Hundreds celebrate ‘dawn of new era’ with grand opening of Grapevine Main Station
Hundreds of people stood across the plaza of the Main Station, some of them rising from their tables, and looked toward the new $114 million brick and mortar structure a little before noon on Saturday. Those over 21 held up glasses of champagne.
They were toasting to what Mayor William Tate described as a “dawn of a new era” in Grapevine, with an increased focus on safe public transportation like TEXRail trains, and an increase in tourism.
The building, modeled after 19th century train stations and a 150-feet observation tower, is also a throwback to another time when train travel was more of an experience.
The grand opening event on Saturday kicked off at 11 a.m. and included speeches from local officials, live music and the celebratory moment when everyone toasted the Main Station. Employees walked around the pavilion, called Peace Plaza, and filled glasses with champagne. Families and friends, gathered in their own circles, lifted their glasses together.
Denice Onike, a crime scene technician with the Grapevine Police Department, stood at her table with her husband and 1-year-old daughter. After the toast, a train horn let out a loud whistle that grabbed everyone’s attention, and the child joined the rest of the crowd in clapping. A smile spread across her face.
Onike later carried her to the sprayground in the middle of the plaza, where streams of water were soaring into the air. She kept smiling.
“She loves all things water. She was about to go try to swim in there,” Onike said. “I’m pretty sure she’ll love to see the train.”
Onike, who lives in Carrollton, also noted how it would also be a nice place to get away for a night. Main Station is connected to Hotel Vin, a six-story, 120 room Marriott Autograph Collection property that opened late last year.
The event on Saturday was above all else a showcase for the massive station on the corner of Main Street and Dallas Road in the heart of downtown Grapevine. Construction began in May 2018.
A hallmark of the station is the observation tower, which has four 12-foot glass clocks with Roman numerals on them, fitting in with the “Texas-Italianate” style of the station. The tower was opened at the end of October 2020, and on Saturday was the object of many pictures.
The food hall, Harvest Hall, is also open to the public, with seven kitchens offering a range of global cuisine ranging from Italian pastas, to Chinese street food, to modern Mediterranean dishes.
Tate and other local leaders held out a long ribbon on Saturday before Tate sliced it in half with a pair of scissors, signifying the official opening of the station.
“We’re at the dawn of a new era whose limits are unrestricted, whose boundaries are unpredictable and whose benefits are unimaginable,” Tate said into a microphone. “The new era of rail assures the sustainability of our community.”
