The Dallas Morning News

This week, our journalists and editors spent time in South Dallas at our pop-up newsroom. We met with community leaders, listened to residents and tried out some local grub [we're big fans of Ruthie's Cafe and Sweet n Chill]. We know there's so much to love about North Texas, and working out of South Dallas gave us the opportunity to dive deeper into that community. Here's what we learned. 📽️: Shannon Worley / Audience Journalist

The Dallas Morning News is partnering with the Islamic Association of Collin County to host a Nov. 7 listening session at the Plano mosque for Dallas-Fort Worth’s Muslim community. Journalists from The News will gather at the mosque to talk with Muslim community members who want to share their feedback, insights, concerns and story ideas. D-FW is home to a growing Muslim community, and Muslims make up about 1% of the region’s population. Some Muslim people and houses of worship have been the subject of controversy in recent years or have faced acts of violence. Those who are interested in attending the listening session can RSVP below. By Adrian Ashford

New renderings of the 20,000-seat open-air amphitheater under construction in McKinney were released by Colorado-based company VENU this week as the $300 million music venue inches closer to reality. The entertainment and hospitality company plans to open the Sunset Amphitheater next year near U.S. Highway 75 and State Highway 121 and welcome “A-list, Grammy Award winning, national touring acts” with as many as 70 shows a year, according to VENU. The facility will have features to adapt the open-air space for different seasons, including heating systems, canopies and wind walls. The venue will seat 20,000 at full capacity and around 5,000 people for smaller events. The theater will have fire suites and a members-only club in partnership with Troy Aikman, NFL Hall of Famer and founder of EIGHT Elite Light Beer. By Lilly Kersh

The driving force behind some of the city’s most successful development projects now owns a nearly 2 million-square-foot industrial complex just south of downtown Dallas. Jack Matthews and his real estate firm Matthews purchased the former Sears Roebuck distribution center at 1600 Roe Street — a nearly 39-acre site, the firm announced Friday. David Davidson Jr. and Jake Milner of Davidson Bogel Real Estate brokered the transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Plans for the property have not yet been determined, though Matthews indicated the site will have multiple uses. The group wants to hear from the community, investors, tenants and other key players before making a decision. By Nick Wooten

Jennifer Sampson is so tall that as a teenager, she told people she was 5-12. Being a 6-foot woman can be awkward, but Sampson got over it. These days, she wears heels. As the CEO and president of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, she cuts quite a figure in the nonprofit sector. Sampson reinvigorated the legacy brand: making the funding competitive, running the place more like a business and less like, well, a nonprofit. One vote of confidence has been the board chairs she’s attracted, who have included some of the biggest leaders in business. For several months, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has been celebrating its 100th anniversary, culminating in a big bash on Nov. 15 at the Cotton Bowl with Blake Shelton and Janet Jackson. Those are marquee names for a nonprofit, but Sampson comes prepared. Her favorite designer, Dallas-based Tish Cox, is already working on her dress for the occasion. By Sarah Hepola

The Dallas Regional Chamber has chosen Brad Cheves, a longtime Southern Methodist University executive who recently led the university through a record-setting, multiyear fundraising round, as its next president and CEO. His selection comes after Dale Petroskey, a former member of President Ronald Reagan’s communications staff and president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame who has led the group for over a decade, announced in July he would step down at the end of the year for personal reasons. “From business to education to civic to nonprofit sectors, I really feel like my goals are going to sync, in that we’re going to build on that strength,” Cheves added. “And I think the Chamber — and one of the hallmarks of the things that I hope to bring to this role — is as a convener. A convener of the kinds of things that will maintain that momentum.” By Trevor Bach

Just days ago, Japan-based Kintetsu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. broke ground on the Miyako Hybrid Hotel Plano. The $117.5M hotel will be 12 stories and house 217 rooms. It is projected to open in fall 2027. This will be the first Miyako Hotels & Resorts property in Texas and only the third in the United States. By Nick Wooten

A luxury footwear brand worn by celebrities on red carpets has stepped into NorthPark Center with a new boutique. Gianvito Rossi, whose shoes can cost thousands of dollars, has opened a shop in the Dallas shopping center, according to a statement from the brand. The Italian company’s U.S. lineup includes about five boutiques in the U.S. and roughly 50 globally. The NorthPark location is a first for Texas. The company’s shoes have attracted fans that include celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Anniston and Ciara. By Brian Womack

Two transplants from New York to North Texas — who happen to be editors at The Dallas Morning News — visited the State Fair of Texas to see if the Most Texan Place on Earth really is a big deal. Business Editor Javier E. David and Bobby Caina Calvan, deputy government accountability editor, explored the fair, sampled some of its many food offerings and even gave some of the rides a spin. Here's what they thought.

In just its second season as the pioneering professional women’s soccer team in North Texas, Dallas Trinity FC is setting its sights on a historic milestone: the largest home crowd in club history. That iconic occasion is expected to unfold when Trinity FC takes on Club América in a high-profile friendly at the iconic Cotton Bowl — scheduled for the final Saturday of the Texas State Fair. With an estimated 125,000 fairgoers expected that day, CEO and Co-Founder Jim Neil sees a golden opportunity to draw new supporters and amplify the team’s growing momentum. By Abraham Nudelstejer