Lewisville City Council voted 4-0 on Aug. 16 to rename the city-owned venue after Weaver, who was first elected mayor in 1963 and served for six years. The venue will be renamed the Bill Weaver Arena.
Weaver attended the council meeting along with his son, Todd Weaver, who recalled his father spending late nights in the 1960s doing city business.
Todd Weaver said the renaming means a lot to the family.
"Things like this happen very rarely," he told the council. "We just want to tell you from the bottom our our hearts, thank you."
According to a staff memo, Weaver was instrumental in working with the Lewisville Saddle Club and other organizations to construct the arena on city-owned land in 1964. The arena was managed by the club until 2018, when it was sold to the city.
That same year, city officials approved a series of repairs and upgrades for the arena located on Parkway Drive. Some of those improvements were completed in 2018. Others, including a retaining wall and grading work, are expected to be completed by the end of this year, according to the city.
Weaver is a 1955 graduate of Lewisville High School. He served in the U.S. Army and then returned to Lewisville, where he worked as a real estate broker for 32 years, according to the city. He was named Citizen of the Year in 1964 and served as president of the Lewisville Chamber of Commerce in 1965, the city stated. Weaver was a founding officer of the Greater Lewisville Area Realtors and served on multiple committees until his retirement.
A dedication ceremony will be held during the PBR Lewisville bull-riding competition scheduled for Sept. 18 at the arena. The event will be the first rodeo held at the arena since 2018, according to the city.
