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WELCOME TO, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND WE LOVE OUR NEXT GUEST.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING FABULOUS.
AND I'M SO EXCITED THAT WE GET TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN.
SOMETHING WE LOVE TO DO IS GO TO FARMER'S MARKET.
AND UM, I KNOW SPRINGTIME BRINGS LOTS OF FUN THINGS, BUT GOING TO FARMER'S MARKET IS EXTRA SPECIAL.
WE'RE WORKING ON OUR 14TH YEAR, 15TH YEAR OF THE FARMER'S MARKET IN DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE OPENING UP ON SATURDAY, APRIL THE FOURTH, APRIL 4TH.
NOW SATURDAY IF I WANNA COME, OF COURSE I'M GONNA BE THERE, BUT
WE'RE OPEN FROM, FROM THE FIRST SATURDAY IN APRIL THROUGH THE SATURDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS OUR BIG GRAND OPENING FOR THE YEAR, UH, THAT FIRST DAY.
WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON, UH, HIGHLIGHTED BY OUR MAYOR HAVING A 5K WALK.
UH, SO IT'S PART OF THE GET FIT GP GROUP, SO WE'LL HAVE THAT HIM OUT THERE.
UH, SEVERAL VENDORS ALONG WITH THAT, HEALTH, HEALTH FOCUSED VENDORS ON THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR NORMAL FARMER'S MARKET VENDORS ON THAT SATURDAY.
AND FOR THAT FIRST SATURDAY, WE HAVE 70 PLUS VENDORS SIGNED UP.
70 PLUS WE CAN SHOP FOR EVERYTHING FROM, UH, WHAT VEGGIES? YEP.
FRESH PRODUCE, UH, HOMEMADE BAKED GOODS, UH, HOMEMADE SOAPS AND CANDLES.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT, YOU, YOU CAN FIND IT AT THE GRAND PRAIRIE FARMER'S MARKET.
WE'RE OPEN FROM 8:00 AM UNTIL 1:00 PM THAT SATURDAY AND EVERY SATURDAY FROM THEN ON UNTIL THE SATURDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE JUST LIKE TO COME ON THE GRAND OPENING TO GET TO SEE THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR WILL BE THERE, AND I'M SURE HOPEFULLY YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL.
MANY OF OUR COUNCIL ATTENDS THAT EVENT EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S A FUN TIME.
UH, I THINK THEY HAVE UPWARDS OF 200 PEOPLE THAT JOIN IN ON THE 5K, UH, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NICE LITTLE ROUTE AROUND DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE, SO YOU'LL GET TO KIND OF TOUR DOWNTOWN WHILE YOU'RE DOWN HERE.
UH, BUT THE FARMER'S MARKET VENDORS WILL BE THERE STARTING AGAIN AT 8:00 AM UM, THAT'S ALSO WHEN THE HEALTH FAIR OPENS UP.
AND THEN THE WALK AND THE RUN STARTS AT 9:00 AM NOW CHIP AFTER YOU HAVE YOUR GRAND OPENING, YOU HAVE SEVERAL SPECIALTY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AS WELL, DON'T YOU? THAT'S CORRECT, YES, MA'AM.
WE DO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT, COMING UP IN MAY WILL BE THE CINCO DE MAYO EVENT.
UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PARADE THAT GOES STRAIGHT DOWN MAIN STREET RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FARMER'S MARKET.
NOT ONLY WILL THE FARMER'S MARKET BE OPEN THAT DAY, BUT THERE'S ALSO A MARKET SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CINCO DE MAYO GROUP, UH, AND A STAGE WHERE YOU'LL HAVE LOCAL, UH, U USUALLY YOUTH PERFORMERS UP ON THE STAGE, BALLET FOLK LOCA.
UH, MARIACHIS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, GOING FURTHER INTO THE SUMMER, UH, WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THE 4TH OF JULY.
THAT WON'T BE IN DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR.
