If you've spent any amount of time at Bicentennial Park over the past 15 months, you've seen the cranes, tractors and construction hat-clad workers bustling about. And you’ve no doubt noticed the spectacular structures that have been going up as a result of all the activity. Together,brthese buildings encompass what has been called “a modernbrmarvel in the making.” You could call it that, or you can callbrit by its official name: The Marq. It’s Southlake’s very ownbrcommunity center, and it’s now open for residents tobrcome enjoy.
The Marq is the area's newest destination for just aboutbreverything: weddings, concerts, business meetings, birthday parties and more. And that's just Phase 1. Because ofbrthe sheer magnitude of the project, it's being constructed inbrtwo phases.br
Phase 1, named Legends Hall, opened last month andbrboasts 23,000 square feet of space that includes a ballroom,brmultipurpose conference and meeting spaces, a club lounge,brsenior activity center, catering kitchen and an outdoorbramphitheater and events space.br
All meeting spaces are equipped with audiovisualbrsupport and offer a variety of room configurations. Plus, eachbrroom is equipped with big-screen TVs that can be used forbrshowing presentations, slideshows and movies. So whateverbrevent or gathering you have in mind, The Marq can easilybraccommodate.br
Construction on Phase 2, called Champions Club, is slatedbrto begin this fall with an estimated open date in early 2018.brCurrently under design, it will be approximately 84,000brsquare feet with spaces for fitness, performance training, a gym, indoor jog/walk track, indoor aquatics, indoor playground, party rooms, child watch and multipurpose classrooms for programs.
'The second phase of the facility will encompass all of your traditional recreation components with a few uniquebrenhancements,” says Danielle Nelson, Sales Specialist withbrThe Marq. “When all is said and done, The Marq will bebra special place for the Southlake community to comebrtogether and spend time with one another. There isbrsomething for everyone of all ages here.”
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The Marq is a community center not just in Southlake,brbut for Southlake. “What makes The Marq unique isbrthat it was specifically designed to meet the needs ofbrthe Southlake community,” says Nelson. “It is unlike anybrother facility.”br
MAKING THE MARQ
Residents asked for it, and the city delivered. A community recreation center has been in the City of Southlake'sbrParks Master Plan since 1996. But it wasn't until more than abrdecade later that the project took top priority after itbrfrequently appeared in citizen surveys.br
“In 2010, Southlake hosted a series of public meetingsbrto determine what components residents wanted to see inbra multipurpose community center,” explains Nelson. “Frombrthat feedback, the City Council narrowed the scope ofbrthe project to a Community Recreation Center that wouldbrencompass event and meeting spaces, an outdoor amphitheater, a new senior activity center and a state-of-the-artbrrecreation center.”
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In August 2013, plans for a community center officially gotbrunderway. City Council approved $1.72 million to designbrPhase 1, and the site plan was approved in June 2014. A ground-brbreaking ceremony was held in September 2014, with CitybrCouncil declaring an official name for the facility a month later.br
Emotions run high for Mayor Laura Hill just thinking aboutbreverything that went into The Marq – and continues to go intobrit. “There is a deep sense of pride that is hard to put into words,”brshe says. “I remember attending my first meeting about a recreation center in early 2000 as an interested resident. If youbrhad told me then that the day it opened I would be the mayor,brI could have never imagined it.”br
What makes it even sweeter is that this $15 million facility is completely paid for, funded by a half-cent sales tax.brThe expected revenue is just over $470,000, and Phase 1 isbrexpected to create 20 jobs, according to Vicky Schiber,brCommunications and Marketing Manager, Community ServicesbrDepartment, for the City of Southlake.br
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
The beauty of The Marq is that it's here to be what thebrcommunity wants and needs it to be, whether residents arebrseeking a unique venue for a business function or a place tobrrelax with neighbors and friends. The venue is open to all,brand if you want to reserve a room for a meeting, party orbrevent (rental fees vary), there's a 20-percent discount for anybrresident, business or nonprofit in Southlake.br
Even before The Marq's grand opening, Nelson hadbr35 events already on the books including weddings, abrquinceañera, a bar mitzvah, school fundraisers, communitybrluncheons, corporate seminars and a sports banquet.
