Frisco morning roundup for Nov. 13, 2014

The Frisco Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its 31st Annual Awards Celebration. The event, whose theme is Big City Dreams, Small Town Heart, will honor the businesses and individuals who have made a positive impact in the community. Categories include Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year and Citizen of the Year. The winners will be announced at the celebration on Jan. 16 at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel. Click here for a list of all the categories and rules for nominating.

Frisco Mayor Maher Maso will be pardoning a live turkey on Sunday as part of activities at the Third Sunday Open House at the Frisco Heritage Center. The events are sponsored by the Heritage Association of Frisco. The center’s historic buildings will be open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the center at 6455 Page St. There will also be blacksmith demonstrations, kids crafts and live animals. Maso will be pardoning the turkey at 2 p.m. in The Depot. Admission is free. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Police Department is hosting a toy drive this holiday season. New, unwrapped gifts are being sought to give to Frisco Family Services. Donations are being accepted at the Frisco Police Department, 7200 Stonebrook Parkway; the Frisco Athletic Center, 5828 Nancy Jane Lane; the Frisco Senior Center, 6670 Moore St.; Eagle Gymnastics, 6085 Sports Village Road; Dental Care of Frisco, 3031 Preston Road; Fieldhouse USA, 6155 Sports Village Road; Bikes for Bikers, 7512 Main St. in The Colony; and Cubesmart, all seven Frisco locations. Click here for the flier.

The Dallas Morning News is accepting entries in its amateur photographer contest. The deadline to enter is Dec. 19. Click here for complete rules.

Reminder: The West Frisco Homeowners Coalition and the Collin County Association of Realtors will host a meeting at 7 p.m. today (Thursday) to discuss the upcoming application being submitted to the Public Utility Commission of Texas for possible routes for a new 138,000-volt transmission line. The meeting will be at Wakeland High School auditorium, 10700 Legacy Drive.Click here to learn more.

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9 things to know about Dallas Cowboys’ future home, The Star in Frisco

Randy Garrett, left, and Frisco Economic Development executive director James L. Gandy talk about the proposed complex as they view a scale model of The Star at an event at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday. (Photo by Louis DeLuca/DMN)

The Dallas Cowboys joined with city and school officials from Frisco on Tuesday to announce the name of their 91-acre development at the northwest corner of Dallas and Warren parkways. The Star in Frisco, as it will now be known, has a lot of aspirations. As the months pass, the development will continue to take shape. Here are some of the highlights, along with images from the renderings that were on display at Tuesday’s announcement:

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Frisco Mayor Maher Maso answer questions from the media after Tuesday's announcement. (Photos by Valerie Wigglesworth/DMN)

1. It’s a true partnership. This joint effort among the Dallas Cowboys, Frisco ISD and the city of Frisco was first announced in August 2013. Combining the strengths of each entity is what will make this project work. The city and the school district couldn’t afford on their own the quality of the facilities that the Cowboys are able to build. The school district brings the students, who are a key component for the Cowboys. And the city brings its track record of partnerships (think Dr Pepper Ballpark, Dr Pepper Arena, Toyota Stadium, Fieldhouse USA) and quality development. And all three entities have a drive to be the best.

The multi-use event center will open onto a plaza with the Omni Frisco Hotel on the right and a two-story retail and conference center on the left.

“This project, this partnership with the Dallas Cowboys organization and the city, is extraordinary in so many ways,” Frisco ISD Superintendent Jeremy Lyon told the crowd gathered for Tuesday’s announcement. The city will own the 12,000-seat multi-use event center, the outdoor practice fields and the two-level parking garage under the headquarters and plaza area. Those will be tax-exempt.

The remainder will be owned by the Dallas Cowboys and yet-to-be named third parties that decide to join the development. Already Omni Hotels & Resorts has announced it will build the Omni Frisco Hotel adjacent to the event center. ”This project has taken on a life of its own,” Jerry Jones Jr. said Tuesday.

The logo for the new Dallas Cowboys development under construction.