FOR THE, FOR THIS, UH, THE COUNTRY.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LARGE THING OUT AT EPIC CENTRAL FOR THAT.
UM, THEN, UH, GOING ON BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE PICKLE FEST THAT COMES UP IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD YEAR FOR THAT.
UH, THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD IT, WE HAD OVER 5,000 PEOPLE COME.
UH, AND THEN YOU GET INTO, UM, THE FALL AND WE'VE GOT FIESTA PATS AND DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, AND THEN WE HAVE MAIN STREET FEST.
SO THERE'S THINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE.
UH, CHIP, THERE ARE VARIOUS PLACES TO PARK WHEN WE COME TO THE GRAND OPENING.
IS THERE A SPECIAL PARKING AREA? PLENTY OF PARKING ALL AROUND DOWNTOWN, OF COURSE.
UH, MAIN, MAIN PARKING LOT FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET IS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE FARMER'S MARKET.
THAT'S ACROSS FROM, UH, FIRST METHODIST CHURCH OFF OF CENTER STREET, UH, BUT ALSO THE CITY HALL PARKING LOT IS A GREAT PLACE TO PARK FOR FARMER'S MARKET.
THERE'S 300 PLUS PARKING SPOTS THERE, SO PLENTY OF ROOM FOR EVERYBODY.
DOLORES WETA STREET WILL BE CLOSED DOWN FOR THE WALK AND RUN.
SO IF YOU PARK AT THE CITY HALL PARKING LOT, YOU CAN CROSS THE STREET WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT TRAFFIC.
AND THEN OF COURSE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAIN STREET, BEHIND THE BUSINESSES, UH, BETWEEN DOLORES HUERTA AND CENTER STREET, THERE'S PARKING THERE AND THEN FURTHER TO THE WEST.
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ALL OF IT WITHIN ABOUT A BLOCK OR TWO OF THE FARMER'S MARKET.UH, CHIP, JUST THINKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE FARMER'S MARKET BEING THERE FOR, DID YOU SAY 14, ALMOST 15 YEARS NOW? 15.
UM, WHO, DO YOU HAVE SOME VENDORS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THAT WHOLE TIME? WE DO.
UH, OUR, OUR, OUR MAIN PRODUCE VENDOR HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE WE OPENED, UH, AND THEN WE'VE GOT PROBABLY SIX OR EIGHT OTHER VENDORS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THAT WHOLE TIME.
AND MANY OF OUR VENDORS, IF THEY'VE NOT BEEN THERE FOR THE FULL RUN, HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR 10 PLUS YEARS.
SO YOU COULD COME OUT AND FIND YOUR OLD FAVORITES, BUT ALSO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE THAT SIGN UP TO BE VENDORS AND SO IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT'S NEW AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND THEY CAN DECIDE WHAT THEIR FAVORITE PLACE IS TO VISIT.
OUR MARKET MANAGER, RAY COZY, WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR 11 YEARS NOW, RUNNING THE FARMER'S MARKET, HE LIKES TO SAY, I JUST WANT YOU TO FIND ONE THING THAT YOU JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH EACH TIME YOU COME TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND IT MAY NOT BE THE SAME THING EACH WEEK.
AND, UM, WE LOVE BEING ABLE TO COME TO THE FARMER'S MARKET AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR VIEWERS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND WE ARE EXCITED AGAIN, APRIL THE FOURTH 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM FARMER'S MARKET, 9:00 AM MAYOR'S WALK.
AND WE'LL BE THERE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THANKSGIVING.
AND I'M GLAD YOU REMINDED US THAT ON THE MAYOR'S WALK, WE CAN, UH, RUN, WE CAN WALK AND WE CAN EVEN TAKE A SHORTCUT.
THANK YOU CHIP FOR BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN.
THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE OFFERS ALERT GP, A HIGH SPEED COMMUNICATION SERVICE FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS.
