Dallas-Based Firm to Develop $800 Million Lagoon Community in Forney

There are plenty of amenities to look for in a new residential neighborhood but one you probably wouldn’t expect: a lagoon.

But in August 2022, the Bellagio Lagoon will be in place at a Forney development. Manmade lagoons are the latest craze in residential development, and Dallas-based Megatel Homes is accommodating the Dallas-Fort Worth market with these sandy amenities in West Dallas and Weston. The first phase of home construction is expected to be completed by April 2022.

The $800 million Bellagio Lagoon project is north of I-20 just off FM 741. The development will include 400 homes ranging in size from 1,800 to 4,200 square feet and priced from $350,000 to $600,000.

“Megatel lagoon communities have proven to be a game-changing asset type for our firm,” Megatel co-founder Aaron Ipour said in a news release. “We have received tremendous feedback from potential homebuyers, which has greatly exceeded our expectations.The hard work, dedication, and innovative thinking of our team has directly contributed to the early success of these lagoon developments.”

In Forney, along FM 741 where pastures and barns dominate the countryside, the development will feature a swim-up bar, a Flowrider surfing simulator machine, a splash park, and lots of white sand.

Why Forney? It’s a continuation of suburban growth in vast land swaths east of Dallas. Homes.com ranked the city second on its list of The Best Suburbs to Move to in 2021. According to the Forney Economic Development Corp., Forney is expected to grow from its current population of 65,771 to 99,362 by 2025.

Miami-based Crystal Lagoons, which creates the technology for manmade lagoons, has recognized Texas as prime lagoon material. In late March, Crystal Lagoons said Texas has 70 lagoon projects in the works.

According to the firm, it has five additional lagoons scheduled for presale this year and is working on plans for 15 additional lagoon communities throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

“Due to the previous success of our lagoon communities, we expect the first phase of the Bellagio community to be sold out prior to January 2022,” Ipour said in the release. “To date, more than 60 percent of the community has been sold.”