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High 5 Exchange breaks ground on Allen entertainment hub, looks to 2027 opening

Work on High 5 Exchange is underway at The Farm in Allen.

The entertainment venue, which will offer bowling, laser tag and more, is set to open along SH 121 in late 2027, High 5 Exchange President and Founder Scott Emley said. Project officials and city leaders gathered Aug. 31 at a groundbreaking ceremony for the project.

The specifics: The venue will serve as an entertainment destination for adults and children alike, Emley said.

The entertainment offerings will be anchored by bowling, which will include integrated gaming experiences outside of typical bowling, he said. Other offerings will include 8 “world-class” attractions, per the business’s website, including a laser tag arena, duckpin bowling, scape rooms, augmented reality and virtual reality experiences, an arcade gaming floor and a 36-hole outdoor miniature golf course.

Also of note: Emley said he expects the facility to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

“We're the Chick-fil-A of entertainment,” Emley said, noting the company’s service-focused approach.

  • 2361 Quail Covey Road, Allen

 
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Across The Region
Denton, Collin County under burn ban amid increased fire risk

As drought conditions increase the risk of wildfires, Denton and Collin County residents will see restrictions on outdoor burning.

In a nutshell: Both counties are under a mandatory burn ban as of Aug. 25, according to local officials.

What you need to know: The mandatory burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning, and hot work like welding is subject to restrictions, per the release.

The conditions: Aug. 30 marks the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s 46th day with only trace amounts of rain, based on readings from the official climate site at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The streak is tied for the area’s tenth longest stretch of consecutive days without measurable precipitation on record, per the National Weather Service.

In similar news: The Denton and Collin County burn bans come as the Ross fire continues to rage through Palo Pinto county, roughly two hours west of Dallas-Fort Worth.

 
Transportation Tuesday
Plano asphalt overlay, Hillcrest Road construction: See updates on 5 DFW transportation projects

Check out five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Coleman Street Widening
Project: Coleman Street in Prosper is being widened to four lanes. One project will widen the roadway from two to four lanes between Gorgeous Road and Prosper Trail, and a second project will construct the remaining two southbound lanes of Coleman Street between Prosper Trail and Prosper High School.
Update: Both projects are nearing completion of the design phase. The town has acquired necessary right of way for both sections, and utility relocation is underway.

  • Timeline: winter 2026-winter 2027
  • Cost: $6.65 million (Gorgeous Road to Prosper Trail), $3.77 million (Prosper Trail to Prosper High School)
  • Funding source: town of Prosper
2. Carroll Boulevard utility installation
Project: This Atmos Gas project will see new gas lines installed along Carroll Boulevard in Denton from West Prairie Street to Pearl Street.
Update: Lanes will be closed along Carroll Boulevard as crews install the gas lines.
  • Timeline: late July-early September
  • Cost: not available
  • Funding source: Atmos Gas

 
CI Texas
Texas lawmakers urge TxDOT to better communicate about road construction, closures

The Texas Department of Transportation manages over 200,000 miles of state highways. Roughly 72% of all vehicle travel in the state occurs on TxDOT-maintained highways, TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said.

As Texas’ population continues to grow, so does “demand on our transportation systems, from busy urban corridors to rural communities,” Williams told lawmakers during an Aug. 17 hearing held by the Texas House Transportation Committee.

What's happening: More than 11,000 TxDOT projects are currently in the works, according to the agency’s website.

To keep motorists informed about road construction, TxDOT collects public input during the project planning process, then conducts outreach on social media, on project websites and through email notifications before and during closures, according to Eric Lykins, TxDOT’s senior director of district operations. The agency also places electronic message signs on roadways ahead of closures or detours, he said.

Some state lawmakers are encouraging transportation officials to improve outreach to motorists when roads, lanes and exits are closed or adjusted.

 

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Shelbie Hamilton
Editor

Miranda Talley
General Manager

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