After complaints, pro ‘e-sports’ team vacates rental home in Woodlands

The Houston Outlaws, a professional ‘e-sports’ team which plays a game called Overwatch, a violent type of online video game played by numerous people at the same time called a “multi-player first-person shooter” in the industry, has voluntarily vacated a swanky home in The Woodlands the team had rented briefly to use as a home-base for team members to both reside and also practice the game. less The Houston Outlaws, a professional ‘e-sports’ team which plays a game called Overwatch, a violent type of online video game played by numerous people at the same time called a “multi-player first-person ... more Photo: Courtesy Image / Courtesy Image Photo: Courtesy Image / Courtesy Image Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close After complaints, pro ‘e-sports’ team vacates rental home in Woodlands 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

It was game over of a different kind for a Houston-based professional ‘e-sports’ team which has voluntarily vacated a rental home in The Woodlands after a series of complaints from neighbors and a pending hearing on the issue at the township’s Development Standards Committee.

The Houston Outlaws, a professional ‘e-sports’ team which plays a game called Overwatch, which is a violent type of online video game played by numerous people at the same time called a “multi-player first-person shooter” in the industry, had rented a swanky home in The Woodlands to use as a home-base for team members to both reside and also practice the game.

However, after a raft of complaints from residents of the neighborhood and a determination from the Village of Panther Creek Residential Design Review Committee that the arrangement had not been approved as required of home businesses, the team and the owners of the home mutually agreed to end the lease and the team vacated the residence. Because the team has left the residence, the issue never was heard by the DSC.

The owners of the home at 86 North Windsail Place, a couple named Phaedra P. Burnell and Lawson Burns, sent an email dated Jan. 14, 2020, to residents in adjacent homes on the street apologizing for the controversy and letting other residents know that the lease with the video game team had been ended. According to Montgomery County property records, the couple lives in The Netherlands and owns the home — which has a 2019 assessed value of $1.52 million — for rental purposes.

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As of Jan. 22, the home — described as more than 5,900 square feet with five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms — was for rent on realtor.com at a cost of $8,000 a month.

The couple explained in the Jan. 14 email that there was confusion about the allowed use of the home by the team after they had discussed the issue with John Anthony Brown, who is both a township board member as well as a member of the Development Standards Committee. In their apology email, the couple said Brown’s comments had led them to believe the use of the home by the team was OK and did not violate any covenants.

Brown said he had been involved with the team only because he believes there is a bright future for “e-sports” and that by having the team based in The Woodlands, it would possibly lead to positive publicity for the township as a potential future home to “e-sports” competitions.

Brown said the original email he had sent to the owners of the home was misconstrued and that he was not intending to communicate anything to the owners other than he welcomed the team’s presence in the township, but it was not an official permission to operate a home-based business.

Brown also said home based businesses, “in general are not illegal in The Woodlands.”

“We have an abundance of Home Based business permits on record for a variety of business types. It all starts with the application process, which is reviewed based on the standards (and) criteria by the Residential Design and Review Committee of the neighborhood it will reside in. After the review of the RDRC it will go to the Development Standards Committee (DSC) for their decision to approve or not,” Brown explained in his email to The Villager. “There are many factors the DSC take into considerations, like impact to the neighborhood, RDRC recommendation, type of business, and if they meet the criteria. If approval is given, it will be for a period not to exceed two years or for a period as determined by the DSC and is subject to revocation by the committee at any time.”

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According to the Houston Outlaws website, The “Overwatch” League is described as, “the first major global professional e-sports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America.”

“Overwatch was built from the ground up for online competition, with memorable characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging gameplay and spectator experiences,” a press release on the website states. “The Overwatch League will begin its third season in February of 2020, with each of the league’s teams hosting matches in their home markets. The Outlaws will remain officially based in Houston, Texas and will continue to represent the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio markets.”

Multiple attempts to contact members of the team by The Villager were unsuccessful, with messages to both their website and Facebook page not responded to. The team’s Twitter page had several photographs dated in early January showing team members at the home before they moved out.

Brown said he believes “e-sports” could have a future in the township and added that since the team vacated the home, he has — as a private citizen outside his township duties — sent the team recommendations for other locations they could possibly rent in the township.

“Forward thinking and (a) fan of “e-sports,” I see how this can be a great resource for Hotel/Sales tax to our residents if maybe we could convince the Outlaws to relocate their home games from Houston to our Convention Center,” Brown added. “As Vice Chairman of Visit The Woodlands, I support the team and hope that we can work out a long term partnership.”

jeff.forward@chron.com