2. It’s all about The Star. The team’s iconic logo is easily recognizable. What better tribute than to make it the name of the team’s new home in Frisco? Officials on Tuesday said its five points represent key traits of the Frisco development: performance, amateur competition, health and wellness, engagement, and entertainment. The hope is that The Star becomes synonymous with the Cowboys and Frisco. “We want Al Michaels to refer to The Star,” team owner Jerry Jones said of the sportscaster. But as one observer on Twitter pointed out, The Star is not to be confused with the Dallas Stars, the NHL franchise whose headquarters are also located in Frisco inside the Dr Pepper Arena. Now that The Star is named, officials will work on identifying potential candidates for naming partnerships for facilities such as the indoor stadium and the headquarters building.

This rendering shows the possible offerings at a medical center on site.

3. A big focus will be on health and wellness. Frisco ISD Superintendent Jeremy Lyon is a big advocate for healthy living. The project’s concept, he said Tuesday, is “to create that place where health and wellness and exercise and fitness are modeled and demonstrated.” Beyond the football offerings, some of the possibilities listed in a rendering for a medical center at the site included brain research and a sports science institute. There’s also talk about a running track and other fitness venues at the site. “I like the dialogue around bringing in fitness groups and making a place that kids can move and do things in,” Lyon said.

This is one of the many renderings that offer a glimpse at the possibilities for the private development.

A rendering along one of the main streets in the development.

4. The $5 Billion Mile may be a bit conservative. Frisco officials recently dubbed a one-mile segment of the Dallas North Tollway as The $5 Billion Mile because of the potential value of the Cowboys project along with three other mixed use developments planned between Warren Parkway and Lebanon Road: Wade Park, The Gate and Frisco Station. But that moniker came with a $1 billion estimated worth for the Cowboys development. Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that the value of the entire 91-acre development could be as high as $2 billion to $3 billion. “The real issue will be how many of those improvements do we as an organization own and build and how many do third-parties build,” Jones said. The city and the school district are capped at $90 million for the publicly owned facilities. The Frisco Economic Development Corporation is putting in $25 million toward the Cowboys’ headquarters. As of this week, about $70 million in public money has been spent on the site.

This rendering offers a view of the 12,000-seat multi-use event center.

5. A place not just for football. Football is the focal point, from Cowboys practices to high school football games. But it’s not the only game in town. Frisco ISD is looking to host other sporting events, such as soccer, in the multi-use event center. The center will also be ideal for marching band competitions. Other pairings are also in the works. Broadcast personnel with the Cowboys and the school district are already discussing using the same equipment for their respective needs. Superintendent Jeremy Lyon is also looking for partners throughout the private development for the district’s independent study and mentoring program. Many of those private entities are still being decided. It’s worth noting, Mayor Maher Maso said, that the Cowboys name carries clout. Officials are capturing the attention of some big organizations who wouldn’t normally give Frisco the time of day. “I think the public’s starting to notice that it’s much more than a Cowboys practice facility,” Maso said. “There’s so many things that will continue to come out that we’re not even aware of yet.”

This rendering shows the possible interactive displays available at the project.

6. High-tech is king. Expect there to be lots of technology in the development, whether it’s kiosks like the one pictured in the rendering above or opportunities for augmented reality, which supplements what people are seeing in person with computer-generated information. The AT&T Stadium app available for the Arlington facility already offers augmented reality features.

The two outdoor fields will be for the exclusive use of the Dallas Cowboys.

7. The fields are top-notch. The complex will have two outdoor practice fields – one grass, one turf – that will be exclusively for the Dallas Cowboys’ use. Their placement below ground level and with strategic screening will allow the team to practice without prying eyes from the competition. The indoor practice field with artificial turf will have to meet the standards of not only the University Interscholastic League but also the NFL. Owner Jerry Jones envisions the day when a Frisco high school quarterback is “getting ready to start taking snaps at a Frisco high school football game on exactly the same place that Tony Romo just came from” during a Cowboys practice at the multi-use event center.

The northeast corner of the multi-use event center with two of the tower crane bases just outside the wall line. (Photo courtesy Ron Patterson/City of Frisco)

The columns shown here are for the parking garage. (Photo courtesy Ron Patterson/City of Frisco)

8. Construction work is progressing, but you can’t see it. “From the road you can’t see anything because it’s all down in a hole,” said Frisco assistant city manager Ron Patterson, who is coordinating the project for the city. The far northwest corner of the site has been dug out to accommodate the underground parking garage as as well as the multi-use event center, whose base will sit below ground level. It’s like building a basement, Patterson said.

