Round Rock City Council voted unanimously to approve zoning changes necessary for the development of Kalahari Resorts & Convention Center at its regular meeting Thursday night.
Kalahari representatives announced that they will break ground at the site May 15.
Council approved the rezoning of roughly 340 acres around the intersection of Kenney Fort and Palm Valley boulevards to a planned unit development, or PUD, to be known as the
Kalahari PUD. The changes will allow for certain development allowances---such as signage and building materials---outside of usual zoning guidelines.
The planning and zoning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval for the PUD at its regular meeting March 7.
"There were thousands of hours that were put into this," Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said Thursday night. "It is probably one of the most complicated projects that has come to this city, but it will be a huge, huge benefit to our taxpayers and our citizens and it will put Round Rock even more on the map as a destination."
Among other features, Kalahari will include a hotel with 975 guest rooms, seven restaurants, an indoor water park, resort pools, a family entertainment center and retail shops.