The duo purchased six acres at the intersection of Wesley Drive and Interstate 45 from locals Mike Dodd and Jerry Hicks, who owned the land about a week when they were asked to sell. The seller's broker, Stephen Whynot of Alliance Commercial Investments in Clear Lake, tells GlobeSt.com that Dodd and Hicks intended to build an auto body shop on the site, but instead sold and bought again right across the street.

"I've always been a fan of Mercedes-Benz," Rodriguez, the majority owner, says in a press release. "I've owned several and, to me, they're the best automobiles in the world. I've been very fortunate with my success in baseball, but you always want to be looking down the road, planning how you stay at the top of the game whether it's sports or business--or both. This dealership is going to be the cornerstone of my professional future."

Construction will begin soon on a 35,000-sf building, says Doug Frazior, League City's economic development coordinator, who is awaiting construction plans from the partnership. The Mercedes-Benz dealership will open in late 2005.