Hidden Cove Park and Marina – Lake Lewisville
20400 Hackberry Creek Park Rd
The Colony, Texas 75034
Hidden Cove Park is on Lewisville Lake which used to be called Lewisville State Park, developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1981.
The State of Texas built the roads, shelters, pavilions, RV sites, dining hall, boat ramp, etc.
US Army Corps of Engineers leases Hidden Cove Park’s 720 acres to The Colony, Texas.
Since May 1, 1995, The City of The Colony leases Hidden Cove Park from the Corps at no charge.
When the State of Texas turned Lewisville State Park over to The Colony, this terminated the status as a state park.
The state then opened Ray Roberts State Park – (Directions/Map) just a few minutes away with more RV sites, camping areas, large sandy swim beach, fishing pier and store.
Unlimited Free entry to 89 Texas State Parks for you and your guests, A Texas State Parks Pass Only Costs $70 for one year and is issued to one person.
You may qualify for a free Texas Parklands Passport. Parkland Passport benefits apply only to the pass holder and a companion.
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The Colony sub-leases some of Hidden Cove Park’s property to Marine Quest.
In addition Marine Quest is sub-leasing some services to different vendors.
But The Marina, Camping, RV Sites, Campgrounds, Tent Camping, RV Campsites are operated by Marine Quest at the time of this writing.
Rockin’ S Bar and Grill, The Boat Rentals, Ship Store and Gas Docks are all operated By Sam’s Dock.
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JT’s Boat Rentals and park store started operations in spring of 2002.
JT’s Concessionaire contract with The Colony was for the food, beverage and rentals for the entire park 720 acres, fulfilling the city’s contract with the US Army Corps of Engineers.
JT’s submitted initial plans for 50 boat slips, miniature golf, arcade center and enlarging the store (we were told not to call it a marina).
But our plans were Quickly Denied (via the Parks & Rec. Director Pam Nelson).
Later to find that they had silent bids out for a marina, just a few were invited (we were not invited to bid).
A portion of the park operations were privatized by the city in January 2005 and leased from The Colony by a marina operator with $250,000 due at signing, Lease Agreement.
The City of the The Colony (via the Parks & Rec. Director Pam Nelson) told JT’s the city and marina operators would honor their contract when the marina operators started construction.
JT’s designed the layout of the current ship store and dock layout and were prepared to stock and operate the ship store, gas docks, have 30 motor boats, and 4 party boats.
Subsequently we endured vandalism, jet ski theft, mowing of the lawn late Saturday mornings with our customers there, gas tanks taken off boats and scattered in the parking lot, etc.
In the fall of 2008 Marine Quest the new marina operator finally paid The City of The Colony $250,000 .
The Colony City Council cancelled JT’s Concessionaire Contract the next week after 7 years with 9 years remaining on JT’s contract.
In summary JT’s was then forced to close our park store and boat rentals in Hidden Cove Park.
JT’s Boat Rentals had to sell their fleet and in spring 2009 moved to Eagle Point Marina, Lewisville, TX.
However customized the business to accommodate larger groups on Lewisville Lake.
In 2011 JT’s has 3 Party Boats on Lake Lewisville to celebrate our 10th Year Anniversary!
Further In 2010, the marina operators had a local Frisco company refinance the project again.
The Colony Council heard a presentation from Frisco City Council member Scott Johnson, representing not Frisco but Ascendant Solutions, read more………. , but in 2011 Ascendant withdrew and is no longer involved.
Currently, Hidden Cove Marina is still under construction since 2005 and is not yet completed.
The project is only a fraction of the original proposal presented to the city as 850 slips are now.
Just 350 because 500 slips were never purchased by the marina operator from the Tribute developers.
The city granted partial occupancy of the 350 slips just so they could open.
Hidden Cove Park is not presently a “resort” as it does not have the floating restaurant, hotel, pool, beach, etc.
2012 the 350 slip marina is still partially open and no new development has started.
Fall of 2012 Marine Quest’s contract was cancelled again, after months of negotiations a new contract was written.
This company has been in breach of it’s contract since day 1, with the new contract they have 1 year to get caught up.
JT’s Boat Rentals owned the domain name www.hiddencovepark.com and the website was created by JT’s in 2001.
After The City of The Colony cancelled JT’s contract, JT’s offered to sell the domain to the new operator in Sept. 2008. But they declined stating “they would change the name of the park before paying JT’s anything”.
After 7 years of advertising and marketing for this park, we kept the domain for our customers to find JT’s new location at Eagle Point Marina and to deter rumors and or slander of our company.
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JT’s is the First and Only owner of this domain and also donated the domain as good faith on the sale of their vessels to Sam’s Dock.
Sam’s Dock only wanted to buy the vessels and not the business, so JT’s Boat Rentals sold their vessels to them in spring of 2016.
For this reason JT’s Boat Rentals has changed their name to DFW Party Boats and now a marketing and consulting firm only.
JT’s Boat Rentals is no longer do any boat rentals or charters.
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