Sunday, May 10, 2009

Proposition One victory reinforces my decision to move to Dallas

By Shawn Williams of Dallas South

Tell us your story

Comments (44)

Artist's rendering of Dallas Convention Hotel.

DALLAS — I specifically remember being glued to the television on May 2, 1998, tracking the results of the City of Dallas bond vote from my Irving apartment. I watched with anticipation as Dallas voters went to the polls to vote up or down on a number of propositions, including whether to issue $246 million of bonds for the Trinity River Project. This included funds that would be used to build the American Airlines Center.

I had attended a number of meetings about the Trinity plans, and saved newspaper clippings detailing the need for bridge replacements from some of the roads spanning our fair creek. While 10 other bond propositions passed with relative ease, the Trinity funds were narrowly approved 51.6 to 48.4.

It was then that I made the decision that I wanted to move to Dallas. It just didn’t seem right to leave civic issues that I cared about most (and that I felt most affected me and my family) up to others to decide. I wanted to be a part of the process, I wanted to cast my vote. So, on Saturday, there was another big city vote that would be added to voting for Craig Watkins as Dallas County D.A. and for the Billion dollar civic improvement package a few years ago.

This time, I did a little more than cast my vote. I generally prefer to put out the facts -as I see them- and let them stand. About a month ago I urged the “Vote No” folks to turn up the heat and start reaching out to Southern Dallas. But then I was inspired by the refrain of the R.I.P. Dallas commercial which said “This is Our City.”

I thought about the fact this is was why I moved to Dallas in the first place. To try to make a difference on issues that I feel matter most.

There were people on both sides of the hotel debate that worked hard for the issue who don’t live in Dallas. As I understand it, a Highland Park resident spent $5 million of his own money to see the the convention center hotel was not built. (Speaking of which, can anyone who supported “Vote Yes” on so called merit explain why The Hilton Anatole -as reported this morning by Steve Blow- withdrew from the Dallas Visitors and Convention Bureau last month?)

But when you live here the stakes really are higher. I can’t imagine going to any of the suburbs and getting intimately involved in one of their municipal elections. Helping out a candidate I know maybe, but a municipal manor, not hardly.

More in politics

See more

But this is Dallas, and it’s different.

When my friend Coop and I walked into Gilley’s for the Vote No watch party much of the major celebrating had already taken place. We were a little late after spending most of the night at Tejano with our friend Casey Thomas who’d had a tough evening, but the energy on Lamar was still high.

The first person I saw when I got off the stairs was the Honorable Dwaine Caraway. We both smiled and I told him how I saw him campaigning person to person for Vote No in the Home Depot parking lot last Sunday.

There were hugs all around, one each from Veronica Torres and Cheryl Richard of the Callas Convention and Visitors Bureau. A bear hug from John Scovell whose Woodbine company runs the Hyatt Regency Dallas. And a hearty congratulations to Jack Matthews and his Matthews Southwest Company that is developing the new property.

RIP Dallas was in full effect and were thoroughly excited about their part in the win. Mike Davis and I huddled for a moment discussing what this will mean for the city as well as the grassroots effort that came together in the last minute that pushed Vote No over the top. My friend, who is not a Dallas resident, had a chance to see the people who’d been in the news up close and personal at this open event.

Think about it. The margin of “victory” was about 2,000 votes. That means if 1,000 people change their vote it goes the other way. Without question the combination of RIP Dallas, Enough is Enough, and the Southern Dallas push made the difference.

I’ve trolled a few of the usual sites this morning to see the haters still hating and predicting doom for D-Town. But guess what….Dallas is still here.

We -the citizens of Dallas- are on the verge of making Dallas the best city that it can be. The tendency in the past has always been a desire to be “the next Chicago” or “A Southern New York.” We tout how we have the “biggest this” or “the most that.” But we should keep our eyes . So we’re about to be the only city in the world that has four buildings within one contiguous block designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize winners. So what?

The haters will keep their eyes focus on what we don’t have, and I know full well Dallas is not perfect. But we don’t have to feel like we have to compare ourselves to other great cities, our suburban brethren or our good buddies in Ft. Worth.

Ft. Worth has a great downtown, I get it. Arlington has the Rangers and the Boys, I know. But Dallas, just be Dallas.

Let’s accentuate our positives: Great rail service, a booming arts scene, and our first public university. Let’s eliminate our negatives, such as the lack of downtown retail and poor schools. There’s nothing wrong with trying to use a hotel and the entertainment that will surround it to augment our city.

