From EPIC City to The Meadow,North Texas Islamic Development Rebrands Amid Year of State Scrutiny
The East Plano Islamic Center launched its 402-acre residential development under the name EPIC City, but now operates as The Meadow, according to Collin County Judge Chris Hill, who announced through social media on November 10, 2025. The project received a new name after Texas officials, including Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott, along with multiple state investigations and nine months of political battles. The Dallas Morning News received confirmation about the name change from Community Capital Partners, although no official plans have been submitted to Collin County.
A Sprawling Vision Under Fire
The development site is in unincorporated areas of Collin and Hunt counties, 40 miles northeast of Dallas, near Josephine City. The development plan includes 1,000+ single-family and multifamily residences, a mosque, a K-12 faith-based school, senior housing, an outreach center, commercial areas, sports facilities, and a community college. The East Plano Islamic Center's resident scholar, Yasir Qadhi, announced the project’s first residential sales in November 2024 to serve the growing North Texas Muslim population. The project started as a community development initiative. Still, it evolved into Texas’s most significant political controversy, attracting excessive government oversight and sparking debates over religious rights, social acceptance, and alleged prejudice.
Multiple State Investigations and Criminal Probes
“After a thorough investigation, it has become clear that the developers behind EPIC City flagrantly and undeniably violated the law.”
— Attorney General Ken Paxton, October 2025
The promotional video for the project went viral on social media in February 2025, triggering the controversy. Texas State Representative Jeff Leach asked Attorney General Paxton to start an investigation because he suspected the project contained Sharia Law elements and possibly broke state laws. Governor Abbott requested that multiple state agencies investigate the project through the Texas Rangers, who launched a criminal probe into unspecified potential violations of state law.
The Attorney General Paxton initiated his investigation in March 2025, followed by three additional state investigations. The four state investigations conducted by KERA News revealed that the project allegedly discriminated against non-Muslims through Texas Fair Housing Act violations, caused financial damage to investors, broke Texas consumer protection laws, and operated illegal funeral services.
Paxton announced in October 2025 that his office had discovered evidence that Community Capital Partners violated state and federal securities laws through deceptive practices and improper procedures. Paxton asked the Texas State Securities Board to evaluate his office’s evidence for filing a lawsuit against the project developers.
Federal Investigation Closed, Fair Housing Allegations Resolved
The U.S. Department of Justice started a federal investigation into religious discrimination claims after Senator John Cornyn expressed his concerns about the project. The federal investigation into the matter ended in June 2025, with no criminal charges filed, according to CBS News. The Texas Workforce Commission settled all fair housing complaints against the project in September, according to KERA News.
The state investigations remained active at this point, despite the federal probe's closure. The Texas Funeral Service Commission forced the mosque to end its funeral operations, which led EPIC to initiate legal action against the commission for religious burial rights.
Community Opposition and Support
During public hearings before the Collin County Commissioners Court in April, several residents spoke out against the development. KERA News reported that while some cited infrastructure concerns, others repeated unfounded stereotypes about the Muslim faith. One resident, Brenda Powell, stated at a public meeting: “I believe that Muslim belief is against the Constitution and against America and a threat to our country”.
Conversely, Yasir Qadhi told KERA News that the development aims to create an inclusive neighborhood that integrates Islamic values while serving the broader community. He emphasized that funding came entirely from future residents purchasing land shares, with no external funding.
The Name Change Strategy
Judge Chris Hill’s announcement on Facebook that EPIC City would now be called “The Meadow” included an attached diagram of the planned development. Hill stated that the group has filed or may soon file an application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and will file a plan application with Collin County.
The Murphy Monitor reported that the name change represents an attempt by developers to distance the project from months of negative publicity and political controversy. US Border News noted that opponents continue to express fears about “Sharia Law” despite the rebranding.