Las Colinas Online

Friday, October 17, 2008  By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News fleck@dallasnews.com

Local and state officials broke ground Thursday afternoon on the $518 million Irving Diamond Interchange State Highway 114 and Loop 12 improvement project.

Just north of Texas Stadium, the multimodal project will streamline the area’s four highways – state highways 114 and 183, Loop 12 and Spur 482 – with the DART Orange Line, which is scheduled to reach Las Colinas in 2012.

“This project will allow us to get to Las Colinas on time,” DART board chair Randall Chrisman said. “We’ve already purchased the rails and 23 rail cars (for the Orange Line) and have the design builds out for bids.”

By MC - LasColinasOnline.com

After lots of talks, video renderings and news lines finally there is real news.  The city of Irving and its contractor Austin Industries - Austin Commercial has broke ground on Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas.  For detailed information as well as a great video rendering of this project visit  Irving Convention Center website. This leaves us wondering what happened to the rest of the Las Colinas Live project. We've all seen plans, brochures, photo and the great video rendering built by Telemundo with "Las Colinas Live". These two renderings collide since the Convention Center is now the only thing mentioned and the lascolinaslive.net website is no longer available. Perhaps in coming months things will become clearer.  One thing is for certain, the Convention Center is an important business driver for the Las Colinas area of Irving and if other second priority entertainment venues will be developed in the area around this project, then so be it!

Multi-concept operator, Front Burner Restaurants LP, takes on a new concept by opening the first Cadillac Ranch by mid-November. Cadillac Ranch was conceived by Randy DeWitt, former owner of Rockfish, and Jack Gibbons, formerly of Pappadeaux, to provide a Texas Hill Country atmosphere and cuisine.

Called Cadillac Ranch will replace the space previously occupied by Bahama Breeze.

The dual personality concept is both an upscale casual Texas themed restaurant and a live music porch, reminiscent of a Texas Hill Country beer garden. With a seating capacity of 385 and live music from Texas performers every night on The Porch, Cadillac Ranch will be a prime venue to hold special events, business meetings and holiday gatherings from 2 to 400 people. Cadillac Ranch is currently taking reservations for the holiday season. Reservations can be made by calling (972) 506-7262.

Cadillac Ranch is dedicated to working with local Texas farmers and ranchers to ensure patrons receive the highest quality and most unique products. Texas Kobe beef, locally raised poultry and fresh Gulf seafood exhibits regional style and spices that fuse Southwestern, Creole and Mexican influences. Signature dishes are the Texas Kobe Beef Flat Iron Steak and Slow Smoked Ribs with Dublin Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce.

Even their signature Cadillac Margarita is delectably different. Instead of sugar, they use fresh squeezed juices and add Agave nectar as a sweetener, which makes the margarita refreshing and all natural. Not in the mood for a margarita? Try one of their local Texas microbrews on tap or the extensive selection of wines from around Texas.

Cadillac Ranch is located in the Las Colinas Village at 857 W. John Carpenter Freeway, on the corner of Hwy 114 and MacArthur Blvd. Hours of operation are as follows: Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to Midnight; Saturday 5 p.m. to Midnight; Closed Sunday.

October 2, 2008  By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
stevebrown@dallasnews.com

Medical industry software firm Healthvision has leased office space in Las Colinas’ Urban Center for its global headquarters.

Westmount Realty Capital said Thursday that Healthvision has taken 24,000 square feet of office space in its Riverside Commons complex on State Highway 114.
Westmount Realty
Westmount Realty
Riverside Commons in Las Colinas.
View larger More photos Photo store

The software firm will occupy more than a floor of office space spread in two buildings.

“The Healthvision lease increases Riverside Commons’ occupancy rate to 90 percent,” Steve Kanoff, Westmount executive vice president and partner said in the announcement.

Last year, Research in Motion Ltd. moved its U.S. headquarters to the same complex. And the company expanded its offices again in July.

Healthvision has previously been located at 6330 Commerce Drive in Irving near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Real estate brokers Rodney Helm of CAPSTAR Commercial Real Estate and Steve Wentz of Cushman & Wakefield negotiated the new Healthvision lease.

October 2, 2008  By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com

Hewlett-Packard announced Thursday that it would assume naming rights to the Byron Nelson Championship from EDS.

The move was expected since California-based HP bought Plano-based EDS on Aug. 26, not long after EDS extended its sponsorship of the Nelson through 2014. The 2009 HP Byron Nelson Championship will be played on May 21-24 at the TPC Four Seasons at Las Colinas.

“The Byron Nelson Championship is about much more than golf; it is about giving back to the community and honoring the legacy of one of golf’s greatest humanitarians, Byron Nelson,” said Michael Mendenhall, senior VP and chief marketing officer for HP. “HP is privileged to become the title sponsor of this great event.”

The change will not affect the Salesmanship Club of Dallas’ operation of the tournament, which has raised more than $107 million for the organization’s Youth and Family Centers.

“We are enthusiastic about forging a new partnership with HP,” Salesmanship Club president Frank Swingle said. “HP will be invaluable to our success and will ensure that we continue to stage one of the most anticipated events in the Metroplex while leading the PGA Tour in money raised for charity.”

October 17, 2008 By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News
dfleck@dallasnews.com

Local and state officials broke ground Thursday afternoon on the $518 million Irving Diamond Interchange State Highway 114 and Loop 12 improvement project.

Just north of Texas Stadium, the multimodal project will streamline the area’s four highways – state highways 114 and 183, Loop 12 and Spur 482 – with the DART Orange Line, which is scheduled to reach Las Colinas in 2012.