RECEIVE ALERTS FROM THE GRAND PRAIRIE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM BY GOING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND FOLLOWING THE SIGNUP INSTRUCTIONS ALERT, GP CAN NOTIFY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A SHORT TIME.
IT TARGETS THE ENTIRE CITY OR SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE CRITICAL COMMUNITY ALERTS ARE NECESSARY.
IF WE CAN'T REACH YOU, WE CAN'T ALERT YOU.
VISIT GPTX.ORG/ALERT GP AND SIGN UP TODAY.
WELCOME BACK, AND WE WELCOME OUR NEXT GUEST, MR. RODNEY NELSON FROM LONE STAR PARK.
WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME ONCE AGAIN ON THE SHOW.
AND WE'RE SO EXCITED BECAUSE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO REALLY EXPLODE AT LONE STAR PARK.
APRIL IS THE TIME OF YEAR THAT WE KICK OFF OUR THOROUGHBRED SEASON.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT ALL YEAR.
HAVE A TON OF OF EVENTS PLANNED AT THE RACETRACK THIS YEAR.
IT'S GONNA BE A FUN THOROUGHBRED SEASON.
NOW WHEN IS YOUR OPENING DAY? SO OUR OPENING DAY FOR THE 2026 THOROUGHBRED SEASON IS GONNA BE ON THURSDAY, APRIL THE 16TH THIS YEAR.
THAT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
SO WE HAVE A, A GREAT MONTH OF APRIL PLANNED THE 16TH.
WHEN WE OPEN THURSDAY NIGHT, UM, THE FIRST 1200 GUESTS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE GATES, YOU'RE GONNA GET A FREE LONE STAR PARK T-SHIRT.
SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON THIS YEAR.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST THAT'LL BE OUT THERE PERFORMING DURING THE RACES, UM, LATER ON THAT WEEKEND.
THE EIGHTEENTHS ARE ONE OF OUR FAVORITE DAYS OF THE YEAR, DOLLAR DAY.
IT'S ONLY A DOLLAR TO GET INTO THE RACETRACK.
PLUS WE HAVE DOLLAR HOT DOGS, SOFT DRINKS, UM, PROGRAMS AND BEER.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS A, A VERY CROWD PLEASING DAY OUT AT THE RACETRACK.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND, UH, WE'RE RACING NOT ONLY HORSES, BUT CAMPBELL'S OSTRICHES AND ZEBRAS AS WELL ON THE 25TH AND 26TH OF APRIL.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT BRINGS A LARGE CROWDS OUT TO THE RACETRACK.
I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN TO SEE THAT.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE THAT.
AND I'VE HEARD SO MANY GOOD THINGS THAT IT'S SO MUCH FUN.
IT IS A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S ALL IN APRIL? ALL IN APRIL? YES.
NOW WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE SEASON? SO THE REST OF THE SEASON, WE GOT GREAT EVENTS PLANNED ALL THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
UM, FIREWORKS COMING UP TO CELEBRATE THE NATION'S 250TH, UM, BIRTHDAY.
WE HAVE GREAT FIREWORK SHOWS OUT AT THE RACETRACK JULY 3RD AND FOURTH THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW EVENT THAT WE'RE TRYING OUT IN JUNE.
UM, IT'S WAY BEYOND OR WAY BEYOND MY TIME, BUT APPARENTLY THE THING THESE DAYS IS YOU PUT ON SOME HEADPHONES, THERE'S A DJ SPINNING SOME RECORDS OR SOME MUSIC, AND YOU'RE BASICALLY AT A, AT A DISCO ON YOUR OWN.
SO THAT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE LATER ON THIS JUNE, UHHUH IN JUNE.
SO JUNE AND, BUT JULY NOW THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG DEAL WITH THE FIREWORKS BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES IN OUR CITY THAT DOES FIREWORKS.
ISN'T THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE LOVE HAVING EVERYONE FROM GRAND PRAIRIE OUT THERE, UM, TO SEE OUR FIREWORK SHOWS, 20 MINUTE FIREWORK SHOWS CHOREOGRAPHED TO MUSIC.
