CTroyMathis
21 March 2004, 08:48 PM
Lewisville: Convention center plan revisited
City weighs lakeside project with hotel against Old Town plan
04:50 PM CST on Thursday, March 18, 2004
By JENNIFER PACKER / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/denton/stories/031904dndenhotel.5656f.html
A few years ago, Lewisville officials focused their sights and financial support on building the city's first convention center in the heart of Old Town.
But that idea is on hold while the City Council revisits an earlier, grander vision of a joint hotel and convention center, ideally along Lewisville Lake.
This week, the council agreed to put out a request for proposals to see if any private companies would bite. City Manager Claude King said he expects to present the council with the findings in a few months.
"I think there's certainly a need for that type of facility in southern Denton County," council member Mike Nowels said. "We're lacking that type of an offering, and yet here we are, very close to the airport, very close to a good mix of businesses, with a lot of companies and opportunities for a convention center type of hotel product.
"You can't have a banquet in this area without almost going outside the county."
For now, Lewisville civic groups and companies look west to facilities such as Texas Motor Speedway, the Hilton Hotel in Grapevine and Celebrations in Highland Village to host large-scale meetings and banquets.
Mr. Nowels said the city isn't looking to compete with the likes of the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland, on Grapevine Lake.
The $500 million Texas-themed complex is set to open next month with more than 1,500 rooms and 400,000 square feet of meeting space. The 150-acre project will feature a 180,000-square-foot exhibit hall, five restaurants and a 4-acre atrium.
In 1997, some thought the city's needs would be met with a plan to construct a business conference center in Lewisville's Castle Hills, formerly the Bright Ranch. That idea petered out because of the developer's funding problems.
The concept for a lakeside hotel and convention center in Lewisville surfaced about five years ago, when officials discussed the possibility of a 180-room hotel and convention center at the city's Lewisville Lake Park. It included an expanded marina, an upgraded golf course and other amenities.
The Lewisville park venture also died, largely because of the economic downturn that hit the country a few years ago.
Phillip Ray Sharp, communications director for the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, said he favors moving forward with the convention center in Old Town at the former Temple Baptist Church. That would go a long way toward the continued revitalization of the area, he said.
Lewisville purchased the church across the street from its recently completed City Hall a block north of Main and Mill streets. The city's plan includes using $10.7 million in hotel-motel tax revenue to renovate the church, including creating a 19,000-square-foot conference-exhibit wing. Officials have yet to set a construction date.
The city has spent $8.8 million to reconstruct Main Street and is in the midst of a beautification project to restore the area to its former bustle.
More recently, the city began a $900,000 streetscape project and committed more than $4 million to help spur new shops, office space and a residential development on the east side of Main Street.
Mr. Sharp said he fields numerous requests from organizations seeking large meeting and banquet space in Lewisville. He usually has to turn them away.
Although Lewisville has at least two dozen motels and hotels, he said, none has full-service facilities equipped to handle banquets or other large-scale events.
"It would make total sense to have the convention center in Old Town," he said. "But if that can't be done in Old Town, we need something like that in Lewisville no matter where it is."
City weighs lakeside project with hotel against Old Town plan
04:50 PM CST on Thursday, March 18, 2004
By JENNIFER PACKER / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/denton/stories/031904dndenhotel.5656f.html
A few years ago, Lewisville officials focused their sights and financial support on building the city's first convention center in the heart of Old Town.
But that idea is on hold while the City Council revisits an earlier, grander vision of a joint hotel and convention center, ideally along Lewisville Lake.
This week, the council agreed to put out a request for proposals to see if any private companies would bite. City Manager Claude King said he expects to present the council with the findings in a few months.
"I think there's certainly a need for that type of facility in southern Denton County," council member Mike Nowels said. "We're lacking that type of an offering, and yet here we are, very close to the airport, very close to a good mix of businesses, with a lot of companies and opportunities for a convention center type of hotel product.
"You can't have a banquet in this area without almost going outside the county."
For now, Lewisville civic groups and companies look west to facilities such as Texas Motor Speedway, the Hilton Hotel in Grapevine and Celebrations in Highland Village to host large-scale meetings and banquets.
Mr. Nowels said the city isn't looking to compete with the likes of the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland, on Grapevine Lake.
The $500 million Texas-themed complex is set to open next month with more than 1,500 rooms and 400,000 square feet of meeting space. The 150-acre project will feature a 180,000-square-foot exhibit hall, five restaurants and a 4-acre atrium.
In 1997, some thought the city's needs would be met with a plan to construct a business conference center in Lewisville's Castle Hills, formerly the Bright Ranch. That idea petered out because of the developer's funding problems.
The concept for a lakeside hotel and convention center in Lewisville surfaced about five years ago, when officials discussed the possibility of a 180-room hotel and convention center at the city's Lewisville Lake Park. It included an expanded marina, an upgraded golf course and other amenities.
The Lewisville park venture also died, largely because of the economic downturn that hit the country a few years ago.
Phillip Ray Sharp, communications director for the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, said he favors moving forward with the convention center in Old Town at the former Temple Baptist Church. That would go a long way toward the continued revitalization of the area, he said.
Lewisville purchased the church across the street from its recently completed City Hall a block north of Main and Mill streets. The city's plan includes using $10.7 million in hotel-motel tax revenue to renovate the church, including creating a 19,000-square-foot conference-exhibit wing. Officials have yet to set a construction date.
The city has spent $8.8 million to reconstruct Main Street and is in the midst of a beautification project to restore the area to its former bustle.
More recently, the city began a $900,000 streetscape project and committed more than $4 million to help spur new shops, office space and a residential development on the east side of Main Street.
Mr. Sharp said he fields numerous requests from organizations seeking large meeting and banquet space in Lewisville. He usually has to turn them away.
Although Lewisville has at least two dozen motels and hotels, he said, none has full-service facilities equipped to handle banquets or other large-scale events.
"It would make total sense to have the convention center in Old Town," he said. "But if that can't be done in Old Town, we need something like that in Lewisville no matter where it is."