Among the recent milestones is the erection of the first vertical wall piece, which will be part of the southeast corner of the multi-use event center. In addition, about 300 of the 900 piers for the foundation of the stadium are already in the ground. The Cowboys are expected to move to the site in June 2016.

This rendering of a Star Walk hallway pays tribute to Tom Landry.

 

A rendering of the headquarters lobby.

9. History is important. The Dallas Cowboys will be emphasizing their history and traditions and paying tribute to past and current players in their new headquarters building. A lot of Hall of Fame elements will also be featured. Officials are planning to offer public tours of their headquarters and the multi-use event center once they open.

 

Frisco morning roundup for Nov. 12, 2014

The Texas Legends have partnered with the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, in a unique deal that includes a name change of the home court at Dr Pepper Arena to Chihuahua Court, significant branding on team jerseys and relocation of the team’s training camp to Chihuahua. Legends general manager and head coach Eduardo Najera is from Chihuahua. “Chihuahua has a rich basketball tradition already, and we look to help grow and expand that tradition over the coming years,” team owner Donnie Nelson said in a statement. The team’s first home game of the season is Nov. 21 against the Santa Cruz Warriors. Click here for the news release on the partnership. Click here for ticket information.

State Rep. Pat Fallon is the guest speaker for this week’s meeting of the Frisco Area Republicans. Fallon will offer an outlook at the upcoming legislative session that starts in January. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Texas Land & Cattle Steak House, 3191 Preston Road. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Parks and Recreation Board will discuss the Park Development Plan and possible revisions at its meeting Thursday. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at Frisco city hall. Click here for the meeting agenda.

Reminder: Chunk Your Junk is on Saturday in celebration of America Recycles Day. Items will be accepted from 8 a.m. to noon at the city’s Environmental Collection Center, 6616 Walnut St. Click here for details, including a list of items being accepted.

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Families pack Frisco board meeting to oppose zoning changes

Concerns about tunnels and splitting up families and neighborhoods were the key objections to proposed rezoning plans discussed at last night’s Frisco school board meeting.

The long board meeting covered proposed rezoning options for some elementary, middle and high schools next year. The discussions went well into the night as hundreds of residents filled the board room, sitting along the aisles and overflowing into the lobby.

Elementary objections

Families at the Villages at Willow Bay are concerned about children walking through this tunnel to get to the new Norris Elementary. (Google Streetview)

The new Norris Elementary is set to open with its enrollment drawing from Mooneyham and Ashley elementary schools. But families in the southern portion of the Villages at Willow Bay oppose the change saying it breaks up the neighborhood with the attendance zone boundary cutting through alleyways.

Many are particularly worried that transportation will not be provided to all in Willow Bay when students walking to Norris would have to cross various hazards, including an underpass at Eldorado and Independence parkways that would have them walking below the busy streets. Parents said the tunnels are too secluded for youngsters to walk alone and get even more dangerous to walk through when it is raining.

“It is not safe for our children to walk to Norris past Heritage High School, a fire station, through tunnels and down these very busy streets two miles. … Two crossing guards cannot protect our children,” said parent Kelley Hornsby, referring to discussions to have guards at the tunnels.

She also suggested the district offer open enrollment at Norris so that families can opt in to that school, making room for others at Mooneyham.

Little Elm concerns

Families from the Marina Vista and Eldorado Estates are proposed to be rezoned from Wakeland to Lone Star beginning with next year’s freshmen and sophomores. Officials said the hope is to make that a permanent (as far as “permanent” can be in the ever-changing Frisco) zoning for the Little Elm neighborhoods.

But representatives from those areas objected saying that their families are bonded with those south of Eldorado Parkway.

Parent Steve Nickolyn said families are used to zoning changes and understand the growth as they had been rezoned numerous times over the years. He said the families in that area should have been aligned to Lone Star when it opened but doing so now will only hurt children because they are invested with friends who will go on to Wakeland.

Postponing the zone change another five years to better align feeder patterns is the right thing to do, he said.

“That’s what we should be teaching our kids to do: what is right, not just what is easy.

Staying in Wakeland

Here are the updated attendance-zone options for the new Reedy High School, opening in August.

