City Streak targets Texas for future races

Cindy Marquez
The Signal
Houston, Dallas and Austin are all potential destinations for a CityStreak race if the urban adventure challenge can attract 1,000 interested participants.

CityStreak, an “Amazing Race”- style scavenger hunt, offers competitors a chance to get to know their city while meeting and interacting with new people.

Daniel Goldstein and business partner Carter Hopkins created CityStreak while sitting in a Starbucks. As Goldstein and Hopkins casually made a list of all the things they were passionate about, Goldstein noted he always wanted to be on the “Amazing Race,” but knew that would not be a reality. The two friends decided to create a localized version of the popular reality show.

The first CityStreak was held in Nashville, Tenn., May 7, 2011.

Nashville participants re-enacted a scene from Titanic at Centennial Park and later relived their track and field days from elementary school during a three-legged race.

Chicago’s CityStreak participants scrambled through the city trying to solve a wacky crossword puzzle, sang a song while wearing a wig and proposed to a stranger.

The Chicago CityStreak event ended at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon.

“It was a good scavenger hunt,” said Ashley Miller from events and marketing at McFadden’s. “If we’re asked to participate again we will; they were a fun group.”

The first couple of races were so successful that Goldstein and Carter decided to expand the race nationally. Texas is one of the states they are reaching out to.

“We both went to Baylor University and knew we would come to Texas, so we chose the largest cities in Texas,” Goldstein said.

Although the word “streak” has confused a few interested individuals into inquiring whether clothing is required, the website assures competitors that “streak” is not a throwback reference to the 1970s trend to run naked in a public place.

“Wear athletic apparel, strategize and read through the directions,” suggested Goldstein.

Teams of two to four people can signup for $5 per person for a chance to win a $300 cash prize.

Anyone interested in participating can signup at www.citystreak.com/houston or follow them on Twitter at @CityStreakHOU to bring CityStreak to Houston.