Developers held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for a crystal lagoon project planned in Rowlett.
It’s the second time in three years there’s been a kick-off ceremony for the much-touted water feature on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard.
Back in 2016, developers celebrated the start of the water project as part of the huge Bayside development. But Bayside’s plans sank, and the project never took off.
“We look forward to building all of the quality amenities that will include a resort hotel, convention center, surf park and public trail along the beautiful shores of Lake Ray Hubbard,” Marc S. English, the project’s co-developer and president of Sapphire Bay Land Development, said in a statement. “It will be a game changer for Rowlett!”
Architectural drawings show a smaller lagoon than in previous plans but with a separate wave pool.
“We look forward to building all of the quality amenities that will include a resort hotel, convention center, surf park, and public trail along the beautiful shores of Lake Ray Hubbard,” Marc S. English, the project’s co-developer and president of Sapphire Bay Land Development, said in a statement. “It will be a game-changer for Rowlett.”
Sapphire Bay is planned as a 117-acre, $1 billion mixed-use development. The first phase includes the crystal lagoon with a synchronized water and video show. There’s also going to be a resort and conference center, marina and the surf and beach club.
The first phase of the development located off Interstate 30 is scheduled to open in 2023.
Plans for the entire Sapphire Bay development call for 1.4 million square feet of commercial space and 1,600 residential units.
“We are so excited to see our community’s vision coming to life,” said Rowlett mayor Tammy Dana-Bashian. “The Crystal Lagoons amenity is a key component, and this groundbreaking is a celebration of the construction progress we’re seeing at Sapphire Bay.”
Rowlett parted ways with the previous owners and developers of the property when they decided to throw out plans for the crystal lagoon water park.
In August, Rowlett officials announced plans to restart the project with Sapphire Bay Land Development.
Plans for Rowlett’s crystal lagoon date back almost five years. In 2015, the Rowlett bought the land for the development from the city of Dallas for almost $32 million.
At the first groundbreaking in 2016, completion was scheduled for 2018. But 257-acre venture never went beyond the initial ceremonies.
In the meantime, developers in Prosper built a smaller version of the popular water feature as part of the Windsong Ranch residential community on U.S. Highway 380.
