McKinney City Council greenlit four contract amendments in September related to construction on the planned McKinney National Airport commercial terminal.

The gist: The resolutions authorize the city manager to execute amendments with Garver, Matador Engineering, Spinelli Construction and Terracon Consultants to reflect "additional facility improvements," according to city documents.

In total, the resolutions authorize costs up to $428,813, which includes $38,670 in contingency funding, in addition to the original contracts.

A closer look: Agreements with upcoming terminal users dictate the addition of multiple improvements, including:

• Construction of a 4,000-square-foot support building for airline tenants

• Construction of office space within the terminal for airline tenants

• Construction of the concession area within the terminal

One more thing: The council also authorized the airport to accept an increased Federal Aviation Administration grant award of $5,087,250.

AC Hotel McKinney, a new 137-room hotel coming to the Craig Ranch area, is now accepting room reservations, a news release states.

Bookable dates for room reservations begin Nov. 15, per the release.

The update: The Marriott-brand hotel, which is now set to open mid-November, will open alongside Good & Proper Wood Fired Bistro, a restaurant on the fifth floor of AC Hotel McKinney, a representative of the project confirmed.

The specifics: The European-inspired hotel will offer eight suites as well as nearly 3,000 square feet of meeting and event space, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a 24-hour sundries store and multiple dining options.

• 7600 SH 121, McKinney

Across Texas, the taxes that homeowners pay to their local school districts went down by about 13.6% in 2025, one state senator found.

The overview: Across the board, many Texas counties mailed out reduced property tax bills for the 2025 tax year, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, reported. During a Sept. 1 hearing of the Senate Local Government Committee, he said the average homeowner's property tax bill went down by about $140 last year, falling from $1,037 per year in 2024 to $896 per year in 2025.

Texas' 2026-27 budget includes $51 billion in property tax relief, previous Community Impact reporting shows. Unless the legislature rolls back existing tax exemptions, the state will be required to spend that much or more on tax relief in future bienniums.

How it works: The state does not charge property taxes, meaning homeowners are taxed by local entities such as school districts, cities, counties and municipal utility districts. The Texas Legislature, however, can place limits on how much local governments raise taxes annually and require tax exemptions for certain groups.