We don’t have to apologize to anyone. Our city is great in its own right and everyday the people of Dallas add to that greatness. I believe that a convention center hotel will also add to that greatness. I hope that it allows more people to see the greatness of Dallas and the rest of the North Texas region. And I hope more people will choose to move to Dallas to become part of the solution rather than pointing out the problems.

Pegasus News content partner - Dallas South
Shawn Williams publishes Dallas South Blog; his e-mail address is shawn@dallassouthblog.com.

See more stories in:

Comments

monogodo Anonymous

Whatever.

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

Catbird Anonymous

Spoken like a person who believes that he/she won’t have to pay the price. The vote yea people are really quite foolish.

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

Chris Kidd Verified

Shawn, I agree to disagree. I think a city-funded hotel isnt going to put Dallas on the map when it comes to convention business, that comes from a city that can embrace itsself and makes use of its resources, which dallas hasnt been to successful with recently (See: victory park, west end, deep ellum, ect..). I dont really trust your heroes on the city council(esp. Dwane Droopy Drawers) to get this thing done right, as we've had issues w/ the trintiy project as of late. In all actuality, this was a really a vote for confidence in Mayor Tom and his administration. I, myself, voted this thing down because its a bad idea. Im not dead set against a hotel/entertainment district, im all for it. I just dont think my tax dollars should be going towards it.

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

burlyqueen Anonymous

"The tendency in the past has always been a desire to be 'the next Chicago' or 'A Southern New York.'"

Ummm...I don't think so. Dallas will NEVER be the next Chicago or the next NY. They are "big" cities and they have been for over a century. Dallas has a lot of catching up to do.

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

Jason Rice Verified

::next Chicago or the next NY

The last ones are ok, but they're only worth visiting. Wouldn't want to live there..... ok maybe Chicago for the theater, but not the mafia politics. (Ick!)

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

Michael Davis Verified

I am appreciative of the things Crow has done in this city, but I just didn't think we should change the city charter for the benefit of one company.

I think Dallas is a great city and some that live here think "Dallas has nothing see or do." I disagree. In the last week I went hiking within the city limits, hung out in the Cedars, and will visit Nasher in the next couple of weeks. Many travelers see it as I do and feel Dallas is a great place to visit. There's lots to do here if you look.

The hotel is an investment into our city, and I feel it's a good one.

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

alexander troup Verified

Burlyqueen has a very profound and yet a standard statement I have heard for over 25 years....while what makes this the North Texas city as a center,such has a history to form a base on..Red Clay and Black Waxy...

Chicago has been not only a city of opportunity that also had to mask a facade for confussion and corruption,it is an old ethnic city...a bus stop, as Dallas has also become...

One thing I did not do this term,was to get my check in the mail to vote...NO.for the Hotel, while my house is still intacted...For the moment,

While what makes Big City.. difficult towns to live in is taxes, and Dallas was a neat place to live in without tax worry....30 years ago, and that is past history.. while...quality of life, now who is going to write or dictate that story for Dallas...today....ok, you got your hotel, the economey is down but wait...did any one go to that site over the week..come on lets look at the prime space.....I did and it is red clay and possible the worst time to build...so, Karma, Taxes and Dallas history is being made..TODAY....until then...A/T,...Build on a better tax base..Then just good old red clay....

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

alexander troup Verified

Chicago has been not only a city of opportunity that also had to mask a facade for confussion and corruption,it is an old ethnic city...a bus stop, as Dallas has also become...

One thing I did not do this term,was to get my check in the mail to vote...NO.for the Hotel, while my house is still intacted...For the moment,

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

lakewoodhobo Anonymous

Amen, brother. This city has a vision for greatness that many other cities lack. I've lived in El Paso, San Antonio and Austin, and none of those cities have the collective desire or entrepreneurial spirit that we have here (and yes, I do love Austin for its music and its quirkiness).

To achieve greatness, one must take risks. A taxpayer owned hotel is a huge risk, but one we must take if we want to get to that next level.

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

Michael Anderson Verified

I couldn't agree with you more, Michael, that Dallas is a great city and has plenty to see or do if you make the effort.

And I agree that amending the city charter was an extreme measure to take, but I reluctantly voted in favor of doing so because, while I feel that Dallas needs a convention center hotel, I just wasn't convinced from everything I read that the deal the city reached was a good one.

That being said, now that the votes have been counted, I sincerely hope I will be proven wrong and you will be proven right and the hotel deal as structured will turn out to be a good investment. I'm all for putting this behind us and moving forward to make Dallas the best city it can be.

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

alexander troup Verified

The Lakewood Hobo is a new man on the block, what other forms of wisdom can we learn, oh great one.....A/T, New blood...

