Yurt news

Texas couple raffles off $7M 'Yurtopian' Hill Country glamping resort

Each yurt at the Yurtopian Hill Country Resort has a deck and private hot tub.

Photo courtesy of Yurtopian Hill Country Resort.

If yurts are your thing, you won't want to miss this opportunity: A Texas couple is raffling off their luxury $7 million Yurtopian Hill Country Resort through a British platform that allows potential new owners to enter for $10 or less.

The glamping resort is in Dripping Springs, known as the "Gateway to the Hill Country," about 25 miles west of Austin.

"After 20-plus years of traveling the globe, we fell in love with the majestic Texas Hill Country and set out to create something truly special — a peaceful oasis that merges authentic yurt living with refined comfort. We couldn't be more thrilled to share our slice of paradise and the chance to carry that dream forward through this initiative," said owners Ann-Tyler and Brian Konradi in a release.

Check out the views from one of 10 rooftop decks.Photo courtesy of Yurtopian Hill Country Resort.

The Konradis started the resort in 2019 with a single Mongolian yurt in Wimberley, before growing their collection of tents and opening a second compound in Dripping Springs. The 46-acre property is packed with amenities that one lucky winner can turn into a turnkey business, a hippie commune, or an instant way to make more friends. The features include:

10 private rental accommodations
A 2,000-square-foot home and office
3 barns with potential for events or expansion
A wellness spa structure
A meandering creek

The boho yurts hug the treeline and are outfitted with king-size beds, private bathrooms, rooftop decks, private hot tubs, fire pits, and outdoor kitchens. Each is not exactly a suite at the Four Seasons, but it's a far cry from roughing it.

The property also includes a rustic main hoouse.Photo courtesy of Yurtopian Hill Country Resort.

According to the release, the contest is the first real estate transaction of its kind in the United States, which has tight restrictions on raffles depending on the state. The Konradis are partnering with popular British platform Raffal for the initiative, which is why the ticket price is in pounds, not dollars.

The raffle is subject to rules and regulations and is only available in jurisdictions where participation is allowed. And there is a threshold of 848,500 qualifying entries for the main prize to be awarded. Naturally, the drawing comes with enough legalese to give anyone a migraine, but, c'mon, it's a nearly free resort.

The lucky winner will be announced live and online on September 30, from the Glamping Show Americas in Colorado, in partnership with the American Glamping Association. Through a clause built into the raffle contract, no existing reservations of the tents will be affected.

Photo courtesy of Yurtopian Hill Country Resort.

Each yurt at the Yurtopian Hill Country Resort has a deck and private hot tub.

dripping springs giveaways glamping hill country hill country resort raffles resorts tents yurts

DART News

DART receives $7 million federal grant for new low-emission buses

Gillig

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has received a grant to update its fleet of buses. According to a release, the agency was awarded a $7.094 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to support the purchase of new buses as the agency phases out its fleet of older model vehicles.

The grant awarded to DART is one of 165 transit projects across the U.S. funded with more than $2 billion in federal grants.

In February, DART purchased 476 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses from Gillig, a California-based manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses, to fulfill their goal to modernize their transit system over the next decade — particularly via new buses and light-rail vehicles to replace the oldest units in their aging fleet.

The phase-in of those new vehicles is expected to be executed through 2027.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered buses are a near-zero emission option, which was a key component in DART qualifying for the federal grant. Gillig has already delivered the first buses ahead of a Spring 2026 timeline — meaning that DART riders will get to start riding the upgraded buses on routes by the end of December 2025.

In a statement, DART President & CEO Nadine Lee says the timing is perfect.

“The timing of this grant couldn’t be better as we begin to receive early delivery of new, state-of-the-art vehicles from Gillig and as we move ahead with preparations to provide service to the massive crowds we expect next year with the FIFA World Cup," Lee says. "We are grateful to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, FTA Administrator Marcus Molinaro, and our entire congressional delegation for valuing their strong federal partnership with DART, recognizing the need to find additional funding to support transit programs in one of the fastest growing metro areas in the nation."

This new grant is in addition to $103 million initial federal grants, bringing the total federal support for DART’s purchase of new buses to more than $110 million – reducing the overall cost to DART and member cities.

U.S. Congressional delegates, representing communities across Texas, were instrumental in securing the funding for the grant. The purchase of 476 buses is one part of DART’s Transform, a $2.5 billion 10-year plan to modernize and upgrade the DART system.

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