A majority of those in the audience were there to oppose what has been called the temporary zoning option, which would zone students out of Wakeland to the new Reedy for one or two years. But other students in the same neighborhoods — namely from The Trails and Meadow Creek — would be zoned back to Wakeland, which could split families.

Freshman Olivia Fortenberry said she currently participates in marching band at Wakeland along with her older brother. But under some options, she would go to Reedy next year with a younger brother being zoned back to Wakeland after her.

“This would make transportation too and from extra curricular activities a logistical nightmare for my parents,” she said. “My parents will have to choose between children and whose extra curricular activities they attend.”

 

 

Officials proposed three new options last night and are discussing the possibility of allowing families who would be impacted three or more years to stay together at Wakeland.

Yes to Reedy

 

And finally, some groups want to go to Reedy — namely families in Village Lakes and Park Place Estates. Those are the only two neighborhoods that attend Pioneer Heritage Middle School and would remain in the Frisco High zone rather than go on to Reedy.

Dan Huff, speaking on behalf of Park Place families, suggested allowing all the Pioneer Heritage neighborhoods to stay together at Reedy until future growth and zoning changes for other new high schools might deem it necessary. He noted that Frisco is projected to have enrollment concerns before Reedy does because of growth.

“Knowing all the future change when these new high schools are built – requiring new rezoning in the next two to three years – keep us with our feeder pattern until that rezoning has to be addressed. There is no reason to do it now,” Huff said.

 

Updated: Dallas Cowboys name Frisco site where headquarters, practice facility planned

Rendering of the plaza at the Dallas Cowboys project now known as The Star in Frisco.

Updated: The 91-acre Dallas Cowboys mixed-use project that will include the team’s new headquarters and training facilities will be called The Star in Frisco.

Officials announced the development’s name at a special event at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday.

The expectation is that the name of the site will become synonymous with the NFL team as Valley Ranch has been for more than 30 years, officials said.

Stephen Jones, chief operating officer and executive vice president for the team, described the development’s name as timeless, classy and special, just as the team’s iconic logo is.

Now that the project has a name, work will start on identifying candidates for naming partnerships for the headquarters and multi-use event center.

Updated: The new name is The Star.

Original: The Dallas Cowboys site under construction in Frisco is getting a name tonight.

The Cowboys are hosting an event at AT&T Stadium this evening for what the invitation describes as an “exclusive announcement.”

That announcement will be a name for the 91-acre development that will include not only the team’s headquarters and new practice facilities but also the mix of private development, including hotels, office buildings, restaurants and retail sites.

Whatever the name will be, expect it to quickly earn the same recognition that Valley Ranch holds for the team today in Irving.

Dallas Cowboys, headquarters, Frisco, multi-use event center

Tower cranes now dot the skyline at the construction site for the Dallas Cowboys project in Frisco. (Photo by Vernon Bryant/DMN)

Late Monday night, Frisco ISD Superintendent Jeremy Lyon told the school board that construction crews are making good headway. “They’re working like crazy,” he said.

The Cowboys are partnering with the city of Frisco and Frisco ISD on the project. About 25 acres will include a 12,000-seat multi-use event center with an indoor practice field, an outdoor NFL practice facility, a two-story retail and conference center and two six-story towers that will make up the Dallas Cowboys headquarters. The remaining 66 acres will be privately developed by the Blue Star companies associated with team owner Jerry Jones and his family.

Late last month the Cowboys announced they were partnering with Omni Hotels & Resorts to co-own a full-service hotel at the site that will include a rooftop pool overlooking the main plaza area.

The city of Frisco and Frisco ISD are contributing $115 million to build the indoor stadium, training facilities and headquarters building. Any costs above that will be picked up by the Dallas Cowboys. The total guaranteed maximum price for that portion of the project is still being determined.

So far, the Frisco City Council has approved six work authorizations totaling more than $84.1 million for the construction work at the site “necessary to maintain the overall project schedule,” according to city documents. Abut $70 million in public funds have been expended to date, city officials say. The project is scheduled to be completed in June 2016.

The Cowboys project is part of what Frisco officials call The $5 Billion Mile that includes four major developments along one mile of the Dallas North Tollway. The other projects are mixed use developments for Wade Park, The Gate and Frisco Station.

