Tarrant County community and health leaders gathered April 16 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new John Peter Smith Hospital in downtown Fort Worth.

The details: The 1.1 million-square-foot hospital will be the center of the JPS Master Plan, which will cost a total of $2.5 billion and encompasses several new buildings, such as the new women’s center, a new parking garage, a medical outpatient building and a dedicated psychiatric emergency hospital.

“We are here today not just to break ground on a new hospital but to fulfill a promise,” JPS President and CEO Karen Duncan said. “This building will be a symbol of dignity, a symbol of access and a symbol of what it means to truly care for one another.”

Zooming in: The new hospital will be at the corner of South Main and East Morphy streets and is expected to open in 2030, according to a presentation at the groundbreaking.

Tanger Outlets Fort Worth and the Metroport Chamber held a dual ribbon-cutting for Park Place, a new outdoor gathering space.

The details: The space is located between Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren and features shaded seating, turf, murals, and upgraded lighting and seating options, Jim Anderson, general manager of Tanger Outlets Fort Worth, said during the April 15 ceremony.

The project also included three murals by local artist Haylee Ryan, which were the final pieces to the project, according to a news release from the outlet. The largest of the three is a 20-foot mural with Texas-inspired designs for photo opportunities, according to a news release.

What they're saying: “Park Place was a previously underutilized area of the center that we transformed into a reimagined outdoor gathering, seating and event space,” said Holly Conner, marketing director at Tanger Fort Worth. “We wanted to create a sense of place at Tanger Fort Worth, inviting visitors to linger longer and connect with the community."

• 15853 N. Freeway, Fort Worth

Walmart plans to remodel 72 stores across Texas, including several in Dallas-Fort Worth, according to a news release from the company. 

What’s happening? The stores that will see updates this year include: 

• Allen Walmart Neighborhood Market, 1520 E. Exchange Parkway, Allen
• Denton Walmart Supercenter, 2750 W. University Drive, Denton
• McKinney Walmart Neighborhood Market, 3400 Virginia Parkway, McKinney
• Plano Walmart Supercenter, 8801 Ohio Drive, Plano
• Fort Worth Walmart Supercenter, 3851 Airport Freeway, Fort Worth

The overview: Texans are expected to save millions in sales taxes on emergency supplies—everything from tarps to generators—during an annual tax holiday April 25-27.

How it works: The sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. April 24 and lasts until midnight April 27.

Texans are expected to save about $2.4 million in state and local taxes, according to the comptroller’s office. Last year, Texans saved about $2.3 million, agency spokesperson Kevin Lyons said.

According to the comptroller’s office, items qualify for the tax exemption if they are priced at:

• Less than $75 for items including household batteries, fuel containers, flashlights, smoke detectors, tarps and first aid kits
• Less than $300 for hurricane shutters and emergency ladders
• Less than $3,000 for portable generators