The GeO-Deck features a geodesic pattern inspired by The Ball’s design. It was closed for major renovations starting in November 2007 and didn’t reopen until 2013, when its new GeO-Deck was unveiled. Still, some more recent arrivals to the city may be surprised to learn that Reunion Tower hasn’t always been this accessible to the public. And, because they are incredibly bright, these lights are visible out to 15 miles from the city center. These custom lights can even be programmed to display various messages based on the season or a special event taking place in the city. The exterior of The Ball is covered with a network of 259 color-changing LEDs. In fact, nighttime is when it quite literally shines. However, the tower isn’t only impressive during daylight hours. Once there, and depending on the weather, visitors can sometimes take in panoramic views that extend as far as Fort Worth, which sits 32 miles away. Upon entry, an elevator transports guests 50 stories up via a scenic (or nerve-wracking, if you’re afraid of heights) 68-second ride to the top. In the present day, Reunion Tower serves mostly as a tourist destination, as anyone who’s been inside the magnificent three-story ball can testify. Yet, thanks to Scovell, that nearly forgotten experiment is now a name synonymous with Dallas. Founded by followers of the socialist utopian thinker Charles Fourier, La Réunion’s residents were only able to keep their community viable for few years. Scovell was fascinated with La Réunion, a 19th-century French settlement located not far from the site chosen for the project. The entire Reunion endeavor (which eventually included Reunion Arena as well, now the site of Reunion Park) was spearheaded by John Scovell, then-CEO of Woodbine Development Corporation. Their tagline? “Live twenty-four hours a day from five hundred feet above the city.”Īs to the significance of the name “Reunion Tower,” it has everything to do with one prominent Dallasite’s love of local lore. When it first opened, it even hosted sports radio station KOAX-FM (now KRLD-FM). Once completed, the tower sat 561 feet above the city and eventually settled in as the 15th-tallest building in Dallas. The hotel sitting next to the tower, the Hyatt Regency Dallas, was also built during this time. From the early days of its construction to the world-class attractions that are new to its unique interior, this Downtown landmark has more than a few tales to tell.Įrected in 1978 by The Beck Group, Reunion Tower was the most prominent development to be included in a citywide urban redevelopment plan. Thanks to its famous observation deck, it’s also the place Dallasites love to bring out-of-town visitors to show off all our city has to offer. As such, it hearkens back to the city’s prairie-bound past while simultaneously embodying its skyscraper-studded present.īut Reunion Tower is as much a vantage as it is a focal point. With a stalk-like structure crowned by a bright, glittery sphere, Reunion Tower resembles a dandelion - albeit a very futuristic one. The restaurant turns one complete rotation in 55 minutes: enough to make your head turn! The tower is open every day, but hours vary throughout the year depending on holidays and special events, so be sure to check their site beforehand.No feature of the Dallas skyline cuts as iconic of a silhouette as Reunion Tower. The second level holds the award-winning, 100-seat Five Sixty gourmet restaurant by Wolfgang Puck. The Reunion Tower is one of Dallas’ most recognizable monuments and, never fear, it takes just 68 seconds to reach the top by elevator.Īt nightfall, the view of the skyline is breathtaking from the two levels: the first occupied by an observation deck for a close-up examination of the culture, architecture and history of Dallas from the sky (with high-definition zoom cameras, telescopes and interactive touch screens). Yes, it looks like a golf ball in the sky-hence its nickname. The 36 m diameter dome covered with 260 LEDs, supported by a reinforced concrete cylinder, contains an 837-step staircase. Since opening in 1978, this skyscraper has always attracted attention.
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