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These don't include the many upcoming city-sponsored eventsbrsuch as the Valentine's Day Sweetheart Dance, Monster Mash andbrBreakfast with Santa, all which will be held in Legends Hall this year.br
Community members who have eagerly awaited The Marq'sbrarrival have already embraced their new community center. “It'sbrbeen wonderful to experience the true excitement the residents ofbrSouthlake have for The Marq,” Nelson says.br
We're getting in on all the excitement, too. We're hosting our “BestbrOf” party at The Marq later this month, making Southlake Style thebrfirst to hold a non-city event. The timing of the venue's grand open-bring couldn't have been better for our annual event celebrating greatbrpeople and milestones from the past year. The Marq is certainly a tes-brtament to greatness.br
“I want to thank our former mayors, councilmembers and Boardbrand Commission members who volunteered thousands of hoursbron this project. They have truly left their ‘Marq' on Southlake,” saysbrMayor Hill. “The honor of opening The Marq with City Manager ShanabrYelverton and our incredible city staff is one of the high points of mybrtime as mayor. Every resident is going to be in awe. This is the firstbrstep on the path to many wonderful community memories.”br
If you haven't stopped by to see what the facility is all about, ThebrMarq offers guided tours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.brand Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.br
“It's so much fun to be able to show the actual beautiful spaces within Legends Hall instead of renderings and floor plans,”brNelson says. “Legends Hall can host events as small as a two-personbrmeeting to an event as large as a 300-person wedding. It's a verybrversatile event venue.”br
A LOOK INSIDE
The Marq is all about offering something for everyone in the community, including seniors. Now housed inside The Marq, Southlake'sbrSenior Activity Center offers a variety of events and programmingbrfor adults 55 and older. Whether seniors want a place to gather withbrfriends to exercise, relax with a good book, or even bake some home-brmade treats, the space is a go-to destination. It features a large lounge area, a kitchen with café-style seating and a cozybralcove library with a fireplace.
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“Two of the most anticipated spaces at the newbrcenter include the Wellness Room and Parlor,”brNelson says. “The Wellness Room is a dedicatedbrfitness space with treadmills, elliptical machinesbrand strength-training equipment. The Parlor is abrgame room that features two pool tables, a pok-brer table and lounge-style seating in front of big-brscreen TVs.”br
The space is also open for various city-brsponsored community events and classes. “ThebrCity will be working with various organizationsbrsuch as the Community Band, Apex Arts Leaguebrand Arts Council Northeast to host art-relatedbrprograms and performances,” Nelson says.br
If you're looking for a spot to host a corporatebrhappy hour or unique birthday party, check out thebrClub Lounge. This space, which accommodates upbrto 50 guests, has a built-in bar, wall-mounted TVs,bra faux-tin ceiling and opens onto the Terrace for abrprivate indoor/outdoor venue.br
And then there's the majestic Traditions Ball-brroom, a 5,000-square-foot space that's ideal forbrnearly any event, from weddings to charity galasbrand corporate events. It can accommodate up tobr300 seated guests, and for a more intimate gath-brering, the ballroom can be divided into three sepa-brrate rooms.br
“It is equipped with direct access to the catering kitchen, a built-in dance floor with stage, hasbra state-of-the-art audiovisual system and opensbronto the Terrace overlooking the promenade andbrAria,” explains Nelson.br
Aria is The Marq's outdoor amphitheater. Withbrthe ability to accommodate more than 1,000 guests, the space is perfect for outdoor events ranging from concertsbrand performances to a magical wedding beneath the stars.
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A VENUE TO LOVE
For those planning a wedding, The Marq is a gem – and it's easybrto see why. It's set in an award-winning park and features dramaticbrarchitecture, meticulous landscaping, and even fire and waterbrelements. Combine all this with the option of an indoor or outdoorbrceremony, and The Marq is a beautiful spot to say “I do.”br
“The versatility of The Marq is what makes it stand out as abrpremiere wedding destination,” Nelson says.br
Not only can the venue accommodate all sizes and styles of weddings, but it offers unique options as well. For example, if a bride andbrgroom want to put a creative twist on catering or late-night snacks,brthere are parking spots on the promenade for food trucks.br
The Marq also has an open vendor policy, allowing couples tobrchoose their own caterer and provide their own alcohol when rentingbrthe facility. “There are of course rules associated with this,” Nelsonbrsays, “but it helps our guests with their budget and it allows them tobrtruly personalize their events.”br
Last August, the venue geared up for its grand opening bybrgiving away a free dream wedding. The giveaway, called “Married atbrthe Marq,” invited couples everywhere to enter for a chance to win abrceremony and reception at The Marq for up to 180 guests, as well asbra plethora of services and surprises sponsored by local businesses.br
The winning bride, Lindsey, is a Carroll grad who's marrying herbrfiancée, Kyle, in April. “I feel so lucky and am excited to spend our bigbrday in Southlake where I grew up,” she says. “It means a lot to me.”br
From brides making wedding wishes to neighbors gatheringbrtogether, The Marq is a dream realized for an entire community. A citybrthat prides itself on its community focus and hometown feel needsbra central spot to come together. Now it has one.br
“The Marq will take your breath away,” says Mayor Hill. “It's the icingbron the cake for our great city.”br
When you consider all that the venue is bringing to the community,brwe have one more reason to be proud to call Southlake home.
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