RE CU SI ST DE OMER NT IA L page 2 page 5 page 6 PE U. Plan to attend an event or performance at the Irving The overview of the City of Irving budget highlights Irving Museum and Archives plans for the former IR PR RM PA S. ECRW VI SR POST IT Arts Center. Start off the holiday season with the the property tax rate, revenues and expenditures for Central Library Building. Irving’s history to be NG T NO ID ST SS , AG TX . annual open house, music and a MOOSICAL. fiscal year 2017-18. preserved and displayed. D 88 E AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF IRVING 3 IRVING CITCITYYOFIRVING.ORG NOVEMBER 2017 / VOL 24 / NO 11 CityofIrving.org A N OFFI C I AL P U BLI C A TION OF T H E CITY O F IR VING CITY HOLIDAY/NO TRASH COLLECTION In observance of Thanksgiving, libraries will close at 5 p.m. Nov. 22, recreation centers will close at 6 p.m. Nov. 22, Irving Arts Center will be closed Nov. 23 and only administrative offices closed Nov. 24. There will be no residential Hotel Rendering Aerial View of Construction trash, curbside recycling or brush collection Nov. 23-24. In addition, the following facilities Construction on Westin-Irving will be closed: ● City Hall ● Heritage Senior Center Convention Center Hotel at Las ● Heritage and North Lake aquatic centers ● Hunter Ferrell Landfill Colinas Moves on Up ● Libraries ● Recreation centers It was just eight months ago when the first tractors public/private partnership, with meticulous attention turned the dirt on the site for the Westin-Irving to every detail,” said Irving City Manager Chris Hillman. The Irving Arts Center box office and galleries Convention Center hotel, and it has been onward and “This hotel will be truly exceptional and representative of will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 24 and literally upward ever since. the passion, diligence, hard work and success that exists will resume normal business hours Nov. 25. in Irving.” North Lake Natatorium will remain closed Crews have completed the floors for the first two levels Nov. 25-26. Libraries, as well as recreation of the hotel, and they hope to have levels three, four and Neighboring the hotel is the Toyota Music Factory, centers, will resume normal business hours on five done by month’s end. While work moves along on which hosted its first show in September. The mixed-use Nov. 25, while all other offices and services will the 12-story structure, crews are preparing to pour the district features an all-in-one dining and entertainment resume normal business hours Nov. 27. n foundation for what will be an 840-space parking garage destination. By spring 2018, the 250,000-square-foot that will sit adjacent to the hotel. complex will feature more than 20 restaurant options, a movie theater, and retail and office space, all anchored by “This hotel is the final component in rounding out The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, a state-of-the-art Irving’s ‘live, work, play’ lifestyle. This is a special and 8,000-seat indoor-outdoor amphitheater, operated by very exciting time for the City of Irving. We were already Live Nation. a major player in the metroplex, but this addition will definitely take us to the next level,” said Irving Mayor On the hotel construction site, crews are preparing for Rick Stopfer. the arrival of load-bearing support beams and columns being fabricated off-site, to be installed in the parking The new property will serve a much-needed purpose for garage. Also being installed is the structural steel for the the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas (ICC), which single-story portion, connected to the main tower. Crews opened in 2011. The addition of the hotel helps leverage estimate having 50 percent of this section done by the the ICC in attracting higher profile events, with greater end of November. economic impact for the community. Currently, the CITY OF IRVING SAVES building is averaging 305 events per year. Once the last tile is laid, the upscale hotel will fly the TAXPAYERS $54.4 Westin flag and will boast 350 guest rooms and 16,000 MILLION “We knew a headquarters hotel was necessary to Irving’s square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square- continued development and the convention center’s foot ballroom. Construction is expected to be completed In a continual quest to streamline finances, the success. We took our time to ensure we created a model by early 2019. n City of Irving worked a plan that resulted in tremendous taxpayer savings. In 2009, the city was planning construction on its 275,000-square-foot Irving Convention Holiday Extravaganza: Bringing Residents a Center at Las Colinas. To fund the $133 million project, the City of Irving issued its 2009 Traveling Cinematic Experience Combination Tax and Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenue