Shawn Williams Verified

panarama99

Do you have any examples of that?

9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Shawn Williams Verified

I get that the convention center is a black hole, but it's one that we all (Dallas, Houston, Orlando, San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta and the rest) have spent money on and deemed as necessary.

And as far as convention center walking, have you seen the Mary Kay ladies footing it to the Hyatt and the Adam's Mark? I think this is even more of a reason to put the CC hotel on the "back" side, because we need to let whatever is going on in the "city core" keep going on. I say leave the CC hotel out of the city core aspirations. Bank (literally) on residents not visitors.

9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Peter Stawicki Verified

I've been a proud Dallas-ite for 14 years and I say this in the interest of just saying it and I will get killed for it but what the heck.

Why come to Dallas? Grapevine is the best model for a Convention City that I can imagine in Texas. If I am in town for 2-3 days with a group and I am over the age of 18, Grapevine is perfect. Stay at the Gaylord - plenty to do right there. Head to the mall. Movies, shopping, skating. Head downtown - antiquing, trinket shopping, food, plays, a great walking environment. In all an amazing place to stay and a memorable experience that will bring me back to town.

Now lets go Dallas. I stay at the New Convention Center Hotel. I can go to Convention Center...... No real shopping in walking distance. No downtown shopping. There are a few Restaurants in the West End but really the life and business has left there. I can go to Dealy Plaza and the Holocaust Museum. I can't take in the Ball as thats gone. I can't take in Deep Ellum because the Dallas City Council is in the process of de-culturizing that. Bishop Street is too far away, Lower Greenville, on the decline. Mockingbird Station too far. I can however see a fair share of homeless, hookers, and drug dealers. (Thats either to the north or the south of the convention center) I can take the train so that does allow one way of traveling - mostly to areas outside Dallas like downtown Plano.

Sincerely - Isnt there a few other things we should be doing in Dallas besides trying to build a hotel to attract visitors that might never come?? Didnt we just say the Grand Hotel was on the re-invention? Do we need another Hotel?

9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Shawn Williams Verified

I worked a convention at the Gaylord a couple of months ago. There is a certain amount of cabin fever that sets in after about a day and a half.

If you come to town with your family, Grapevine is not all that bad. But for the majority of convention people that wanted to do something, they were interested in Dallas and Ft. Worth.

When I was in DC for a convention we took Metro everywhere. The mall, the airport, it was great. Many folks coming in from out of town have no problem with the train. They just need to know where to go.

Most of the attendees complained about being out to far in Grapevine. Dallas can compete with the Gaylord if we get a hotel on site.

8 months, 4 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rees Bowen Verified

I think the hotel located out side of the downtown core is a mistake. Particularly due to the fact that there is such a disconnect between the "South-side" and downtown. The most beneficial plan would be to rework the "Canyon," which I understand will happen, although this will take quite sometime. I think the best location for a hotel would be the x-federal reserve building across from the convention center closer to downtown's core.

8 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )