Frisco’s delayed opening of Fourth Street Plaza shows that not all will finish in time.
FRISCO, Texas — This article was originally published in the Dallas Business Journal. Read the original article and more business content here.
Frisco officials long touted the city’s new $20 million outdoor gathering space, Fourth Street Plaza, as a centerpiece to be ready in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But that timeline now appears out of reach.
City leaders revealed earlier this month that complexities of the project — including the construction of a custom shade structure — will prevent crews from meeting the plaza’s original June 20 grand opening date. The project aims to convert a once-ordinary stretch of roadway into a public park, a long-promised centerpiece envisioned more than a decade ago as the “heart of the new downtown” and a magnet for visitors and local businesses.
Construction on Main Street is now entering its final stages, with crews installing median rails and working with utility provider Encore to remove the remaining overhead poles before completing sidewalks and final inspections. The parking garage is also nearing completion, as workers finish landscaping, hardscaping, interior striping and signage ahead of a final cleanup, Brodigan said.
As those projects move closer to the finish line, the city’s marquee public plaza — once expected to debut ahead of one of the world’s biggest sporting events — will arrive later than originally promised. It’s an unfortunate circumstance for Frisco, which is expecting an influx of visitors during the month-long World Cup tournament, where nine matches, including a semifinal will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.