* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
           
          [00:00:01]
WELCOME TO MY MAYOR'S MESSAGE FOR JANUARY, 2025 
          [Mayor's Message 0125]
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. 
          I'M MAYOR RON JENSEN. 
          THE HOLIDAYS HAVE COME AND GONE, MEANING IT'S TIME TO RECYCLE YOUR NATURAL CHRISTMAS TREES. 
          YOU CAN DROP OFF YOUR USED TREE ANY DAY, INCLUDING THE WEEKEND THROUGH JANUARY 9TH AT IKEA AND THE GRAND PRAIRIE LANDFILL. 
          YOU CAN ALSO LEAVE YOUR TREE CURBSIDE ON YOUR REGULAR GARBAGE DAY. 
          PLEASE REMEMBER TO REMOVE ALL ORNAMENTS STANDS AND PLASTIC BAGS. 
          ARTIFICIAL TREES, INCLUDING THOSE SPRAYED WITH FAKE SNOW ARE NOT ACCEPTED. 
          THE CITY RECYCLES THE TREES INTO A MULCH IN THE LANDFILL, PROVIDES FREE MULCH FOR ALL GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS. 
          FOR DROP OFF TIMES ARE MORE INFORMATION, GO TO GPTX.ORG AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE IN 2025, AND AREN'T WE ALL? THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE WANTS TO HELP YOU WITH THE 2025 GET FIT GP, MY HEALTH PASSPORT. 
          THE PASSPORT IS FREE AND WILL GIVE YOU DISCOUNTS AT LOCAL GYMS, DEALS ON MEALS AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS, AND MORE. 
          THE PASSPORTS ARE AVAILABLE NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH. 
          TO GET YOURS, DOWNLOAD PASSPORT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT GPTX.ORG/GET FIT GP. 
          DON'T MISS OUR ANNUAL PARADE AND CELEBRATION, HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 
          THIS YEAR. 
          IT WILL BE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 18TH, PROCEEDING THE MONDAY HOLIDAY. 
          AS ALWAYS, THE PARADE BEGINS AT CITY HALL, PROCEEDS WEST ON MAIN STREET, AND THEN TURNS DOWN MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD TO THE DAVID DANIELS ELEMENTARY ACADEMY FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL INCLUDE A FREE LUNCH. 
          FOLLOWING THE PARADE THIS YEAR MARKS THE 30TH YEAR THAT THE US HAS OBSERVED MLK HOLIDAY AS A NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE. 
          YOU'RE ALSO INVITED TO THREE AMAZING WEEKENDS PACKED WITH CULTURE, COMMUNITY, AND TRADITION AT ASIA TIMES SQUARE'S ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION. 
          IT STARTS ON THE THIRD WEEKEND OF JANUARY THROUGH THE FIRST WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY. 
          YOU CAN ENJOY DELICIOUS FOOD, UNIQUE ART VENDORS AND LIVE CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, WHICH WILL INCLUDE SENSATIONAL LION AND DRAGON DANCE PERFORMERS AND FIREWORKS TO RING IN THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE. 
          AND I'M ALSO EXCITED TO TELL YOU THAT EPIC CENTRAL SPECTACULAR IUV WATER SHOW IS NOW MORE IMMERSIVE AND INTERACTIVE THAN EVER BEFORE. 
          THAT'S THANKS TO A NEW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY LETS YOU CONTROL THE SHOW. 
          VISITORS AT EPIC CENTRAL CAN NOW ACTIVATE THE AI TECHNOLOGY BY SIMPLY WALKING BY OR NEAR THE FOUNTAIN, WHICH WILL RESPOND AND FOLLOW THEIR MOVEMENTS BY SHOOTING WATER JETS INTO THE AIR ARE CHANGING. 
          LIGHT COLORS ARE BOTH. 
          THE AMAZING NEW FEATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL THIS MONTH AND MORE EXCITING NEWS, TOP GOLF IS GETTING READY FOR TEE OFF AT EPIC CENTRAL WITH A GROUNDBREAKING THAT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE LATER THIS MONTH. 
          GRAND PRAIRIE'S. 
          NEW TOP GOLF WILL BE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF IKEA AND NORTH OF I 20 NEAR MAYFIELD ROAD. 
          IT'S EXPECTED TO HAVE 80 DRIVING RANGE BAYS AND ALL KINDS OF FOOD, DRINKS, AND ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS. 
          THE GRAND PRAIRIE LOCATION WILL BE THE COMPANY'S FIFTH IN NORTH TEXAS THAT PROMISES AS MANY AS 250 NEW JOBS WITH THEIR EXPECTED OPENING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. 
          AND ANOTHER PROJECT UP AND RUNNING IN 2025 IS THE RESULT OF OUR RECENT LAND EXPANSION THAT ADDED 1500 ACRES TO GRAND PRAIRIE SOUTHERN BORDER. 
          THAT LAND WILL BE PART OF THE PLANNED 5,000 ACRE GOODLAND COMMUNITY. 
          GOODLAND GRAND PRAIRIE IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A CITY WITHIN A CITY BRINGING OVER 15,000 NEW HOMES, AS WELL AS SCHOOLS, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENT VENUES, SPORTS COMPLEXES AND PARKS TO THE AREA. 
          GOODLAND PARKWAY IS SET TO OPEN IN DECEMBER, 2025 AND MARKS THE FIRST STEP IN AN IMPROVED REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BY LINKING GOODLAND TO GRAND PRAIRIE AT TOLLWAY 360 IN US HIGHWAY 2 87. 
          YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT@GPTX.ORG. 
          AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT DONATED AND WAS A PART OF OUR FIRST EVER WFAA SANTA'S HELPERS DRIVE THROUGH AT EPIC CENTRAL LAST MONTH. 
          YOUR GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT HELPED OVER 50,000 LOCAL KIDS WAKE UP TO GIFTS UNDER THE TREE AT CHRISTMAS, AND WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT OUR INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY AND ITS PARTNERS AND OUR GREAT GRAND PRAIRIE ISD. 
          SO ONCE AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE HERE AT CITY HALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL. 
          BE KIND. 
          STAY SAFE AND I'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.