Beachy News

Mega water lagoon with wave and cliff diving to surf into McKinney

Cannon Beach McKinney

Courtesy rendering

Dallas-Fort Worth dearly loves its water features and lagoons and so here comes another: Called Cannon Beach: Surf and Adventure Park, it's a new facility coming to the city of McKinney featuring a four-acre surf lagoon, a full-service resort-style hotel, plus dining, entertainment, and business spaces.

According to a release, it's part of a 35-acre multi-use development slated to break ground at the northeast corner of Stacy Road and SH-121 in 2025.

This $200 million development is a collaboration between the City of McKinney, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, and the McKinney Community Development Corporation. Conceptual terms are being finalized, and the site plan and the formal incentive agreements related to infrastructure assistance, tax rebates, and land acquisition will be considered in early 2025.

The first phase is projected to open as early as 2026.

At the heart of the development will be a resort-style hotel with a rooftop pool nestled alongside a sandy beach. There will be lounge areas and cabanas with food service, and will connect to the surf lagoon and water-focused attractions, including cliff diving and a stationary surf wave.

It does not stop there: The vision is to surround these attractions with uses like a skateboard park, movie theater, bowling alley, health club, and indoor recreation facilities. When you're in your visioning period, the sky's the limit.

Cannon Beach is a concept from developer Cole Cannon, an unlikely combination of lawyer and surfer bum who built the first location in Mesa, Arizona. (In this interview, he talks about having "curated" the sand. 🙄)

“We cannot be more excited to bring a beach paradise to McKinney, whose leadership shares our unparalleled vision for a world-class, family-friendly destination that will quite literally bring the ocean to its backyard,” Cannon says in a statement. “Cannon Beach promises to offer something for everyone, from families and thrillseekers to professionals and entrepreneurs.”

In addition to the tourism component, Cannon Beach also plans to deliver 100,000 square feet of office space, positioning itself as a hub for top talent and innovation, from global corporations to ambitious startups.

McKinney Mayor George Fuller says in a statement that "this project is truly transformative, answering our community’s call for more family-focused activities while positioning McKinney as a premier destination for one-of-a-kind recreational experiences."

openings

Soccer Fever

Dallas radio station The Ticket to expand soccer show during World Cup

Photo courtesy of Cumulus Media

The KickAround hosts Andy Swift and Peter Welpton will be working overtime during the 2026 World Cup.

The long-running radio soccer program The KickAround, which currently airs on Cumulus Media’s Sportsradio 96.7 and 1310 The Ticket every Saturday, will expand to a nightly broadcast during the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to a release, every night during the quadrennial competition - which runs from June 11 to July 19 - hosts Andy Swift and Peter Welpton will provide recaps of the day’s matches, previews of upcoming fixtures, and real-time analysis of the biggest stories shaping the tournament.

Coverage will include an enhanced focus on the U.S. Men’s National Team, with select match days featuring live, on-location broadcasts and fan events tied to U.S. games, they say.

They'll be joined by longtime contributor and European soccer journalist Lars Sivertsen in studio to give the show an international perspective.

In all, the program will produce 36 shows and 44 hours of original programming throughout the tournament.

The KickAround started as a daily program during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Its success led to it becoming a weekly program later that year, and the show has since returned in expanded daily form for the World Cup every four years.

With the United States serving as the main host of the 2026 World Cup, and with nine matches being played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the program expansion makes more sense than ever.

"Interest this year is at an all-time high with key tournament games being played in Dallas-Fort Worth," said Jeff Catlin, Program Director, Sportsradio 96.7 and 1310 The Ticket, in a statement. "The KickAround will be a destination for Ticket listeners and both soccer fans and casuals.”

The KickAround will air weeknights at 7 pm in addition to its regular 2-4 pm Saturday slot and select Sunday broadcasts. Special programming is also planned for the tournament final, including both a pregame preview show and post-match recap.

For a complete programming schedule and to stream The Ticket, fans can go to theticket.com.

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