Following the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) board of directors’ approval on 27 August, development of the first public marina at Bois d’Arc Lake near Bonham, Texas, is advancing as recreational use and investment continue across Fannin County.
Bois d’Arc Lake, which opened to the public in 2024 and expanded recreation in the area, sits northeast of Bonham, a city north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and near McKinney and Sherman. The agreement with JW Marina Development approved last month includes plans for an initial phase at the site with at least 200 boat slips, docks, walkways and supporting facilities.
The approval also covers associated easements, with a later development agreement planned for shoreline improvements and related commercial activities. Management will be handled by Waterview Management Group, with Waterview Marinas taking charge of operations following its work at Lake Grapevine and Lake Texoma.
Bonham Economic Development Corporation (BEDCO) said the development comes as new housing projects continue across the city. Powder Creek Ranch, the city’s first master-planned community, is set to include approximately 3,000 homes, with future retail, restaurants, offices, parks, trails and open space. In the city centre, the nearly 27-acre Asher Oaks is adding 78 single-family lots with homes, while Centurion American plans more than 400 homes around Legacy Ridge Golf Course in its Legacy Ridge community.
On the business side, global manufacturer Vector Systems relocated its headquarters from McKinney to its Bonham facility in March and plans to increase its workforce from 129 to approximately 230 employees. The city has also created its first four Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones to support infrastructure and redevelopment downtown and along major highway corridors, while work on the Bonham Visitor Center is under way.
With development continuing in the city and around Bois d’Arc Lake, NTMWD estimates that recreational activity at the lake could eventually generate approximately $166 million USD annually for Fannin County.
William Myers, executive director of BEDCO, said: “Bois d’Arc Lake is an important economic development and quality of life asset for Bonham and Fannin County, and this marina is another step in realising its potential. More amenities around the lake will bring more visitors and drive demand for new restaurants, retail, lodging, recreation services and other businesses on the lake and in neighbouring communities. It also gives us another way to introduce people to Bonham as a place to live, work and invest.”
Hannah Cupps, a realtor with C4 Home and Land Team, which specialises in lake, land and residential real estate throughout Bonham, Fannin County and the Bois d’Arc Lake area, commented: “More buyers are beginning to recognise the value Bonham and Fannin County offer. As more of the region’s growth moves north, Bonham is becoming an increasingly attractive option because of its affordability, quality of life and everything taking shape across the area. Bois d’Arc Lake is already a major draw, and a public marina gives people one more reason to visit, invest and put down roots in the area.”
