Celebrity Appearance

Jessica Simpson will be an Open Book for Dallas audience at special event

Jessica Simpson will be at Wyly Theatre in Dallas on February 7 to talk about her new book, Open Book.

Photo courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers

AT&T Performing Arts Center and Interabang Books will present An Evening with Jessica Simpson on Friday, February 7 at Wyly Theatre. The appearance is in support of Simpson's new autobiography, Open Book, which will be released on February 4.

In the book, Simpson reveals for the first time her inner monologue and most intimate struggles. Guided by the journals she’s kept since age 15, and brimming with her unique humor and down-to-earth humanity, Open Book is as inspiring as it is entertaining.

Simpson has gone through many phases as a celebrity, from releasing eight albums to starring in movies like The Dukes of Hazzard to launching the Jessica Simpson Collection, now a billion-dollar global brand. She is married to Eric Johnson — no, not the current Dallas mayor, but rather the former NFL player — and is the mother of three children.

Of specific interest for the Dallas audience will be that, in the book, Simpson shares the wisdom and inspirations she’s learned and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture clichés, like being a "football jinx," an apparent reference to her relationship with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

Tickets for the special event will go on sale on January 10 at 10 am. Center Members have access to a presale that will begin January 9 at 10 am. Those interested in becoming a member can call Membership Services at 214-978-2888 or go to www.attpac.org/support to join.

Ticket prices range from $45-$55 and can be purchased online at www.attpac.org, by telephone at 214-880-0202, or in person at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Winspear Opera House Box Office at 2403 Flora Street. The Box Office is open 10:30 am.

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Park News

Dallas acquires 30-year-old amusement park for $13 million

Adventure Landing

An amusement park in Far North Dallas was purchased by the City of Dallas to be developed into a community park. The Dallas City Council voted during its December 11 meeting to buy Adventure Landing, a 30-year-old amusement park at 17717 Coit Rd. for the sum of $13.7 million with a goal to keep the park in business.

The 13.5-acre property has been an entertainment venue for the past 30 years, with mini golf, batting cages, soccer fields, and arcade games.

The previous owner, the Hildebrand family, previously turned down much bigger offers from developers because they wanted the buyer to carry on their mission and keep the park a park.

The Park and Recreation Department will operate the soccer fields, and Adventure Landing will manage all other facilities until a future park is constructed.

In November, the Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved the land acquisition item and recommended approval to the City Council.

“With the cost of land in the north Dallas area increasing in value, we are fortunate to secure this property to make sure residents have access to green spaces and new recreational amenities,” says Dallas Park and Recreation Board President Arun Agarwal in a statement. “Acquiring land in certain fully developed areas of the City for park purposes is exceedingly difficult, and this acquisition represents a unique opportunity for us as a city.”

A release says there aren't many parks in the area, and the closest parks are Preston Ridge Trail to the west, Twin Lakes Park to the south, and the Cotton Belt Trail, which is currently in the works.

“This acquisition represents far more than the purchase of land – it symbolizes a pivotal investment in addressing a critical need within a community with the fewest parks in the entire city," says District 12 Park and Recreation Board Member Lane Conner in a statement. "By creating this new park, we are taking a transformative step toward providing every resident, no matter their neighborhood, with access to exceptional green spaces."

Adventure Landing will keep the same name and management team under the new ownership.

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