Stay tuned for tonight’s announcement on the new name for the Frisco site.

The latest rendering for the Dallas Cowboys project shows the multi-use event center in the back with the star on top. The open plaza area made to look like a football field lies between the Omni Frisco Hotel on the right with its rooftop pool and the two-story retail and conference center on the left. To the left of the retail and conference center are the two six-story office towers that will make up the Dallas Cowboys headquarters. Behind the headquarters are the two outdoor NFL practice fields for the team. (Rendering courtesy Gensler)

Construction began

Frisco morning roundup for Nov. 11, 2014

Today is Veterans Day, a chance to honor this country’s veterans for all that they do. Click here to read about the history of the holiday. The latest effort in Frisco, the Veterans Walk of Honor, is still under construction at Frisco Commons park. It will include bricks with veterans’ names, pillars detailing the significant conflicts and a Killed-In-Action Memorial. Click here to learn more about the project.

The city of Frisco will host a free workshop on the basics of composting. Kristy Woodard, the city’s water education coordinator, will lead the session on composting basics, tips for maintaining a compost bin or pile and common problems. Those interested in attending must register by email to waterwise@friscotexas.gov and include name, address, phone number, email and the number of people attending. The workshop will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Public Works Department, 11300 Research Road. Click here to learn more.

The Heritage Association of Frisco will hold its Sunday open house of historic buildings in the Heritage Center this weekend. Buildings will be open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the center at 6455 Page St. There will also be blacksmith demonstrations. Mayor Maher Maso will be pardoning a turkey in a ceremony at 2 p.m. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Community Theatre presents Death by Chocolate this weekend in the Black Box Theater at the Frisco Discovery Center. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 23 with an added matinee Nov. 22. Tickets are $20 for the night performances and $19 for the matinees. There is a $2 discount for seniors, military and students. Click here to learn more.

If you missed Saturday’s Frisco Community Parade, check out the photos posted here by the city of Frisco.

Reminder: The Frisco Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing tonight on a rezoning request for a Walmart Supercenter at the corner of Stonebrook Parkway and FM423. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Frisco city hall, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. Click here for the meeting agenda.

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Frisco morning roundup for Nov. 10, 2014

The Frisco and Planning Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday on a rezoning request for a Walmart Supercenter at the southeast corner of Stonebrook Parkway and FM423. More than 1,200 residents from Frisco Lakes, Phillips Creek Ranch and Stonewater Crossing have signed a resolution opposed to the request. Concerns range from increased traffic to lack of retail options to aesthetics. Walmarts already exist to the south at Main Street and State Highway 121 in The Colony and to the north at FM423 and Eldorado Parkway in Frisco. The petitioners say they will support a smaller community retail store instead. According to a city memo, Walmart has made several concessions to neighbors, including its hours of operation and storage. It has also worked with the city to blend the development into the neighborhood and provide a park on a portion of the property.  This agenda item comes with a host of supporting documents, including a retail market study, maps, site plans and the petition from residents. Click here for the meeting agenda and supporting documents. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers at Frisco city hall.

The West Frisco Homeowners Coalition and the Collin County Association of Realtors will host a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday to discuss the upcoming application being submitted to the Public Utility Commission of Texas for possible routes for a new 138,000-volt transmission line. The application is expected to be turned in between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15. It will propose a route along either Stonebrook Parkway or Main Street from an area west of the Dallas North Tollway to a new substation being planned on King Road west of FM423. The proposal will include an overhead route, an underground route and a combination of the two along both roads. The PUC will decide the route and whether the lines will go overhead or underground. The meeting will be at Wakeland High School auditorium, 10700 Legacy Drive. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, which received four-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its organizational procedures and community involvement. Click here for the full news release.

The Gruca-White Ensemble will give a free performance at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Black Box Theatre at the Frisco Discovery Center, 8004 Dallas Parkway. The ensemble consists of Robert Gruca on classic guitar and Linda White on flute. Seating is limited. Click here to learn more.

A Wylie woman missing since Oct. 2 is believed to have been found on Sunday inside her van that was located in a pond along the route she took to work, reports DMN’s Charles Scudder. Click here for the news story on Almaz Gebremedhin.

