Weatherford will be the new home for a $15 million, 74,450-square-foot entertainment complex to be known as The Strand 8 Movie-Bowl-Grill, Dennis Clayton, executive director of the Weatherford Economic Development Authority, told the city’s Rotary Club last week.
The center will be built on an 8-acre lot at Interstate-20 and Texas 171 on what was once school district property. The owner is Bryan native Mark Shulman, who heads Weatherfood Entertainment Llc. He operates theaters in Palestine, Georgetown, Bastrop and Hudson Oaks.
And a smaller parcel is being developed to attract restaurants.
Clayton, who expects to break ground in early spring, had other good news to impart, telling the assembled Rotarians that the city’s sales tax revenues hit a $9.6 million record last year. The previous high was $8.8 million in 2008, he said.
Although the Census Bureau projected that Weatherford’s population would grow at a 4.5 percent pace, it’s actually a more modest 3.5 percent. “That is still very strong growth and it’s both maintainable and serviceable,” Clayton said.
And while residential construction permits were slightly up over the prior year, the average home value fell from $222,479 to $198,122, he added.
— Lance Winter
Fort Worth Star-Telegram