This week's hot headlines

Dave Chappelle's stand-up show tops this week's 5 hottest Dallas headlines

Comedian Dave Chappelle will perform four shows in Texas, including at American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 29.

Photo courtesy of Dave Chappelle

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. Controversial comedian Dave Chappelle plots out 4 Texas arena shows, including Dallas. Comedian/actor Dave Chappelle will soon bring his "Dave Chappelle Live" stand-up comedy show to arenas in four cities in Texas, including American Airlines Center in Dallas, on June 29. Chappelle is a complicated figure who's been celebrated for his trailblazing comedy and vilified for his controversial stances.

2. Dallas steakhouse famous for big carrot opens location in McKinney. McKinney gets its own location of an epic Dallas steakhouse: We're talking about Bob's Steak & Chop House, which has opened a location in District 121, the mixed-use development at the northeast corner of State Highway 121 and Alma Road, adjacent to Craig Ranch. It opened on June 2.

3. H-E-B's streamlined sibling Joe V's Smart Shop to debut in Dallas. Supermarket giant H-E-B is continuing its expansion in the DFW Metroplex with plans to open a sibling concept: Called Joe V’s Smart Shop by H-E-B stores, it's a cheaper version of H-E-B, and will open two stores in the Dallas area, both south of I-30.

4. Dallas-Fort Worth arrives at surprising spot among top summer travel destinations. Dallas-Fort Worth recently racked up more than a dozen accolades at the 2023 Texas Travel Awards. But a new survey reveals it's not necessarily such a hot travel destination this summer. DFW comes in at a middle-of-the-road No. 45 in WalletHub's recent 2023 Best Summer Travel Destinations report.

5. More than 90 live music acts will perform at 2023 State Fair of Texas. The State Fair of Texas will return in fall 2023 with a music lineup that includes more than 90 artists performing live on three stages. Headliners include Lonestar, Ceelo Green, and 38 Special, as well as a tribute to Selena Quintanilla Pérez, Experience Selena. Other acts kicking off opening weekend September 29 to October 1 include Chrisette Michele, Lil Jon, Hairball, and Bowling for Soup.

celebrities openings state-fair supermarkets hot-headlines

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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