Prosper has approved the largest project in its history. On Oct. 27, 2026, the Town Council unanimously approved rezoning for The Marco, a roughly $2 billion, 143-acre village built around a 15.5-acre lagoon at the northeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and US 380. For nearby neighborhoods, it sets the shape of Prosper's southern gateway for the next decade.
What is The Marco, exactly?
According to Community Impact's report on the Oct. 27 vote, The Marco is a mixed-use development from Jeffory D. Blackard of Blackard Companies, designed to resemble an Italian village. Town Manager Mario Canizares called it the biggest project in Prosper's history and said the town wants to get it right.
The centerpiece is a 15.5-acre lagoon with a boat-navigable canal system. It doubles as stormwater detention and as the project's main open space, ringed by a 26-foot-wide pedestrian walkway with limited car access.
What will be built around the lagoon?
The approved plan allows a wide mix of uses. As reported by Community Impact:
- Offices: one or two corporate campuses at the hard corner of the tollway and US 380, with smaller offices around them. The tallest buildings could reach 14 stories.
- Hotels: up to two waterfront hotels on the western and eastern edges of the lagoon.
- Retail: a market square, a grocery store and shopping on the northwest corner.
- Theater: Blackard has said he hopes to partner with Prosper ISD on a venue for school and professional use, though no plans were final as of September.
- Housing: up to 4,400 units, including a maximum of 2,500 mid-rise apartments, 400 high-rise condos or apartments, 500 age-restricted apartments and 1,000 single-family homes, villas or townhomes.
How did the town try to control the apartment count?
This was the central debate. Prosper has long tried to keep multifamily housing limited to the tollway corridor, and The Marco puts a large amount of it in one place. Town officials pushed for changes, and Blackard revised the plan. The final version includes phasing rules that tie housing to amenities:
- No apartments can open until the lagoon is complete.
- After the first 1,000 mid-rise apartments, at least 30,000 square feet of retail and restaurants must be built before more units can open.
- Mid- and high-rise housing is restricted in some areas of the site.
- Each apartment building must include open space and a pet area.
Not everyone was satisfied. When the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 4-2, two commissioners voted no and asked for more clarity on permitted uses, building heights and minimum unit sizes. One argued the project had received less scrutiny than much smaller proposals. The council had also postponed its vote in September to refine the language before approving it in October.
What still has to happen before construction?
Rezoning was a major step, but not the last one. The council still has to approve development agreements covering economic incentives, building standards and permitted uses, impact fee waivers, and parks and open space, ideally by the end of 2026. Construction of the lagoon and site infrastructure is expected to start in late 2027.
Why does the timing line up with the tollway?
The North Texas Tollway Authority is extending the Dallas North Tollway north from US 380 to FM 428, and NTTA's May 2026 progress report lists that section as slated for late 2027. That is the same window The Marco expects to start site work. The intersection of US 380 and the tollway is already the busiest crossroads in the area, and The Marco is designed to turn it into a destination rather than a pass-through.
Prosper's economic development director, Madison Clark, called the project a long-term economic engine. For a town that relies heavily on residential property taxes, adding office campuses, hotels and retail could broaden the tax base over time.
What does this mean for nearby homeowners?
Our agents at The Agency Dallas who work Prosper are hearing two kinds of questions about The Marco, and both are fair:
- Will it bring traffic? Almost certainly, especially once offices and hotels are open. The tollway extension and existing US 380 access are meant to carry that load, but homes along feeder roads will feel it most.
- Will it add value? A walkable lagoon district with dining, a grocery store and a possible performing arts venue is the kind of amenity buyers usually want within a short drive, not next door. Homes a few minutes away may benefit most.
- Will the apartments change Prosper's character? The phasing rules are designed to make sure housing follows amenities, not the other way around. How that plays out will depend on the development agreements still to come.
Should buyers wait to see how it turns out?
Waiting is a personal choice, but the timeline is long. Site work is not expected until late 2027, and a project this size will build out in phases over many years. Buyers who need a home now can factor The Marco into their decision without treating it as a deadline either way.
For background on the town's neighborhoods and schools, see our Prosper community page, and for builder activity across the region, our neighborhood guides. The Agency Dallas will follow the development agreements as they come back to council.
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Marco in Prosper?
The Marco covers 143 acres at the northeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and US 380 in Prosper. The developer is Jeffory D. Blackard of Blackard Companies. The Prosper Town Council unanimously approved its rezoning and planned development on Oct. 27, 2026, with an estimated total investment of about $2 billion.
How many homes and apartments will The Marco have?
The approved plan allows up to 4,400 residential units. That includes up to 2,500 mid-rise apartments, 400 high-rise condos or apartments, 500 age-restricted apartments, and 1,000 single-family homes, villas or townhomes. Phasing rules require the lagoon to be finished before any apartments open.
When will construction on The Marco begin?
Construction of the lagoon and site infrastructure is expected to start in late 2027. Before that, the Town Council must approve development agreements on incentives, building standards, impact fees and parks, which officials hoped to finish by the end of 2026. Full buildout will take years beyond that.
Is The Marco the same as the Venetian village in the headlines?
Yes. Some headlines described the project as a Venetian village because of its lagoon and canals, while the coverage itself describes it as modeled after an Italian village. Earlier reporting referred to it under a different working name before it became The Marco.
How will The Marco affect traffic on US 380?
No traffic study figures were published with the approval. The site sits at the existing tollway and US 380 interchange, and NTTA expects the tollway extension north to FM 428 to open in late 2027. Offices, hotels and retail will add trips, with the greatest impact on nearby feeder roads.
Sources
- Community Impact: Prosper greenlights $2B village on Dallas North Tollway (Oct. 27, 2026)
- Community Impact: 143-acre Prosper village among trending DFW stories (Aug. 2026)
- NTTA: Dallas North Tollway Phase 4 progress report (May 2026)
- Community Impact: New tollway development standards under review in Prosper (Feb. 20, 2026)