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

Pavel Lishin Verified

Dallas does seem to have a vision for greatness, but like a lot of things here, it seems to be taking an artificial approach to getting there.

It's a fancy cargo cult culture we've got here.

Also, despite drinking free beer and snagging a shirt, I didn't vote on Saturday. Turns out that posting random comments when you're bored at work doesn't really do a great job on education you on the issues, and I'm pretty sure I can't blame a retrospectively wrong vote on pregnant chads or Nader.

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

Travis Bush Verified

If the private sector were interested, some conglomerate or investment group would have stepped up to the plate and built the hotel. Since that didn't happen, I think Dallas has done the right thing and only time will tell. Assuming the Chamber of Commerce and Convention Bureau work hard to keep the hotel full, all we can do is welcome the initial influx of jobs and money into the economy and see how the cards fall.

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

alexander troup Verified

Vision and Greatness are the pride and grandure of a community or Civilization,and if you stand away and observe, that is the great thing we do see, while having to go live,serve and slave on the inside and pay is another note, with your blood and taxes,...

While why pay for the same Real estate twice, In life for 3 decades for a generation of fools or possible great folks.......A/T, The real things stay in life and they dont eat Crows...

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

John McClelland Verified

And votes like this solidified my decision to leave Dallas. Well, that and an affordable home.

I am all for some socialism now and again, but a hotel? Come on. Really? This wasn't your run of the mill bail out. This is being built from the ground up. And something tells me, based on the horrible mismanagement of most city projects in Dallas, this hotel won't be the success everyone is pinning on it. Trinity Project anyone?

Shawn is right. Dallas really IS different. And until they take their head out of you know where, they will continue to lag behind every other metro area in the country.

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

Billusa99 Anonymous

Socialism is a centrally planned economy in which the government controls the means of production. Private property and the distribution of income are subject to cental control and it includes the political movements necessary to putting that system into practice.

Funding a convention hotel is nowhere even close to "socialism." (And I voted yes.)

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

Michael Davis Verified

Glad to see that some people are trying to move forward since the vote is over.

John,I'd be curious to know how Dallas "lags behind every other metro in the country." The city is certainly not lagging every other metro in terms of affordable housing, job growth, corporate relocations, resident growth rate, things to do, places to eat, the arts, and things of that nature.

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

Pavel Lishin Verified

Not sure what the definition of metro is, but I'd love to live in a place where public transportation isn't a joke.

I guess I don't use it much, so maybe I'm doing it wrong, but why did Dart's trip planner try to take me on a scenic tour of Garland when I needed to go from Addison Transit Center to 635/75?

I'm still spoiled from Moscow, San Francisco, New York, and to some degree Chicago.

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

Robert Kelly Verified

Michael- I think Plano WAY outstrips Dallas in corporate relocations and job growth over the past 10 years. While we do see some ancillary benefits, I don't see the City of Dallas doing that spectacular of a job.

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

rinea Anonymous

Pavel, I used to use public transportation to get everywhere and it's not that bad once you get used to it. The only problem is that it takes 2 hours to get anywhere... no matter if it would have been a 10 minute drive or a 30 minute drive. But I know that they are adding in two new rail lines which might improve things a bit - http://www.dart.org/about/expansion/e...

As for the hotel: meh, I live in Richardson.

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

Rawlins Gilliland Verified

Shawn Williams has more sense than I have dollars. That's why I read his blog and consider his points of view. They are not doctrinaire or emotional. They're reasoned and reasonable.

Per his belief in Mayor Leppert: People who believe that Tom Leppert is the latest in a long line of cadaverous old white guys hand picked to run Dallas after being anointed somewhere between the Park Cities and Brookhollow Country Club are probably mistaken. I was when I opposed him in the Mayor's race.

I am convinced by now that Mayor Leppert is doing his best to do his best for Dallas w/o any private agenda. And he seems to have a working sense of this city's functioning DNA which is not something one can just wake up one day and 'get'. Dallas looks simple on the first view and then gets more complicated than editing a Braille physics brochure if you fly by the seat of your Dallas resident / political pants.

As that old song goes, "You better move on......" I'm ready.

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

Michael Davis Verified

Robert: Plano is great for people that want to live in a suburb. I like being in a big city, and I'm glad to be a Dallas resident.

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

alexander troup Verified

I am glad, I can remain after this election...and escaped the Mayor's labatomy...A/T, Life without taxes in Texas is impossible...

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

Robert Kelly Verified

I'm with ya Michael. I just wish our city government acted more like some of these smaller cities when pursuing opportunities for job growth, especially in the southern sector.

