Former Cincinnati Reds great Pete Rose appeared at a press conference Feb. 19 to promote a new line of beers in his name.[/caption]

Pete Rose, Major League Baseball’s career hits leader, is teaming up with two local businesses to open a baseball academy and brew a line of beers named after the retired Cincinnati Reds great.

Derek Hurley, owner of the Bull Pen Scouting and Training Facility in Cypress, said the first Pete Rose Hit King Baseball Academy is planned for a 20-acre plot of land at 4256 FM 2855, about 3 miles north of Hwy 90.

Hurley is developing the facility and will manage it with co-owners Ryan Baker and Johnny Johnson. Rose will be heavily involved with the project, he said.

“This is kind of a legacy project for [Rose],” Hurley said. “This is a one-of-a-kind venture where he isn’t just putting his name on it.”

The baseball academy will have four full-size baseball fields with field-turf surface, 10 indoor batting cages, locker rooms, a film-study room and golfing bays where players can drive golf balls.

Johnson said the academy will focus on training youth, high school and college players in hitting, fielding, tactics and other baseball skills. There will be several teams based at the complex for players of different skill levels, he said.

The facility will have a food truck court and a sports bar called the Rose Garden. Patrons will be able to watch televised sporting events and drink the Pete Rose line of beers that will be brewed by Katy-based No Label Brewing Co., Hurley said.

The ownership group is set to break ground on the facility this spring and expects to open possibly in late October or November, Johnson said.

Johnson said having Rose involved will help promote the academy.

“We thought, what would make this larger than life, and the answer was Pete Rose,” Johnson said.

Jennifer Royo, No Label co-founder, said the brewery staff is excited to be working with Rose and the academy. The beers are still in the planning process, but they hope to release the first beers in June, she said.

“The first beer of the series will be a blonde ale,” Royo said. “It’s a good, popular style of beer. We thought it would work well with baseball.”

The blonde ale will be followed up by other types of beer, including an India pale ale, Royo said.

“We are expecting other types of beer,” Royo said. “One of the beers we are looking to do is an IPA. They’re working on recipes.”

The beers will be served at the baseball academy, the No Label brewery in Katy and the Pete Rose Sports Bar and Grill in Las Vegas, Royo said.

Royo said the idea make the beer was a result of discussions with Johnson.

“He thought of us and contacted us,” she said. Within two weeks, Pete Rose was here and we were doing it. We [are] extremely excited.”