UM, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF SHOWS THROUGHOUT DFW AND NOT ONLY, I MEAN, I DO WORK
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AT THE RACETRACK, YES.BUT I CAN SAY THAT LONE STAR PARKS FIREWORK SHOWS ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN THE METROPLEX.
NOW, UM, THE DOLLAR DAYS, I WANNA GO BACK TO THAT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN TO OUR BEAUTIFUL LONE STAR PARK AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME OUT, WOULDN'T IT? THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S A GREAT DAY TO COME OUT.
IT'S, WE ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CHEAP DATE, COME SEE US ON APRIL THE 18TH.
YOU'RE ONLY GETTING IN FOR A DOLLAR.
UM, OUR GENERAL PARKING IS ALWAYS FREE.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE ON A BUDGET AND YOU LIKE DOLLAR HOTDOG, YOU'D LIKE TO DRINK A FEW BEERS, SOME SOFT DRINKS, UM, COME ON OUT AND SEE US.
WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 10 RACES THAT DAY, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A VERY FUN DAY TO BE OUT AT THE RACETRACK.
NOW RODNEY, FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE FACILITY, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? YOU HAVE A RESTAURANT THERE THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S OPEN ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? I MEAN, REGULAR HOURS.
YEAH, SO WE HAVE A, A, A COUPLE BUILDINGS ON OUR PROPERTY.
ONE OF THEM IS CALLED BARN BOOK.
BARN BOOK IS A SIMULCAST FACILITY.
YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND YOU CAN WATCH WAGER AND WIN ON HORSE RACES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
UH, WE TAKE RACES FROM AUSTRALIA, OCCASIONALLY, CANADA, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SOMETHING FROM JAPAN, WE'LL SNEAK IN THERE.
AND OUR LINEUP, IT'S OPEN 363 DAYS A YEAR.
KITCHEN IS OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
THERE IS SOME GREAT FOOD OVER THERE.
I JUST ATE OVER THERE YESTERDAY, UHHUH.
AND UM, I REALLY ENJOYED OVER THERE AT BAR AND BOOK.
IT'S, IT'S A NICE PLACE TO BE.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR GRANDSTAND NEXT TO IT THAT'S OPEN SEASONALLY WHEN WE HAVE OUR LIVE RACES.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME ACTION, UH, SOME WA SOME HORSES OR HAVE SOME GOOD FOOD, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE EVERYBODY OUT THERE.
NOW WITHIN THE, UH, FACILITY ITSELF, TELL US ABOUT THE OPTIONS FOR FOOD INSIDE.
RIGHT, SO OUR GRANDSTAND, UM, WE HAVE A FEW LEVELS OF OUR GRANDSTAND.
SO IT'S A SECOND LEVEL GRANDSTAND AND UH, ONE OF THE OLD GUYS I USED TO WORK WITH COMPARED IT TO A CRUISE SHIP, THE HIGHER YOU GO UP THE FANCIER IT GETS RIGHT.
SO WE START OFF ON THE GROUND FLOOR WITH GENERAL ADMISSION, UH, WHERE GENERALLY YOU CAN GET IN FOR $10 EVERY DAY EXCEPT ON DOLLAR DAY AND KENTUCKY DERBY DAYS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, BUT WE HAVE OUR TYPICAL CONCESSIONS DOWN THERE, HAMBURGERS, HOT DOGS, TACOS, ICE CREAM, UH, STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THEN ONCE YOU MOVE ON UP IN THE FACILITY, UM, YOU GET TO THE FOURTH FLOOR, THAT'S OUR SILK'S DINING ROOM.
IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST DINING ROOMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, YOUR PRICE TO GET UP THERE, IT'S ALL INCLUSIVE.
SO IT INCLUDES YOUR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, BUFFET, GRATUITY, YOUR SEAT, YOUR TICKET TO GET IN.
