Spirit of Las Colinas End of Year Issue 2023

of Las Colinas

LUMINOUS LAS COLINAS

WRAPPING UP A DAZZLING YEAR CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF LAS COLINAS

LAS COLINAS’ ROOTS

Las Colinas all started with a man, a ranch and a dream. Las Colinas founder Ben Carpenter had the vision to develop his family’s tranquil, undeveloped ranch into a unique, luxurious master planned community. Now, fifty years later, Las Colinas has not only lived up to Carpenter’s vision but has exceeded it, solidifying itself as an international hot spot for business.

HANDS ON HISTORY

Las Colinas History was brought to life through the Mandalay Mile Walking Tour and Las Colinas Experience mobile exhibit. The Las Colinas Experience traveled through the community this year, guiding visitors through 50 years of history with the use of interactive QR codes, iPad modules and a sound dome featuring the voice of Las Colinas founder, Ben Carpenter. Launched in September 2023 as a self-guided walking tour, the Mandalay Mile featured 10 signs, located along the Mandalay Canal and Lake Carolyn. Participants could scan dedicated QR codes hosted on each sign to discover Las Colinas’ history and access special offers from restaurants at the Toyota Music Factory.

MANDALAY MILE PARTNERS

LAS COLINAS

50TH ANNIVERSARY KICK OFF

On March 30th, Las Colinas Association kicked off a year of 50th anniversary festivities with Las Colinas alumni and friends at the Las Colinas Resort, Dallas.

Festivities kicked off with a ribbon cutting for the Las Colinas Experience mobile museum. Afterwards guests enjoyed a leather branding activation before sitting down for dinner and drinks.

During the program, Las Colinas’ 50th anniversary plans were unveiled including the Carpenter Cup Golf Tournament, Las Colinas Home Tour, Las Colinas Architecture Tour, the 50th Anniversary Las Colinas history book and GLOW Canalside Celebration.

The Las Colinas Resort, Dallas revealed their renovation plans for the resort as it prepares to transition to a Ritz-Carlton hotel.

After the unveiling of the Las Colinas Experience and 50th anniversary plans, a panel of esteemed alumni took a trip down memory lane to reminisce about Las Colinas’ rich history.

CARPENTER CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT

On Monday, May 8th a cherished event aced its highly-anticipated return. The “Carpenter Cup”, named after Las Colinas founder Ben Carpenter, is a golf tournament between the three clubs in Las Colinas – Hackberry Creek Country Club, Las Colinas Country Club and the Four Seasons – now the Sports Club of Las Colinas.

This year’s tournament was hosted at the Las Colinas Country Club where each of the three participating clubs fielded a team of 18 men and 6 women. Representatives from each club played in a threesome format using a stableford quota system to determine the 2023 Carpenter Cup Champion Club.

LAS COLINAS HOME TOUR

The inaugural Las Colinas Home Tour, a collaboration between the Las Colinas Association and AIA Dallas, took place on May 20th and 21st, showcasing six homes across three Las Colinas neighborhoods. Attendees embarked on a self-guided tour, exploring homes in Cottonwood Valley, Fox Glen, and University Hills, each exhibiting unique architectural styles ranging from modern to traditional. The event supported local Irving charities, with proceeds going to five nonprofits chosen by the homeowners.

In addition to the architectural showcase, the tour offered various attractions including the latest luxury car models from Park Place dealerships and dining specials at Gables Water Street’s establishments. The Las Colinas Experience was available for attendees and passersby to tour at Gables Water Street. The tour, apart from being an architectural feast, also served as a platform for community engagement and charity.

LAS COLINAS HOME TOUR PARTNERS

LAS COLINAS

ARCHITECTURE TOUR

The inaugural Las Colinas Architecture tour, hosted by the Las Colinas Association, took place on Friday, September 22nd, attracting over a hundred attendees. Starting at The Constellation Club in The Towers at Williams Square, guests enjoyed breakfast before exploring Las Colinas’ architectural gems. The tour highlighted The Towers at Williams Square, a fixture of the Las Colinas skyline with its distinctive design and recent renovations, and Williams Square

Plaza, known for the Mustangs of Las Colinas sculpture and its 2022 enhancement of upgraded landscaping and elevated viewing platform.

