If Dallas had a city-owned competitive indoor track, thousands of athletes from across the region and neighboring states would compete right here in our hometown.

While there are recreational indoor walking tracks in the Dallas area, there are currently no indoor track facilities that meet competition standards. Many recreation centers have small indoor tracks for walking or casual jogging, but none meet the size, surfacing or layout requirements needed to host high school or college meets.

Coaches from Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of North Texas and Texas Christian University all agree: Without an indoor track, teams must drive hours to compete or train.

As one of SMU’s coaches, Leo Settle put it, “Teams travel to College Station, Houston and Lubbock for indoor competition. There are four NCAA Division I programs in D-FW, and it would be a great facility for hosting home meets.”

Dallas is already funding a major reimagining of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Its expansion brings more conventions, tourism and year-round downtown activity. That expansion is the perfect opportunity to add an indoor track serving students, clubs and colleges.

Why build it now? Three reasons.

Athletes need it. Indoor season is not a luxury. It helps athletes refine technique, avoid injury in bad weather and remain competitive for outdoor track. UTD’s program — recently the subject of a petition to reinstate their track and cross country program — shows how essential local opportunities can be and how removing them disadvantages emerging athletes.

“An independent track, or one in partnership with a city or county, would be a huge advantage for North Texas,” said Stuart Kantor, executive director of the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association. There will be interest from college conferences, USA Track and Field, Amateur Athletic Union and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, he added.

John Joseph-Youssef, a former UTD athlete, agreed, “Indoor track bridges into the outdoor track season. It provides a controlled environment, free from wind and weather.”

The economic benefits are clear. Crowley High School in Fort Worth is building a $150 million indoor and outdoor track complex hosting state and regional meets, tournaments and events. Even at the high school level, indoor competition has taken off. For Dallas, a city of 1.3 million people, the absence of a comparable facility is a missed opportunity. LeTourneau University, in Longview, is also installing a facility, signaling growing interest in other parts of the state.

The timing couldn’t be better. Dallas voters have already supported investments in a new convention center to boost downtown activity. An athletic facility should be considered to turn a civic project into a community asset. Conference offices based in D-FW could bring championships here; high school meets could avoid all-day road trips; colleges could access invitationals they otherwise might miss.

This isn’t about elite programs. Coaches across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas note that Division II and III teams often struggle to enter invitationals hosted by larger programs. An accessible indoor track would serve local athletes and competitors from across the region. That was the central message of the petition to save UTD’s programs: These sports expand access to higher education for students from diverse backgrounds.

City leaders are choosing what kind of Dallas to build. If the convention center expansion is supposed to increase activity, then let it be a place that supports our local athletes, provides a safe place to compete, and pays for itself. Choose the kind of city that keeps athletes in town and brings thousands of visitors here to compete and spend.

Dallas has the chance to lead and flourish. Include a portable indoor track in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center expansion during the indoor season — or build a permanent facility — and prioritize access for high schools, clubs and colleges.

Keely Aguilar is a Dallas high school student and competitive distance runner.