Allen leaders want the state to double the length of a tax rebate program tied to the proposed $950 million Kalahari resort.

Members of Allen City Council, the Allen ISD board of trustees and the Allen Chamber of Commerce outlined goals for the 2027 Texas legislative session at a joint meeting Oct. 29, as first reported by Community Impact. The session begins Jan. 12.

Kalahari tops the city's list

City Council approved six legislative priorities at its Oct. 27 meeting. The Kalahari Resorts project and the Texas Qualified Hotel Project (QHP) program ranked first.

Kalahari Resorts and Conventions plans to build a $950 million resort including an indoor and outdoor waterpark on a 123-acre site at the southwest corner of State Highway 121 and Stacy Road.

The city approved incentives and a lease agreement for the project in February 2025. The Nelson family, which owns Kalahari, aims to open the Allen location by 2030.

During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers included Allen in the QHP, a program that provides a rebate on hotel occupancy tax and sales tax for 10 years, according to Dan Bowman, president and CEO of the Allen Economic Development Corp. Rising construction costs and high interest rates have made projects like Kalahari more expensive, so city leaders are asking legislators to extend the program to 20 years, Bowman said.

"Without the QHP benefits, these projects just are not financeable at this point," Bowman said.

The city's five other priorities are protecting fiscal capacity and essential services, preserving local decision-making, supporting public safety and community resilience, partnering on infrastructure and long-term sustainability, and supporting strong local schools.

Assistant City Manager Rebecca Vice said city leaders aim to work with state leaders while protecting the ability of local officials to respond to the community's needs. Vice said the city council recognizes that strong public schools contribute directly to quality of life in Allen.

School funding and teacher retention

Allen ISD's board of trustees approved four priorities in September focused on teacher recruitment and retention, school funding, local decision-making and accountability for all publicly funded education organizations.

Board Vice President Bill Parker reviewed each priority at the Oct. 29 joint meeting. Parker said the priorities were established after speaking to local legislators, attending webinars and comparing notes with neighboring districts and districts around the state.

Board member Veronica Yost said the district receives $1.1 million from the Texas Education Agency for school safety requirements but spends $5.4 million to meet the state mandates, according to Community Impact's earlier coverage of the Sept. 28 board vote.

Chamber ties schools to economic growth

Allen Chamber of Commerce CEO Kyle Jacobson said quality local schools help Allen attract companies. He said efforts to strengthen schools are "repaid to us … tenfold when it comes to economic activity."

What's next

Allen leaders plan to visit Austin for Allen Days, scheduled for Feb. 2-4, to meet directly with legislators. March 12 is the last day to file bills, according to Allen ISD Chief Communications Officer David Hicks.