The tour showcased Las Colinas’ Mandalay Canal, reflecting Carpenter’s global travels, and the Toyota Music Factory, a state-of-the-art public-private venture featuring an adaptable amphitheater and a mix of office and retail spaces. Other highlights included Verizon’s modernized Hidden Ridge campus, the Pioneer Natural Resources headquarters with its glass façade and ranch-inspired landscape, and the former ExxonMobil HQ at 5959 Las Colinas Blvd., now a key development opportunity. The tour concluded with a social hour, marking a memorable exploration of Las Colinas’ architectural evolution.

LAS COLINAS ARCHITECTURE TOUR PARTNERS

AN ILLUMINATING CELEBRATION

GLOW Canalside Celebration marked the grand finale of Las Colinas’ 50th anniversary, drawing a diverse crowd of residents, employees, business owners and visitors on October 20th and 21st. This immersive event, held along the Mandalay Canal, featured an array of attractions including theater, light, music, art and entertainment. Highlights included a transformed Mandalay Canal with permanent tree lighting and sound installations, an LED drumline, illuminated characters, gondola performances, and a variety of musical acts on the main stage that kept the audience dancing all night.

Gables Water Street was the hub for dining and exclusive GLOW art experiences. Visitors enjoyed a silent disco, interactive fire-spouting floral installations by Boko Fine Art, a pedal-powered Canopy installation by Bike Powered Events and Pneuhaus and murals illuminated by black lights by Micavi Designs. The event, free for general attendance, also offered enhanced experiences with VIP packages at Omni Las Colinas Hotel, a special dinner at Venetian Terrace, and gondola cruises by Gondola Adventures. Each night concluded with a spectacular fireworks display, paving the way towards a bright future for Las Colinas.

LCA NEWS AND UPDATES

LAS COLINAS DAY OF THE DEAD CANALSIDE CELEBRATION

On November 1st, the Las Colinas Association, in collaboration with the U.S.-Mexico Educational and Cultural Foundation, hosted the third annual Las Colinas Day of the Dead Canalside Celebration. Drawing over 2,000 attendees, this event honored the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, featuring an authentic ofrenda for community members to honor deceased loved ones.

Live music performances by the Irving Symphony Orchestra jazz trio, Travis Middle School mariachi band, and the Mariachi Pure Sangre de Javier Aguilar, were synchronized with the Las Colinas Canal Lights. Additional experiences included a marketplace with local artisan goods, face painting and crafts for children, gondola rides, as well as food and beverage offerings from Avocados from Mexico, Zunte mezcal, and Venetian Terrace.

ASSESSMENT RATE CHANGE

At the November 2023 board meeting, the Las Colinas Association’s Board of Directors approved another reduction in the annual assessment rate. Beginning in 2024 the rate will be reduced to 0.115 (eleven and a half cents) for each $100 dollars of the appraised market value by the Dallas Central Appraisal District.

LAS COLINAS

HOLIDAY LIGHTING PROGRAM

From November 17th through January 8th, the Las Colinas Urban Center and common property areas will transform into a dazzling display of holiday merriment.

In addition to over 600,000 lights and a herd of 68 reindeer, the newly installed Mandalay Canal Lights will illuminate the Mandalay Canal throughout the month of December from 5-10 p.m.

Use our holiday lights guide below to map out where to find the life-size reindeer herd and experience over half a million breathtaking lights.

SPECIAL MEETING OF MEMBERS RESULTS

A Special Meeting of Members of the Las Colinas Association was held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 for the purpose of amending Supplementary Declarations 8, 26, 161 and 163. In order to hold the annual meeting and special meetings, a quorum must be met by members of the LCA. This requirement ensures members are provided the opportunity to vote and contribute their voice in the community. Reported results for the special meeting were that all amendments passed. Thank you to all members who took the time to submit their votes.