“This project will allow us to get to Las Colinas on time,” DART board chair Randall Chrisman said. “We’ve already purchased the rails and 23 rail cars (for the Orange Line) and have the design builds out for bids.”

September 19, 2008 By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
stevebrown@dallasnews.com

A division of health care giant Humana Corp. is moving its head offices from Fort Worth to Irving’s Las Colinas complex.

LifeSynch – formerly Corphealth Inc., a behavioral health care management company – has leased 150,000 square feet in the Opus Corporate Center at Las Colinas on State Highway 114.

The two-building project was developed by Opus West Corp. and contains about 225,000 square feet.

“LifeSynch leased all of building one and a floor in building two,” said Ran Holman, Opus’ vice president of real estate development. “And they have expansion opportunities for two more floors.”

The lease is one of the largest office deals signed in Las Colinas this year and takes one of the biggest speculative office spaces out of the market.

“It’s certainly a tenants’ market, and we feel very fortunate to secure a tenant like Humana,” Mr. Holman said. “There was a lot of space out there for them to consider.”

Las Colinas has an office vacancy rate of about 22 percent.

A Humana spokeswoman wouldn’t say how many of the firm’s workers would be in the Opus complex. But Anna Hobbs in Humana corporate communications said all the employees now working in Fort Worth would be shifted to Irving.

Humana paid $54 million in late 2005 to purchase Corphealth.

Opus completed the Las Colinas office complex in July. It is southeast of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport near State Highways 114 and 161.

“Our location was significant in the decision-making process for Humana,” Mr. Holman said. ” It’s a location where they can draw from a lot of labor pools.”

Mr. Holman and Opus West director of development Geoff Meyer negotiated the lease with Stream Realty’s Ryan Collier and Rebecca Smith and Pat O’Keefe and Meredith Dockter of CB Richard Ellis.

Dallas Business Journal - by Randall Chrisman Contributing writer

(Marketwire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) LAS COLINAS, TX, September 3 / MARKET WIRE/ --

aloha! Reservation lines are now open for bookings at the aloft Las Colinas by visiting www.alofthotels.com or calling 1-877-GO-ALOFT.

aloft is shaking up the lodging industry with urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. aloft offers a total sensory experience, with rooms featuring loft-like, nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows to create a bright, airy environment.

Located at 122 E John Carpenter Freeway Irving, TX 75024, the aloft Las Colinas is a 68,234 square-foot structure with 136 guestrooms. It has many features, including a w xyz Bar(SM), an outdoor backyard with pool, and a 525 sq ft Tactic room. Property tours will be given after the ribbon cutting.

The aloft Las Colinas is managed by Dallas-based Aimbridge Hospitality, and is owned by a joint venture including Hillwood -- one of the top real estate developers in the country, Champ Hospitality, Aimbridge Hospitality, and JF Capital.

About aloft

Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, aloft is a new destination sensation featuring loft-inspired design, accessible technology and a stylish urban attitude. Starwood anticipates the first aloft hotels to open in early
2008, with 500 properties worldwide expected by 2012.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.? is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood? Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis?, The Luxury Collection?, Sheraton?,
Westin?, Four Points? by Sheraton, W?, Le M?ridien? and the recently announced aloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also own Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and
operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About Aimbridge Hospitality

Aimbridge Hospitality is a hotel real estate and management company created to identify investment opportunities throughout the United States. Aimbridge provides management, asset management, capital renovation, supervision, accounting and consulting services for its strategic partners. Aimbridge currently operates hotel properties in the Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Sheraton, Hyatt and Wyndham brands. Aimbridge also manages a number of independent hotels,
including the Phoenix Inn & Suites brand of hotels and has several projects under development in the Starwood, Marriott and Hilton enterprises. For more information on Aimbridge Hospitality, please visit the company's Web site at www.aimbridgehospitality.com.

About Hillwood

Hillwood, a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities
for close to 90 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. Hillwood is best known for its development of the 17,000-acre Alliance Texas project located 15 miles
northwest of DFW Airport, Alliance California in San Bernardino and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas. For more information on Hillwood, please visit the company's Web site at (www.hillwood.com).

About JF Capital

JF Capital Advisors, headquartered in New York City, is a hospitality investment and advisory firm. Prior to founding JF Capital Advisors, Jonathan Falik was a Vice President in the Real Estate Investment Banking
division of Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. Together with Joe Weinberger, the principals of JF Capital Advisors have completed over $10 billion of mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions in the hospitality sector. For more information on JF Capital Advisors, please visit the company's Web site at www.jfcap.com.

About Champ Hospitality

Champ Hospitality LP is a full service hospitality development company. Champ develops hotels domestically and internationally for its own portfolio as well as provides a broad range of consulting services for third parties, including: Feasibility analysis, site acquisition, project management, brand selection, management and franchise contracts, asset management and disposition strategies. For information call (214) 432-9559 or visit www.champhospitality.com.

Media Contacts:
Ryan Miyamoto
aloft Las Colinas
972-717-6100Email Contact
Angela Bliss
Starwood/Aloft hotels
(914) 640-8334Email Contact

Copyright  2008 Marketwire

^{A convenience grocery store and a small Mediterranean bistro, all in one excellent location in the Urban Center at 387 E. Las Colinas Boulevard, #106, Irving, Texas 75039.}

^{Their wraps and Greek salad are famous, never the less coffee and Baklava are delicious. You may enjoy a cappuccino on the cozy patio, while browsing the internet for free.}

^{Good coffee, good music, good food, what else do you need for a quick lunch away from your busy office or for a late weekend brunch?}

^{They do offer home delivery and catering too!}

^{www.granadamarket.com}