Reminder: FC Dallas faces the Seattle Sounders tonight in the Western Conference Semifinals. A watch party starts at 9:30 p.m. at Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson. Click here to learn more.

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Frisco dubs projects in the works along tollway as The $5 Billion Mile

This is the flier the Frisco Economic Development Corporation is using to promote The $5 Billion Mile.

Four developments in the works along the Dallas North Tollway in Frisco between Warren Parkway and Lebanon Road now have a catchy name – The $5 Billion Mile.

The Frisco Economic Development Corporation presented the concept at a meeting this week of the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors.

The developments are the Dallas Cowboys project, which includes the team’s world headquarters and multi-use event center with other private development valued at $1 billion; and the mixed-use projects for Frisco Station, valued at $1.7 billion; Wade Park, valued at $2 billion; and The Gate, valued at $700 million. The EDC flier above details their locations along the tollway.

Among the four developments will be lots of office space, multiple hotels, restaurants and retail offerings. And all but the Dallas Cowboys project are planning to include residential components.

Within a few years, these completed developments will offer a whole new look and feel to Frisco.

These aren’t the only new developments going up in Frisco, though. Projects are under construction all over town. Single-family home construction is also moving at a fast pace. The city is nearly 60 percent built out. And meetings have been ongoing to plan for the future growth through an update to the city’s comprehensive plan.

Click here for a link to the EDC’s presentation that runs down the details in The $5 Billion Mile.

Frisco morning roundup for Nov. 7, 2014

A portrait of U.S. Army Cpl. Peter J. Courcy, the Frisco man who was killed in action in 2009, will be among those added to the Collin County Fallen Warrior Portrait Project. A ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the main lobby of the Collin County Courthouse to hang portraits of Courcy and seven other Collin County men next to the 10 portraits that are already on display. The project’s goal is to put as many faces as possible to the hundreds of names listed on the Wall of Honor at the Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney. The other portraits being added on Monday are for U.S. Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Bobby J. Younger, U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Robert W. “Robby” Robinson; U.S. Army Pfc. James E. Malone; U.S. Army Spc. 4th Class Charles E. Hoffman; U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Tyler S. Trovillion; U.S. Army Pfc. Cody A. Board; and U.S. Army 1st Lt. Robert F. “Robby” Welch III. The Collin County Fallen Warrior Portrait Project is privately funded and sponsored by American Legion “Bill Bryan” Post 110 and Collin County Freedom Fighters. The portraits are created by McKinney artist and US Air Force veteran Colin Kimball. The courthouse is at 2100 Bloomdale Road. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Postal Service annual Community-wide Food Drive is this Saturday. Donations of non-perishable food items should be left near your mailbox on Saturday morning for the mail carrier to pick up. All donations will be given to the Frisco Family Services food pantry. Click here to see a list of most-needed items.

Head downtown on Saturday for the annual Frisco Community Parade, which honors local military veterans and community spirit. This year’s theme is Wild, Wild West. The parade’s grand marshal is Frisco resident and World War II veteran Bob Smith. Among the parade entries are police and fire vehicles, the city’s fire clowns, high school homecoming and forthcoming royalty, team mascots, military personnel and youth and civic groups. The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Toyota Stadium and heads east along Main Street before ending at North County Road. Main Street will be closed between World Cup Way and Dogwood Street between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday. At the same time,  Frisco Street will be closed between Technology Drive and Main Street. Proceeds from the parade support student scholarships awarded by the Frisco Education Foundation. Click here to learn more.

The fourth annual Shawnee Trail Cowboy Day celebrates the city’s heritage along the cattle trail. The event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Frisco Heritage Center, 6455 Page St. Admission is $5. Children 2 and younger are free. Activities include stagecoach rides, a Western art show, armadillo races, pony rides, a petting zoo, a gunslinger show, food trucks and a vintage market. As part of the event, author Doug Box will give a presentation at 1 p.m. in the old Lebanon Baptist Church about his family’s history on the Box ranch in Frisco. He will also be signing copies of his book, Cutter Frisco. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Visual Arts Guild will hold at a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. today (Friday) for the opening of a western-themed art exhibition titled “Now and Then” that kicks off Shawnee Trail Cowboy Day. The pieces are on display on the second floor “Timeline Room” of the Heritage Museum. They will be on display through the end of the month. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Community Theatre presents Death by Chocolate beginning this weekend in the Black Box Theater at the Frisco Discovery Center. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 23 with an added matinee Nov. 22. Tickets are $20 for the night performances and $19 for the matinees. There is a $2 discount for seniors, military and students. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform A Musical Journey Through History at 6 p.m. Saturday at Stonebriar Community Church, 4801 Legendary Drive. This is the orchestra’s inaugural performance. Click here to learn more.

