Sales are up in Lewisville, despite new smoking bans

by Heather M. Goodwin of Star Local News

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The new ordinance prohibits smoking within restaurants, bars, and bowling alleys.

LEWISVILLE — According to the first quarter report of restaurant revenue, sales were not negatively affected by the no-smoking ordinance in Lewisville.

"The new ordinance has been in place for nearly five months and has not slowed down our restaurant traffic in the slightest," said Mayor Pro Tem Leroy Vaughn during the 2013 state of the city address. "In fact, citywide restaurant receipts were up 4.25% year-over-year during the first quarter operating under the new ordinance."

The ordinance, which went into effect October 1, prohibits smoking within restaurants, bars, and bowling alleys. In addition to the increase in food service, mixed drink sales increased by 2.18%.

"We're not attributing the increase in revenue to the ordinance -- it could be because of the economy, the holidays, or other factors," said James Kunke, community relations and tourism director. "The real point is that sales didn't go down due to the ordinance. Some people insisted that the ordinance would cause restaurants to lose money or even close and that didn't happen."

Kunke said from the feedback the city has received, residents seem pleased with the ordinance. He said there haven't been any real problems from restaurants about implementing the ordinance.

Vaughn presented the annual address Tuesday at a joint luncheon of the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce, and Highland Village Business Association.

Also during the address, Vaughn discussed the newly implemented sales districts -- one focused on crime control and one on fire prevention.

"These districts, and the combined quarter-cent increase in sales tax to fund them, were approved by an overwhelming margin," Vaughn said. "As a result, the city has been able to hire additional police officers, firefighters and code enforcement officers -- and Lewisville is safer and stronger."

Kunke said the city has already purchased a new ambulance, hired 12 firefighters, 10 patrol officers, three street crimes officers, one police sergeant, six dispatchers, five jailers, one jail supervisor, one code enforcement officer, and purchased equipment.

Vaughn also highlighted recent developments within Lewisville including the new Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, which opened on Valley Ridge Boulevard across from Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park. In just six months, traffic at the shelter has doubled, Vaughn said. Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park, which opened in late 2009, continues to draw large crowds, Kunke said. To date, it has drawn nearly two million visitors, filled more than 100,000 hotel room-nights and generated millions of dollars in direct economic impact.

"This weekend we'll be hosting a triathlon at the park and in the summer major soccer and baseball tournaments will be held," Kunke said. "Every weekend during the summer, the park will be packed."

Kunke said the Panda Cup International Soccer Showcase will return March 20-24.

In addition to commercial development, during 2012, more than 1,000 new residential lots, including a mixture of single-family, town home, and apartment dwellings, were developed. Values for the single-family and town home units range from $175,000 to $335,000 each.

"Townhomes were built in Old Town, and there were also some single-family developments on the east side. Residential development has been scattered all over town with variety of types during 2012," Kunke said. "Lewisville hasn't quite reached build-out. We won't have 400-500 house neighborhoods, but we can bring in 100 units."

Kunke said the east side has vacant property, and the city has seen a lot of interest in Old Town redevelopment.

Last year, economic development projects in Lewisville resulted in more than 700 new jobs, according to Vaughn. New businesses include Kellogg's, which is investing $5 million in a one-million-square-foot distribution center that will employ 300 people; Hagemeyer North America, an electrical and industrial parts supplier, that is investing $1.2 million on a 68,000-square-foot space with 30 workers; and Essilor of America, the world's largest producer and distributor of optical lenses, which will employ 90 people at its new distribution center in Lewisville.

Vaughn also discussed an upcoming project that will expand and remodel the public safety training facility on Treatment Plant Road. The project was included in a 2002 bond package. Kunke said the city will begin seeking bids for the project soon.

Vaughn briefly addressed the upcoming Lewisville vision 2025 plan. The city is working on a website and survey that will launch within the next 30 days, and it will host a town hall meeting May 16 at the Medical Center of Lewisville Grand Theater.

Lewisville 2025 will address where the city wants to be in the near future. It will be a guide for the management of growth and change, and a reference point for future decision-making. Developing the plan will take many months of research, study and discussion. Major issues that are sure to be a part of the plan include land use, housing, infrastructure, quality of life, financial stability, neighborhood vitality and service delivery, Vaughn said.

"Compared to 10 years ago, Lewisville is a stronger city today. We are economically more stable and prosperous; we have more and better parks, library and arts; we have more police officers and firefighters on the street; and we have more businesses, both large and small, that have chosen to invest in Lewisville," Vaughn said. "I'm looking forward to creation of the Lewisville 2025 plan, and am very excited where we will be as a city 10 years from now. I hope you share in my excitement; because at the end of the day, our success is your success, and we are moving together toward a brighter future."

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