With our hard hats, goggles and fluorescent green safety vests on, we made our way up to the fourth floor of the Omni Frisco Hotel, currently under construction. Slated to open next summer, the hotel will serve as a cornerstone of The Star development, which will be anchored by the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and the Ford Center. Jackhammers pounded in the background, country music blared through the speakers, and reporters set up their TV cameras, as we waited for the anticipated arrival of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Omni Hotels & Resorts commemorated the topping out of the Omni Frisco Hotel on Wednesday, July 27, a significant construction milestone for the 16-story high hotel. The topping out included the hoisting of a cypress tree—which symbolizes appreciation and good fortune—on the top floor of the hotel.
General Manager of the Omni Frisco Hotel, Jeff Smith, said, “As you can see, we’re making immense progress in a very short period of time. We’re proud to be working with the iconic Dallas Cowboys in the growing city of Frisco. The Omni Frisco Hotel will be a true reflection of partners. The rich legacy of the Dallas Cowboys, the dynamic luxury of Omni Hotels, and the progression of the city of Frisco will be seen throughout our hotel.”
The hotel will feature 300 guest rooms, 27 luxurious suites, and 24,000 square feet of meeting space, which will include a 13,000-square-foot ballroom. Meeting space will also be available at the Ford Center and event plaza. Situated on the fourth floor, will be a rooftop pool and deck, designed by Gensler, which will accommodate 300 to 400 guests. The deck will also feature three fire pits, cabanas and a pool bar grill. In addition, the hotel will have a luxury retail outlet featuring unique finds made by local designers, as well as artwork, including sketches of Cowboys Ring of Honor inductees.
Peter Strebel, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of sales for Omni Hotel & Resorts, told Plano Profile that they are also putting in one of Dallas’ best restaurants—Neighborhood Services.
Jerry Jones and his son Stephen, who is the chief operating officer and executive vice president for the Dallas Cowboys, made their way to the podium. “Wow! What a beautiful backdrop here with the Ford Center. This is going to be an amazing space with the pool deck,” said Stephen. “I want to thank the City of Frisco. These things don’t happen without great partners. Frisco has been a tremendous partner every step of the way.”
Jones, Sr. spoke next. “Standing here, as I look out to the south, I see the great project revolving around Toyota; I look to the north, and I see all the promise we’ve got up there, and I realize what a tremendous asset we can have in this new Omni facility.”
He continued, “As we speak, we have 20–25 young people on the phones inviting every club or group that you can think of to come visit The Star. When they ask them to come, they say, ‘Can we help you with your room reservation while you’re visiting?’ And that circle goes well beyond the immediate north Texas area; it goes, really, to a five-state area. When you build these buildings, they’re tools to [accommodate] the life blood—the great fans and consumers—that are going to be [coming.]”
He continued, “…I don’t see you sitting here in construction hats; I see what’s going to be going on around this swimming pool out here, this time of year,” he smiles and everyone laughs. “It’s got one of the greatest views and certainly it will have a lot of interest. We’re proud to be apart of this. Thank you, Omni, for having that kind of faith in us as partners. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Our partnership with the City of Frisco is something that will be the envy of every sports organization…. To create the kind of energy that would have someone like Omni come in and partner with us is an extension of the credibility that we have being associated with you.”
Frisco Mayor Maher Maso responded, “Jerry, I hope when you pictured everyone at the pool, you didn’t picture me in my shorts,” and everyone laughed.
“Well, my colleagues, we’re a great team and we’re now apart of the big team and it’s exciting. When we first started this project almost three years ago, Jerry mentioned, ‘The Cowboys are catching the Frisco virus.’”
He continued, “Many people see the Cowboys organization from the outside looking in, and I’ve had the opportunity to see the Cowboys from the inside looking out—what an organization! I really mean that. What a great privilege for the City of Frisco to be associated with the best organization in the world—the Dallas Cowboys.”
And with that, the topping out commenced. “One…Two…Three…” Everyone counted and a large crane hoisted a cypress tree to the top of the Omni Frisco Hotel.
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