Santa Claus will be escorted by the Frisco Fire Department as he arrives at Stonebriar Centre mall in a vintage 1940s fire truck at 9 a.m. Saturday. The public is invited to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus Santa. They will arrive outside in the parking lot between Macy’s and JCPenney. A parade begins at the mall entrance.as they head inside to the food court for Breakfast with Santa. Children can enjoy a $3 breakfast provided by Sonic and Paradise Bakery. A magic show will be at 9:30 a.m. There will also be holiday face painters, a balloon artist and crafts. Santa will be available to visit with children at the mall through Dec. 24. Click here to learn more.

A public reception honoring long-time Collin College President Cary A. Israel will be at 4 p.m. today (Friday) at the library at the college’s Central Park Campus, 2200 W. University Drive in McKinney. Israel announced his resignation in September, saying he wanted to spend more time with family. Last week, the college’s board of trustees named Colleen Altaffer Smith as interim president while a national search for his replacement is conducted. Click here for more information on the reception.

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Frisco morning roundup for Nov. 6, 2014

The city of Frisco advises residents to turn off their outdoor sprinklers now that the weather has turned colder. Grass goes dormant in winter and doesn’t need watering. City Public Works director Gary Hartwell told the Frisco City Council this week that residents used an average of 155 gallons of water per person per day this year through the end of October. That compares with an average 193 gallons of water per person per day for the same period in 2013. Stage 3 water restrictions remain in effect. Outdoor watering, if needed, is allowed only on trash days. Hand-held hoses, soaker hoses, and drip/bubbler systems are permitted up to two hours a day for trees, shrubs, and foundations. Click here for more information.

The Texas Legends will hold the team’s fifth annual Fan Jam where the public can meet this year’s players, coaches and dancers and get autographs. The team will practice and then hold an intra-squad scrimmage. The event will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Dr Pepper Arena. The team’s first home game is Nov. 21. Click here to learn more.

The 2,100-acre mixed use development Windsong Ranch along U.S. Highway 380 in Prosper will hold a Wine and Music Festival from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 15. North Texas wineries will be offering a variety of wines. Live musical performances include Nawlins Gumbo Kings, Moving Colors and headliner Hunter Sullivan Band. Admission is free. Wine tasting tickets are $1 per taste and $5 per glass. Food vendors and local boutiques will also be featuring items. The development is at 1001 Windsong Parkway South in Prosper. Click here to learn more.

Registration continues for the fourth annual North Texas Turkey Trot at 8 a.m. Nov. 27. The 5K, 10K and Miracle Mile will be on Thanksgiving Day, starting at Forest Park Medical Center in Frisco Square. Registration fees vary depending on which race you do. After today, registration fees will increase. Race-day registration opens at 6:30 a.m. Nov. 27. Learn more at northtexasturkeytrot.com.

The holiday event  It’s a Wonderful Life at Newman Village will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 20 at Newman Village’s Central Plaza, 4131 Fallbrook Drive. Activities include ice-skating, carriage rides, a holiday-decorated Bedford Falls Express choo-choo train and a snow hill for sledding. Carolers will be singing as they travel through the central plaza, and a brass band will perform. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting. Food vendors will also be available. Proceeds benefit the Frisco Education Foundation. Admission is $5 for children when purchased in advance here at the Frisco Education Foundation; adults get in free. On the night of the event, tickets will be $10 for the first child and $5 for each additional child. Photos with Santa Claus cost $10. Parking and shuttle services will be available from Newman Elementary School and Griffin Middle School. Click here to learn more.

The Frisco City Council and the Frisco Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors will hold a joint meeting next week to discuss fiscal year 2014 results and initiatives for this coming fiscal year. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Frisco Conference Center. Click here for the agenda.

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