A look at major Marble Falls projects

The march of progress is unmistakable in Marble Falls, and four major projects are on their way to completion.

DailyTrib.com reached out to city officials for updates on The Ophelia Hotel and Conference Center, Flatrock Crossing shopping center, Thunder Rock sports complex, and renovations to the Bella Sera building on U.S. 281.

The Ophelia

The Ophelia Hotel and Conference Center has been in the works since 2019 but did not break ground until August 2024. A change in lenders prolonged any serious work for months, but as of Friday, June 6, major construction at 305 Buena Vista Drive is well underway.

“It’s mostly pre-foundation work, but we’re getting close to drilling the piers and having utilities on site,” Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Christian Fletcher told DailyTrib.com.

The five-story, 127-room hotel is scheduled for an October 2026 completion date if everything stays on track. It is being built just outside of Lakeside Park and overlooks Lake Marble Falls.

The public-private partnership between developers and the city of Marble Falls is expected to have a $200 million economic impact within the first 10 years of its completion.

Flatrock Crossing

A major retail center south of the U.S. 281 bridge in Marble Falls is still moving toward a spring/summer 2026 completion date. 

“Flatrock Crossing is in the final stages of working with the city on some amendments to their development agreement,” Fletcher said. 

Major site preparation for the 350,000-square-foot shopping plaza is already taking place, but substantial work like road cuts and land clearing are expected to begin in the next four to six weeks. The center is being built near the intersection of U.S. 281 and FM 2147 East near the 7-Eleven convenience store.

News of the retail center broke in April 2024. The $130 million project will bring dozens of new businesses to Marble Falls, including:

• Academy (sporting goods);
• Hobby Lobby (crafts);
• Ulta Beauty (beauty products);
• T.J. Maxx (department store);
• Boot Barn (western wear)
• Famous Footwear (shoes);
• several restaurants, including Chipotle;
• and other yet-to-be-named businesses.

The last update on the outdoor mall was in October 2024 when the Marble Falls City Council approved several amendments to a development agreement allowing for larger-than-normal signage, taller light poles, adjustments to sidewalk requirements, and tweaks to required landscaping.

Thunder Rock sports complex

A 26-acre sports complex being built as part of the Thunder Rock housing and commercial development at Texas 71 and U.S. 281 south of the city should be finished by the fall of 2025, according to Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman.

The complex will be city-owned and open to the public and hold four baseball fields, four soccer fields, restrooms, a concession stand, and large multi-purpose areas off of Flatrock Boulevard near the intersection of Centurion Parkway.

The project was announced in September 2020, fulfilling a decade-old wishlist item for city officials.

Bella Sera Italian restaurant

While not a city project, renovations at Bella Sera at 1125 U.S. 281 North have been a consistent sight for drivers over the past few years.

The Italian restaurant has been operating out of a temporary location at 701 U.S. 281 North while its main building gets a major makeover.

According to Marble Falls Development Services Director Scarlet Moreno, the project is about 75 percent complete and expected to be finished by August or September of this year.

dakota@thepicayune.com