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

dgonzalez201 Anonymous

I just don't quite get it you guys. Why would we think a hotel is going to be successful when NO private businesses/developers (which are everywhere in this town) was willing to take the risk to build it? When was the last time the government was a smarter risk evaluator than the private sector? Or a more efficient owner?

Generally, bad things happen when a government controls an enterprise that is generally private. I'm not sure how this is going to be different.

Besides, why would you want to schedule a convention in downtown Dallas? Ft. Worth has a better 'western' vibe. Houston has a more lively downtown. Chicago has the Gold Coast, Michigan Ave. and the lake (and mass transit to get to all of them). Vegas has...well, Vegas is Vegas.

Yes, we all like to go out in The Cedars and around Bishop Ave. I personally love Henderson Ave. and the things happening there. When we needed more room, we consciously stayed in the city limits when we moved farther out. But those things don't a convention make. I'm in the entertainment business. Our biggest convention draw (for anything other than Mary Kay and the AHA) are the gentlemen's clubs we pretend we don't have.

I'm from Oak Cliff and East Dallas. I love this city. I just wish we'd focus on schools, long term job development for South Dallas and our infrastructure. We always hit for the fences with 'grand plans' but never take care of the basics.

That said, to Michael's point (and Angela's Sunday), it's time to move on from this fight. I'll keep fighting against developer boondoggles (yep; they'll be another), but we'll do what we can to make the hotel as successful as possible...whatever that may look like.

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

Michael Davis Verified

"Why would we think a hotel is going to be successful when NO private businesses/developers (which are everywhere in this town) was willing to take the risk to build it?"

I answered this question in my blog post on here as well as my blog.

The answer is twofold: The city can get a lower interest rate than a private company. The profit threshold % for private industry and their cost of capital is different than the city.

Also, the city cares about the overall tax base as well as the economic impact and revenue generated, which is something a private developer doesn't care about. It’s that simple.

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

Robert Kelly Verified

It has to be a mighty low interest rate to make up for paying 42 million for a parcel of land previously valued at 7.5 million.

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

Michael Davis Verified

You mean previously "DCAD valued." Everybody in real estate knows that DCAD is not a reliable value for commercial buildings. There have been many news stories on that topic.

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

Robert Kelly Verified

I don't pretend to be all that knowledgeable about real estate, but I do know when you have a disparity that large, there is a problem with valuation or negotiation. So in this instance either the government screwed up or the government screwed up. Now we have voted this hotel in, and I sure hope it works out, but we have started out the process as losers on one end or the other. I hope it doesn't continue that way, but time will tell I guess.

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

Scot Walker Verified

" the private sector were interested, some conglomerate or investment group would have stepped up to the plate and built the hotel."

Correction, if some private group thought it was profitable, they would have stepped up to the plate. It's not going to be profitable, and the losses will be passed onto the taxpayers.

I'd glad I live in Plano, though this city has had no problem with giving millions of our money to private developers either.

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

Shawn Williams Verified

It's been a while since I've stirred it up like this around here. Let me just say that it would be great if all municipalities had to do is just sit back and wait for the dollars to come rolling in. That's not how America works. America gave away land to individuals (did black folks get any of that) via land grant and let people work it. It's been there from the start.

Ft. Worth gave millions of dollars in incentives to Omni for their hotel that they will never get back. That's cool, I think it's great. They're investment will be rewarded in Feb. 06 when the AFC Championship Team walks through the door for the Super Bowl.

To say that because the private sector won't go it alone means it's a bad deal is so short sighted. Has anyone ever used a friends corporate discount and then paid it back? A few things can happen in this scenario:

Friend A buys good for Friend B, gives it to him or her and never gets paid back.

Friend A buys good for Friend B, and Friend B decides they didn't want it. Friend A is stuck.

Friend A buys good for Friend B, gives it to them in exchange for the price that they bought it.

Friend A buys good for Friend B, charges a little above their discount for the trouble and makes a few bucks. Friend A still got it for less than market.

There is risk in every scenario, but you hope for Scenario 3 & 4. It's not for everybody, but the truth is it takes tax dollars to push a city. If municipalities stopped courting businesses and everyone had to pay for their services with property taxes, the moaning and complaining would never end.

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

Scot Walker Verified

"Let me just say that it would be great if all municipalities had to do is just sit back and wait for the dollars to come rolling in. That's not how America works"

No, that's how the monarchy we fled works. ;)

And now that the government is stepping into the hotel business, it is competing with the private sector and the private sector doesn't have the advantage of being able to run at a perpetual loss like this project will, with the taxpayer picking up the tab.