Certificates of Obligation Bonds The magic of the holiday season is almost here, and that Series. In September, the city refunded that brings the city’s annual holiday activities. This year, the series with a new 2017 series. Irving Holiday Extravaganza parade and tree lighting ceremony will showcase the theme “Christmas Movies and The purpose of the refunding was to leverage Soundtracks.” The festive event is free and will be held lower interest rates to generate $23.1 million in from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Irving Heritage District. present value savings (18.4%) or $54.4 million in gross debt service savings. The parade is Irving’s commencement for the holiday season, and it will feature floats inspired by participants’ Rating agencies Moody’s Investors Service and favorite Christmas movies or songs, both classic and Standard & Poor’s consistently have assigned modern. At the parade’s conclusion, Santa Claus will make Irving Aaa and AAA credit ratings over the his debut and kick-off the city’s holiday season. popular Christmas songs. The stage also will feature years, which was a contributing factor to dance performances from Dana’s Dance Academy and obtaining such significant savings. Irving is Parade participation is free, and residents and businesses Forcher’s Dance Center. The evening’s entertainment will one of seven cities in Texas to be assigned top interested in participating are encouraged to submit their include classic Christmas movie scenes to accompany the ratings from both agencies. applications online by Nov. 25 at IrvingEvents.org. Parade musicians and dancers. float competition winners will receive a pair of movie The city has pledged two-sevenths of its Hotel tickets in addition to a trophy. Float participants will be Parking and admission are free. During performances, Occupancy Tax toward the 2017 bonds. The judged in six categories: best of show, overall theme, free burgers from In-N-Out Burger and complimentary Hotel Occupancy Tax is a percentage paid on music, marching, noncommercial and commercial float. hot chocolate will be available, while supplies last. The each short-term hotel stay in Irving. In addition cheerful, family fun evening will conclude with the lighting to the 2017 bonds, the city plans to pay for a New this year, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., a Holiday Open House of the 30-foot-Christmas tree on the lawn of City Hall. A portion of the 2017A Bonds from the Hotel will be hosted in City Hall. City of Irving employees will 10-minute fireworks display will follow. Occupancy Tax. The 2017A Bonds were issued in provide holiday treats and festive booths featuring March and are being used to construct the new information about city services. The MacArthur High For more information, visit IrvingEvents.org or call convention center parking garage. n School Jazz Band will perform on stage at the tree lighting (972) 721-2501. The event is sponsored by Resource One ceremony. The jazz band will play soulful renditions of Credit Union. n IRVING CITY A N OFFI C I AL P U BLI C A TION OF T H E CITY O F IR VING In the Galleries Free guided gallery tours are offered at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. 6th Annual Juried International Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art Through Nov. 12 | Main Gallery | Free Presented by the Islamic Art Revival Series The Dallas String Quartet/Electric performs Entertainment Series of Irving brings in partnership with Irving Arts Center, the with the Irving Symphony Orchestra Nov. 11. Allan Conner to Irving Nov. 17. 6th Annual Juried International Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art is a program of Divine November: Concerts and the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation. This prestigious international exhibition of artwork aims to present Islamic art as a universal Comedy Featured at Arts Center language, a translator and connector of generations and cultures. This year’s exhibition Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., is a Smithsonian affiliate comprises 67 works of art from 47 artists, hailing from such countries as Canada, Egypt, Germany, institution that is home to many forms of art and entertainment. To learn Iran and the United States. more, visit IrvingArtsCenter.com or call (972) 252-7558. 18th century Germany to modern day upstate New York. Special Events and Performances The Lone Star Youth Orchestra explores the works of Nov. 3-18 | Sister Act, MainStage composers from across Europe before journeying back 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. | Dupree Theater | $24-$31 home for some American compositions. When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she’s thrown into protective custody in the one place Nov.