonds Series 2015 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $161,575,000 Harris County, Texas Toll Road Senior Lien Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2015B – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- City of Houston, Texas Extendable Commercial Paper Financing Program (2015) – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $100,000,000 Rice University Taxable Commercial Paper Notes Series A (2015) – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $13,705,000 Midtown Redevelopment Authority Tax Increment Contract Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2015 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $435,203,444 Harris County-Houston Sports Authority Senior Lien Revenue Bonds, Series 2014A, Taxable Senior Lien Revenue Bonds, Series 2014B, and Second Lien Revenue Bonds, Series 2014C – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $692,890,000 City of Houston, Texas Combined Utility System First Lien Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2014C – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $295,000,000 Harris County, Texas Tax Anticipation Notes, Series 2014 - Bond Counsel.
- $195,905,000 Harris County, Texas Unlimited Tax Road Refunding Bonds, Series 2014A – Bond Counsel.
- $257,365,000 City of Houston, Texas Public Improvement Refunding Bonds, Series 2014A – Disclosure Counsel.
- $38,225,000 City of Houston, Texas Airport System Special Facilities Taxable Revenue Refunding Bonds (Consolidated Rental Car Facility Project), Series 2014 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $137,424,000 Harris County Flood Control District Improvement Refunding Bonds, Series 2014 and Harris County Flood Control District Contract Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2014A/B – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $71,725,000 Fort Bend Independent School District Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2014 – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $130,605,000 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas Sales and Use Tax Contractual Obligations, 2014.
- $144,705,000 City of Austin, Texas Public Improvement Refunding Bonds, Series 2013A and Taxable Series 2013B – Underwriter’s Counsel.
- $295,000,000 Harris County, Texas Tax Anticipation Notes, Series 2013 - Bond Counsel.
- Refinancing of Loan Agreement among Harris County, Texas, Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation and RCM Financial Services, L.P.
- Harris County Toll Road Authority Analysis of Financial Alternatives Study, dated June 15, 2006, represented Harris County, Texas in the evaluation of financial alternatives proposed by the Underwriting Syndicate.
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Jones prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Who's Who Legal, Sports & Entertainment, 2018
- Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Government Relations Law Firm of the Year," 2014
- Ranked, Tier 1 – Government Relations, Austin Metropolitan Area
- Chairman, Theatre Under the Stars Board of Directors
- Chairman, Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority Board of Directors
- Member, National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Federal Affairs Committee
- Member, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
- Member, Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy (HISD) Advisory Council
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Houston Bar Association
- Member, Houston Lawyers Association
- Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers
- Member, State Bar of Texas
Credentials
- J.D., University of Houston Law Center, 1995
- B.A., Rice University, 1984
- Texas