ACM Awards news

Garth Brooks joins Dolly Parton to host 2023 ACM Awards in Frisco

Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton will host the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Photo by Art Streiber

Country music icon Dolly Parton will grace the stage for the third time as host of the American Country Music Awards, and she's bringing along a newcomer: Garth Brooks. The two superstars will emcee the 58th annual ACMs taking place, for the first time, at The Star in Frisco on Thursday, May 11. The show will stream on Prime Video.

“I am thrilled to return to host the ACM Awards, this time with my friend Garth,” Parton says in a release. “While I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with him throughout the years, I can’t believe we’ve never had the chance to work together. In addition to getting to see all this great new talent in country music, I am excited to have the chance to premiere the lead single from my upcoming rock album on the show!”

Adds Brooks, “Anyone with Dolly Parton makes a fantastic couple."

As Billboard reminds, Parton hosted the big awards show solo in 2000, and again last year with co-hosts Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett. It's Brooks' first time to take on co-hosting duties at any awards show. He's coming off a world tour that included a smash-hit show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in August 2022.

“We are elated to have beloved icon Dolly Parton return to co-host the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards alongside the legendary Garth Brooks,” says Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios. “As we bring back the Emmy-nominated Academy of Country Music Awards to our global audience, we are thrilled to continue to showcase the power of Amazon to create what will be an unforgettable night of live entertainment experiences with Dolly and Garth at the helm of ‘Country Music’s Party of the Year.’”

According to Billboard, fans shouldn't expect a Parton-Brooks musical collaboration on stage. However, Parton - a recent inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - will be debuting a single from her forthcoming rock album, Rockstar, on the show.

The 2023 edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards will mark a return to Texas for the first time since the landmark 50th ACM Awards, which took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2015.

A limited number of tickets remain (starting around $400) via SeatGeek, organizers say.

As with any worldwide, Super Bowl-level event, there'll be many happenings leading up to it, including a benefit concert headlined by Morgan Wallen. The country music bad boy (and current superstar and reigning ACM Album of the Year winner) takes top billing on "ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Morgan Wallen & Friends," a fundraiser for Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music.

The show will be held at 7:30 pm Wednesday, May 10 on the golfing green at Topgolf in The Colony. Tickets ($350) for the benefit concert are on sale now through AXS.

Additional events plus ACM award nominees, performers, and presenters for this year’s show will be announced in coming weeks.

ACM Awards Country Music Dolly Parton Garth Brooks awards celebrities

Surfing News

Surf and adventure resort Cannon Beach to break ground in McKinney

Courtesy rendering

Cannon Beach McKinney

A surf and adventure resort is set to break ground in McKinney: Called Cannon Beach, it's a $200 million project that represents one of the most innovative recreation and entertainment developments, and will break ground at the northeast corner of Stacy Road and SH-121 on December 15.

The 35-acre project will introduce a three-acre surf lagoon, lazy river, mineral hot springs circuit, full-service resort hotel, and a mix of dining, entertainment, and business spaces designed to transform the region’s leisure and tourism landscape.

“We are proud to bring the intersection of lifestyle and adrenaline to McKinney,” says developer Cole Cannon in a release. “In partnership with the City, we’re creating a place where families build indelible memories, visitors explore, and businesses thrive, all centered around a surf experience you won’t find anywhere else in the state.”

At the center of the development will be a resort-style hotel featuring best-in-class accommodations, event and wedding venues, and a sandy beach. Guests will enjoy cabanas and lounge areas with food service, directly connecting them to the surf lagoon and water attractions such as cliff diving and a stationary surf wave. Plans also include a skateboard park, movie theater, bowling alley, health club and indoor recreation facilities.

“This groundbreaking marks an important moment for our city’s future. The project brings new energy to McKinney, supporting growth that provides residents with more activities to enjoy while opening new avenues for local businesses to serve visitors and benefit from the increased activity this destination will attract,” says Mayor Bill Cox.

The development is a partnership between the City of McKinney, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, and the McKinney Community Development Corporation, which have worked tirelessly to make this project a reality for McKinney. The parties executed development agreements in May 2025 — including infrastructure assistance, tax reimbursements and land acquisition. The first phase could open as soon as mid-2027.

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