After years of stalled progress and missed milestones, the city of Rowlett issued a formal notice of default to Sapphire Bay Land Holdings I, the developer behind the long-awaited $1 billion Sapphire Bay project.
The unanimous city council vote followed more than 30 minutes in executive session on Oct. 15, marking a significant turning point for a development once billed as a transformative lakefront destination.
“After weighing all options, consulting with our legal team and having serious conversations about the future implications of this development for our community, the council has determined that this is the right step forward,” said Mayor Jeff Winget in the official statement. “This project has remained stagnant for far too long and we owe it to our residents to take action that will help spur progress on the peninsula.”
A Decade Of Delays
First announced nearly a decade ago under the name Bayside, the project was later rebranded as Sapphire Bay — a 116-acre mixed-use community planned for the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard, south of I-30 at Dalrock Road…