Local Town Attracting Residents, Businesses

One North Texas suburb is rapidly gaining a reputation as an up-and-coming entertainment destination, with new restaurants and leisure activities popping up.

The Colony, which is situated off Sam Rayburn Tollway in Denton County, seems to be getting its share of the regional growth, attracting a flurry of new restaurants, unique activities, and event venues, reshaping the local landscape.

“Several years ago we decided that we wanted to have a destination location, to go out there and get something that people haven’t ever seen before and may not even understand until it gets here,” said Mayor Richard Boyer, CBS Texas reported.

The population of The Colony has been steadily ticking up over the last 20 years, taking in new residents and businesses looking to relocate to North Texas, a dynamic that has escaped Dallas proper — in large part due to the high crime, lousy public schools, and excessive business taxes, at least according to a poll conducted by The Dallas Express.

Three new establishments opened up recently in The Colony, not the least of which was Sixes Social Cricket — reportedly the country’s first closed-range social cricket venue. Cricket’s popularity has grown considerably in recent years in North Texas, with a major league stadium set to open in Grand Prairie on July 13.

To put the town’s growth into perspective, The Colony pulled in $3 million in sales tax and $11 million in property taxes. Last fiscal year, it brought in $11.8 million in sales tax and $38.8 million in property taxes, according to CBS Texas.

As commercial tax bases expanded, The Colony’s city council chipped away at residents’ property tax burdens and approved a homestead exemption, according to The Colony Courier-Leader.

Denton County had more than 1 million residents as of January 2023, marking a 3.2% increase year over year.

“Our major cities in southern Denton County — Carrollton, Dallas, Lewisville, Plano, and The Colony — continue to see additional residents,” said Denton County Precinct 2 Commissioner Kevin W. Falconer, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. “These five communities attracted 8,560 individuals, showing tremendous growth, which continues throughout Denton County and not just in one sector.”