UM, SO THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE IS IN SILKS.
AND THEN YOU GO UP EVEN FURTHER AND YOU GET TO OUR SWEETS LEVELS.
WE GOT A, A TON OF SWEETS ON TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST VALUES THAT YOU CAN GET IN THE METROPLEX AS WELL.
UM, IT'S ABOUT $125 A PERSON, ALMOST DAYS INCLUDES BUFFET, OPEN BAR, GREAT SIGHT LINES TO THE RACETRACK PROGRAMS, PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF THAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED AND FOR A DAY AT THE RACES, YOU'LL GET IT IN ONE OF OUR SUITES PACKAGES.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE ROOMS THAT CAN BE, UH, RENTED AS WELL, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE GOT A COUPLE OF BIG EVENT ROOMS THEY CAN HOLD.
UM, I THINK THEY ALWAYS SAY ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 2000 PEOPLE, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU.
UM, SOMEWHERE AT THE FACILITY.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE HAVE THE HUGE PARKING LOT AS WELL OUT THERE THAT'S GONNA BE USED BY CRC DE SOLE THIS YEAR.
UM, STARTING ON APRIL 9TH, THEY HAVE THEIR 20TH TOURING SHOW.
ECHO IS GONNA COME OUT AND START FOR A MONTH, RUN OUT THERE IN OUR PARKING LOT.
SO THE BIG TOP SHOULD BE BEING RAISED, UM, ANY DAY NOW.
NOW, RODNEY, IF WE WANNA GO TO SOME OF THOSE SPECIAL EVENTS, WHERE WOULD WE LOOK, UM, LIKE ON A WEBSITE? THE BEST PLACE TO LOOK, IT'S PRETTY EASY.
IT SHOULD HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED ON RACE DAYS, POST TIME, TICKET INFORMATION, AND THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON OUT THE TRACK.
AND ALSO, I NEED TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE I APPRECIATE WHAT LONE STAR PARK DOES TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR NONPROFITS.
AND UM, THAT'S THE FOUNDATION, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
THE LONE STAR PARK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, IT'S OUR CHARITABLE WING OF LONE STAR PARK.
AND, UM, BASICALLY THE MISSION OF THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION IS TO DISTRIBUTE GRANTS TO OTHER CHARITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, UM, TO MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO EACH OF THESE GROUPS.
I I KNOW AT LEAST I'M ON THE BOARD OF AT LEAST TWO OF THEM, AND THAT THEY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND DONATIONS.
SO WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, REACHING OUT AND BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE THAT.
WE LOVE TO BE A BIG PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND HELP OUT, UM, ANY ORGANIZATION THAT WE CAN THAT'S GOING TO FURTHER, UM, THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND REMIND, REMIND OUR VIEWERS WHEN THE OPENING DAY IS APRIL 16TH.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16TH, WE KICK OFF THE THOROUGHBRED SEASON 6 35 IN THE EVENING.
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AND BUY THEIR TICKETS OR CAN THEY BUY THEM IN ADVANCE? YOU CAN DO BOTH.IF YOU'D LIKE TO BUY YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE, GO AHEAD AND DO SO.
OR YOU CAN WALK IN AND BUY IT THAT DAY.
AND THAT'S ALL ON THE WEBSITE.
AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE BUYING TICKETS ON SUNDAYS, EVERY SUNDAY THROUGHOUT A THOROUGHBRED SEASON, YOU CAN GET IN FREE WITH A PEPSI CAN BRING YOUR PEPSI CAN TO THE GATES.
WE'LL GIVE YOU FREE ADMISSION AND BUY YOU A FREE LARGE PEPSI TOO.
WHAT GREAT INFORMATION, RODNEY.
YOU'RE ALWAYS A DELIGHTFUL GUEST AND BRING US SUCH GOOD NEWS FROM LONE STAR PARK.
AND I'LL SEE YOU AT THE RACES.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON REMINDING YOU THAT IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.