Hotel news

Epic Waterpark in Grand Prairie adds walking-distance on-site hotel

New hotel combo at Epic Waterpark.

Hilton

A new Hilton hotel has opened in Grand Prairie’s buzzy entertainment district EpicCentral, located between Dallas-Fort Worth off SH-161 just north of I-20.

The property is a dual-branded Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton, located at 2935 S. State Hwy. 161, opened just in time for spring break.

According to a release, its debut marks the first overnight accommodations in the district, best known for its splashy Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark.

Operated by Concord Hospitality, the property features a total of 276 rooms, divided between the two brands:

Hilton Garden Inn: 129 guest rooms, executive lounge, restaurant, pool, and fitness room
Homewood Suites: 147 guest rooms, with studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites with kitchens available

Room rates at the Garden Inn begin at $126 per night. Rates at Homewood Suites - Hilton's larger, apartment-like extended-stay concept - begin at $157 per night.

The property also has a shared 10,000-square-foot ballroom and conference center.

“With a joint mission in furthering family-friendly experiences and adventure, Hilton is the perfect partner to offer on-site stays to our guests,” says Lauren Brown, director of sales and marketing for Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites.

EpicCentral has a partnership with Candlewood Suites which is just under 3 miles away, and there is also a LaQuinta and a Coutyard By Marriott nearby. But the Hilton is the only hotel nestled within the 172-acre entertainment district, making them walking distance to various entertainment and dining options on site.

In addition to the Epic Waters waterpark, the district’s highlights include The Epic, a 120,000-square-foot fitness, arts, and entertainment space; Bolder Indoor Adventure Park, an indoor rock climbing facility; Chicken N Pickle, the indoor/outdoor restaurant and pickleball complex; and The Summit, a fitness center specifically catered to seniors.

hotels

eyes on the road

3 Dallas highways rank among deadliest roads in America, per report

Photo courtesy of DFW Freeways

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Heads up to Dallasites commuting on the city's freeways: Three busy Dallas County highways were just deemed among the deadliest roads in the country, with I-30 in Dallas ranking as the fourth deadliest road in Texas. That's according to a new study based on the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.

The study, commissioned by Santa Ana, California-based company Future Bail Bonds, compared fatal crash data across 96,000 U.S. roads from 2019-2023. The top 150 "deadliest" roads were ranked by the total number of fatal crashes that occurred during the five-year period.

The No. 1 deadliest road in America is I-15 in San Bernardino County, California, the study found. The interstate, which runs from Southern California to Las Vegas, experienced the highest rate of deadly car crashes from 2019-2023 with 196 crashes.

East-west thoroughfare I-30 — the most deadly in Dallas with 76 fatal wrecks during the same time period — ranked as the 23rd deadliest road in the nation.

Elsewhere in Dallas County, Loop 12 and I-653 were among the top 150 deadliest U.S. roads, although much further down on the report: Loop 12 ranked No. 115 on the list with 45 fatal wrecks, while I-635 ranked 132nd with 43 crashes.

Considering that tens of thousands of people drive the road every day, a fatal crash is unlikely, but the data underscores the need for drivers to remain aware of their surroundings at all times.

The deadliest road in Texas is I-45 in Houston, which had 88 fatal vehicle wrecks in the five-year period. I-45 stretches from Dallas to Galveston, and it ranked as the 16th deadliest U.S. road. A specific part of the highway, the I-45 North Freeway, earned its own spot on the list as the 124th deadliest U.S. road.

"From 2019 to 2023, motor vehicle crashes claimed 186,284 lives across 96,257 roads in the United States, underscoring the persistent danger on American roadways," the report said.

In neighboring Tarrant County, two busy roadways appeared on the list: I-20 ranked 63rd on the list with 56 fatal crashes, and I-820 ranked three spots behind as No. 66 with 55 fatal crashes.

Eight other Texas roads that were deemed the deadliest in America with the highest rates of fatal vehicle crashes from 2019-2023 include:

No. 17 – I-35 in Travis County (87 crashes)
No. 22 – I-10 in Harris County (76 crashes)
No. 27 – I-410 in Bexar County (73 crashes)
No. 32 – I-10 in El Paso County (69 crashes)
No. 114 – FM 1960 in Harris County (45 crashes)
No. 130 – I-35 in Bexar County (43 crashes)
No. 131 – I-610 in Harris County (43 crashes)
No. 141 – I-10 in Jefferson County (42 crashes)

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