By Truitt H.R. No. 1119 77R16681 JKB-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Established in 1940, the Palace Theatre in Grapevine 1-2 has long been a treasured part of the Texas landscape, and it is a 1-3 privilege to join in celebrating the grand re-opening of this 1-4 beloved institution; and 1-5 WHEREAS, On May 21, 2001, after a $5 million restoration and 1-6 the incorporation of the neighboring 71-year-old grocery store, the 1-7 newly christened Palace Arts Center will open its doors, revealing 1-8 a stunning blend of historical preservation and modern innovations; 1-9 the 14,000-square-foot facility features two theaters, a space for 1-10 art exhibitions, and a terrace, as well as special ceilings to 1-11 block exterior noise and numerous state-of-the-art amenities; and 1-12 WHEREAS, This inspired center is a far cry from the original 1-13 movie house of the 1940s, which after 20 years of regular use, was 1-14 abandoned and was reported to have been used for hay storage; the 1-15 1970s saw a revival of the theater when it was restored for the 1-16 Grapevine Opry and hosted such renowned country music singers as 1-17 Boxcar Willie, Porter Wagoner, and Willie Nelson until its closing 1-18 in 1983; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Surviving a fire in 1986, the Palace Theatre was 1-20 renovated and again provided a stage for the Grapevine Opry 1-21 beginning in 1987, and after the purchase of the theater by the 1-22 Grapevine Heritage Foundation, it hosted monthly classical and pops 1-23 concerts as well; and 1-24 WHEREAS, On June 6, 1999, the Palace Theatre closed for what 2-1 would be a two-year "intermission," during which the most intensive 2-2 restoration in the theater's history commenced, and on May 5, 2001, 2-3 the Grapevine Opry performed the first show in the new Palace Arts 2-4 Center; the official grand opening of the Palace Arts Center will 2-5 include a show by the city's opry, presentation of a 1940 newsreel, 2-6 and the lighting and toasting of the marquee, followed by a 2-7 week-long celebration; and 2-8 WHEREAS, The citizens of this close-knit community can take 2-9 great pride in the storied history of the Palace Theatre and in the 2-10 diligent efforts of members of the Grapevine Heritage Foundation 2-11 that have culminated in a truly unique facility; now, therefore, be 2-12 it 2-13 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-14 Legislature hereby congratulate the residents of Grapevine on the 2-15 grand opening of the Palace Arts Center and extend to them sincere 2-16 best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable event; and, be it 2-17 further 2-18 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-19 prepared for the Grapevine Heritage Foundation as an expression of 2-20 high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.