Thursday, March 13, 2008

Duncanville’s wait for Blue Canyon restaurant “will be worth the wait”

By Brian Allen of Best Southwest Citizen

As the Duncanville City Council approved the 4B Board's annual report March 4, Councilwoman Deborah Hodge asked for an update on the Blue Canyon restaurant coming to town. Blue Canyon will receive $1.25 million in economic development incentives from the city in a limited partnership with restaurant ownership.

"I think they're going to have a hard time getting started here until they're comfortable with their new operation in Rockwall," City Manager Kent Cagle said. "They're not a big company like Pappadeaux that has a lot of restaurants and has the expansion and opening of new restaurants down pat. They're very particular and make sure the ones they do open have the same quality as their original. And I think you see a lot of restaurants get in trouble with that. Restaurants that start off good and expand quickly and then lose that uniqueness and quality that they once had."

Cagle said he understands the frustrations of people that want to see the restaurant open already but is sure it will be worth the wait.

"We've paid them no money and we've spent no money on this project," he said. "We're still working with them and helping them get their financing in order. In today's market it's a difficult thing to get anything financed but restaurants are always especially troublesome. But with the agreement that we have with them we know they're going to be able to get their project financed and get started. We're hoping it will happen and they'll get started sometime this year but we do not have a definite timeline."

Cagle said those who want to get a closer look at a Blue Canyon can go to Rockwall and check out that development.

"Be prepared, it's an expensive restaurant but a very good one," he said.

In contrast, Mayor David Green said when he visited Cedar Hill's new Dillard's, that company's executives said they were opening five new stores that week. Blue Canyon describes its cuisine as "creative American cooking," menu items including things like Peking duck stir fry as well as lobster and brie omelets

Pegasus News content partner - Best Southwest Citizen

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• Hospitality Industry > Restaurants and Bars
• Politics and Government > City Government > Duncanville

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