An ambitious new holiday venue is coming to Fort Worth from an acclaimed entertainment team. Called Saint Nicks Ranch, it'll be a massive, immersive walk-through Christmas attraction situated on a 75-acre property, 15 minutes outside of downtown Fort Worth.

Construction is already underway. They'll reveal the exact address after they get nearer to completion, and will open in time for the holiday season in 2027.

The concept is a new partnership between Tell Family Lights LLC — the family-run Christmas lights company that has earned many a nod for their annual displays — and hospitality veteran Emil Bragdon, the prolific founder of Funky Lime Hospitality (Reservoir, Whiskey Garden, No Vacancy, and more).

Bragdon and Tell Family Lights founders Jeff and Jennifer Tell bonded over their shared desire to create not only a cutting-edge destination but also a legacy project they hope will outlast them both.

"Our vision has always been to create that extra special thing that bonds us all together during the holiday season," they say. "We wanted to build a destination where families could make memories for generations — something our children, your children, and countless families after them could experience together."

The venue will offer capacity for 15,000 guests, with parking for 3,000 vehicles — a larger-than-life walk-through holiday destination with lights and immersive experiences.

The Tell family has been lighting up their own home in far north Fort Worth since 2018 with a synchronized Christmas lights show that annually makes CultureMap's lists of must-see displays. In 2022, they expanded with a venture called Sugar Lane Lights, a not dissimilar endeavor featuring a mile-long drive on rented land in Haslet with 2 million LED lights synced to holiday songs.

After Sugar Lane Lights came to an end in 2024, Tell partnered up with Bragdon, who'd been a fan of their annual light show and had approached them previously.

Key to their success was finding a plot of land they could buy and own, which they found after much searching off a buzzy freeway. They're not ready to share all the details, but in the past four months, they've built a barn, planted trees, and installed infrastructure including power and irrigation, with the park and parking lot still to come.

The Tells have served as consultants for other major lights displays in Texas and the U.S., but Jeff says they're saving the best for this very personal project.

"Every part of this we have designed to be custom — nothing off the shelf, from start to finish," Jeff says.

Bragdon is a wellspring of creativity whose past projects include No Vacancy, a subterranean bar in the West 7th District he built from scratch. At Saint Nicks Ranch, he'll lend his hospitality expertise with an innovative food & beverage component, name and concept still TBA.

"We'll be integrating a food program that pushes the envelope, part of a package of amenities at the park," Bragdon says.

Christmas will be the pinnacle, but they'll expand into other holiday installations, as well as activations outside of the holiday realm, including music festivals, outdoor events, and rentals.

"We've already had requests including someone who wants to get married there and do a wedding with a holiday theme," Bragdon says.

The immersive experience field has expanded greatly in recent years with international companies like Exhibition Hub and Fever trotting out installations at a regular clip. Bragdon and Tell want to offer a locally-grown concept.

"We wanted to do something special for the Metroplex, something that will be here for generations, even if Jeff and I are long gone," Bragdon says.