ROWLETT, Texas — Sapphire Bay, a new $1 billion master-planned mixed-use development project on the shore of Lake Ray Hubbard with a multiphase opening beginning in 2022, announced that Hyatt will operate the new Sapphire Bay Resort & Conference Center on behalf of a public-private partnership with the City of Rowlett. Set to be located on the Sapphire Bay Peninsula and expected to open in fall 2023, the resort will join Hyatt’s Destination Hotels brand and include more than 500 guestrooms, suites, and villas, each with waterfront views overlooking Lake Ray Hubbard and the seven-acre man-made Sapphire Bay Lagoon.
“We are very excited to see Destination Hotels by Hyatt join the Sapphire Bay team,” said Rowlett Mayor Tammy Dana-Bashian. “The resort and conference center are integral components of this development. With the Hyatt brand offering their distinctly well-known and upscale experience, we look forward to the Sapphire Bay Resort becoming a sought-after and unique national destination for business conferences and vacationers alike.”
Sapphire Bay Resort will have a full-service spa, fitness center, six pools, tropical gardens, and more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including two grand ballrooms, multiple-sized breakout boardrooms, pre-function areas, event lawns, and a special event island nestled along the eastern shore of the Sapphire Bay Lagoon.
“As the anchor for the rest of the Sapphire Bay project, the Sapphire Bay Resort will set the stage for this regional and national destination,” said Kent Donahue, development partner of Sapphire Bay Land Development, LLC. “The Hyatt brand connects us to a world-class team of hospitality experts who will deliver an extraordinary experience in this unique and memorable setting.”
The Sapphire Bay development is expected to draw more than six million visitors each year. The Fountains at Sapphire Bay will feature nightly performances of choreographed water effects and animated lighting designed by Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, which has produced award-winning entertainment spectacles for the Walt Disney Company. Additionally, resort guests will receive complimentary access to the Sapphire Bay Surf Village, an attraction with white sand beaches, resort-style pools, a lazy river, swim-up bars, and a 600-foot-long surf lagoon serving seven-foot barrels to advanced surfers and smaller waves to beginners.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the Destination Hotels brand to Texas and deliver a resort experience that embodies the unique nature of Sapphire Bay,” said Kimo Bertram, vice president, real estate and development, Hyatt. “With a vast range of activities and amenities, we hope to welcome guests of all ages to discover a life-enriching and unforgettable visit.”
“Sapphire Bay is going to significantly transform the landscape of North Texas,” said Marc S. English, president of Sapphire Bay Land Development, LLC. “We’re elated to have pre-development construction well underway on the resort and we are very thankful to have such great partners in both the City of Rowlett and Hyatt.”
The lead architect for the resort is 5G Studio Collaborative. Brian Bridgewater, P.E. with Manhard Consulting is the project’s civil engineer, and Lifescapes International will design the landscaping and tropical garden environments. DuWest Realty will handle project leasing. Cleartide Management Group is the operational design and programming consultant and management for the Sapphire Bay Surf Village. Construction of the resort will begin in fall 2021 and is anticipated to be complete for an exciting grand opening in the fall of 2023.
Sapphire Bay Resort will be located 35 minutes away from both DFW Airport and Love Field Airport and 17 miles east of downtown Dallas, near the intersection of Interstate Hwy 30 and the President George Bush Tollway. The 116-acre project sits atop the Sapphire Bay Peninsula serving as the gateway to the City of Rowlett and is surrounded by two miles of shoreline in the center of Lake Ray Hubbard.
