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Quality of Life

Commerce offers a rural small town atmosphere where people know each other, attend Friday night football games and enjoy the local and area attractions. And, it is only an hour to the Dallas Metroplex, with all the shopping, dining and attractions available in the big city.

Located in Northeast Texas, Commerce is the Gateway to the Texas Lake Country. Cooper Lake is less than 15 miles from Commerce, and there are five other lakes a short drive away, which offer fishing, camping, boating and water skiing.

Downtown Commerce retains its historical charm with original brick streets, town square, "pocket" park and active retail and commercial businesses. There are two restaurants and a coffee shop downtown, along with others located throughout the community.

Commerce celebrates its distinction as the Bois d'Arc Capital of Texas with the annual 3-day "Bash" the third weekend in September. The 2008 event is scheduled for September 19, 20 & 21. For more details about this and other activities, go to the Chamber of Commerce website at www.commerce-chamber.com.

Texas A&M University-Commerce also adds to the excellent quality of life in Commerce. Residents are encouraged to participate in campus events, including plays, musicals, concerts, guest speakers, and sporting events. The Morris recreation facility is open to Commerce residents for a subscription membership.

New Music Building - Scheduled for completion in 2010, the new music building will provide 'state of the art' facilies for both performance and music education. The building will be located at the main entrance to the campus; thus it will become iconic for the university, serving as a structural symbol for the success of one of the university's most visible and acclaimed programs. In addition to offices, studios, practice rooms, and classrooms, the building will feature a concert hall seating 600; a recital hall seating 100; four rehearsal halls for band, chior, jazz, and percussion; music technology and labs; and a simulated elementary music education classroom. Most important, the building will feature optimum acoustics for performance with "tunable" performance and rehearsal halls and maximum sound isolation for the instructional spaces.

New Student Center - Another exciting project at the Universityis the new $28 million Science & Technology Center, which opened in January 2006. The 100,00 sf facility features one of the only planetariums in the area, along with cutting-edge research laboratories, large auditorium-style classrooms and wireless internet capability throughout the building. As a result of this project, Texas A& M University-Commerce is positioned to become one of the leading scientific presence in the region.

"A Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on October 17, 2006 for the Alumni Center that is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008. The facility will serve as the office for the alumni staff and a reception/meeting center. Additionally, the facility will provide a focal point of activity to strengthen the bond among the university's 60,000 alumni. It will make a visible statement of the importance alumni play in the life of the university. The 6,500 sqyare foot building will be centrally located on campus and provide access to the university's major activities and make a positive statement to those visiting the campus. Ultimately, the facility will serve to strengthen relationships with current students, alumni, faculty and staff as well as visitors to the campus."

Local Attractions

• Bois d'Arc Bash & Car Show
• Annual Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament
• Christmas on the Square
• Texas A&M University-Commerce
• Northeast Texas Children's Museum
• Fourth of July in The Park Celebration
• University Playhouse
• Cowhill Chili Fest
• Planetarium

Area Attractions

• Cooper Lake, Lake Tawakoni, Lake Fork, Lake Lavon, Lake Texoma, Lake Ray Hubbard 
• Greenville Entertainment Series
• Threadgill Entertainment Series
• Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum
• Southwest Dairy Museum

Recreation & Amenities

• 3 City Parks
• 6 Area Lakes
• 1 Country Club
• 1 Recreation Center
• 1 Theater, 3 screens
• 2 Libraries
• 1 Public Swimming Pool
• 131 Motel Rooms, with the new 59 room Holiday Inn Express Inn & Suites Opened in 2004
• Boys and Girls Club
• Youth Sports
• NCAA Division II Athletics
• Senior Adult Programs