There is a segment of the country's planning departments that can't understand why THEIR vision of what should be built isn't successful. They think, well, gee, I'm enlightened and they are all barbarians and if we JUST BUILD IT THEY WILL COME.

That never works. So governments spend millions of dollars that they get from us on various projects that THEY think are important. It never ever works.

What happened at Victory Park? Somebody who watched a few too many episodes of Sex and the City built a development that THEY wanted versus what there is demand for. So they threw millions into a rat hole and those same people are scratching their head wondering why nobody goes there.

It should be a law that the planning department heads need to put a percent of their own money into these projects. If you think it's such a good deal, invest some of your own money.

Plano has been doing the same thing with "Downtown Plano" for years. They want an urban nirvana and can't figure out why thousands of people don't flock to Downtown Plano, but go to Stonebriar instead. "We'll spend millions renovating this performing arts theatre and they will come!" They didn't. "We will spend ~$60 million every single year on DART and these light rail stations and they will come!" They didn't. "We will spend millions on housing projects and people will buy town homes in this urban nirvana and they will come!" Half of them are unsold.

"To say that because the private sector won't go it alone means it's a bad deal is so short sighted."

They won't go it alone because they don't feel it's profitable. If they believed they would make a lot of money doing it, they would.

We have corporate discounts. They are called tax abatements. That's not what this is.

"It's not for everybody, but the truth is it takes tax dollars to push a city. "

Again, this is going to lose tax dollars, not create tax revenue.

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

alexander troup Verified

There is a real story here, while the bar tender over at the West End said they brought bus loads of folks out to vote, from the West End....you know what...this is the little Chicago on the Trinity....A/T, My uncle could be your God father...Al Capone...great hamburgers sold at the Convention center...

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

alexander troup Verified

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

alexander troup Verified

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

Scot Walker Verified

The Lexington Hotel, Capone's headquarters? :)

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

Jason Rice Verified

Lexington. Nice place. Easy access to the "El"

They were redecorating the bar last year.

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

alexander troup Verified

Or the L bar.....and the... C...LAUNDRY AND STARCH CLUB.....just modify what good old chicago dudes do...show off and brag with well armed guards.....A/T,..GOT A MUG SHOT....

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

Jason Rice Verified

Scot - I've got to take issue with the critique of the Downtown Plano effort. Three years ago when we first started officing down there (yes, believe it or not, to some people that is "down there") is was a ghost town starting at about 4:30 every day. Parking was trivial. The spot in front of the office, nay 10 spots, nay I say even 25 spots nearest the office were open. Nowadays, if you're not down there before 6 and grab dinner, you will be parking a couple of blocks away for rehearsals. That's weekdays.

There's still adequate good parking, but it is a lively place ALL WEEK LONG. Weekends are better, but not bowling people over yet.

I think it's working. Is it a dollar-for-dollar payout yet? Not really, but two more years at this rate....definitely.

As for the performing arts center. I'm totally biased and dependent on it, so I'll just point out two data points: 1. Most communities accept a loss on public arts. Movies make money. Art makes communities. 2. The CEO of Boeing cited the lack of a large arts center (e.g. Eisemann) as a reason NOT to relocate to Plano. This is a battle cry of the Arts of Collin County folks (not a project that benefits our kind of works, but we support it the same). So there is anecdotal support for the investments.

Public arts are always on the chopping block, and totally tangential to a Convention Hotel, although I've heard similar "relocation debacle" anecdotes that "XYZ wouldn't bring their convention/headquarters/mother-in-law/favorite schnauzer to Dallas since it didn't have one". I'm sure there are some valid ones.

I'm only glad I didn't have anything to do with that squabble down yonder. The hotel decision may have confirmed some folks Dallas move, but the cat fight certainly confirmed my Plano one. ;o)

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

Robert Politano Verified

I've been sitting on the fence on this topic now for quite some time. Now I too am all for the City of Dallas trying to expand in the hotel/convention/entertainment sector that makes a big city great, but NOT at the expense of the tax payers, who more than likely will be footing a big chunk of the bill to build this hotel, which is shameful. If mayor Tom and his beloved city management were so determined to build this thing, then they should have campaigned like crazy, to get the private sector to foot the bill, instead of focusing so much time by sending me and thousands of others in this city, all of the junk mail related to this project. As much as I have loved living in this city and calling it my home for many years now, this latest stunt by city management once again proves that they (like our national government) needed to have their egos filled, at the expense of tax payers, myself being one of them. PLEASE!!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!

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

Jason Rice Verified

Robert! Robert!

Listen! The 'burbs are calling you Robert.

Robert! You'd be a great neighbor Robert!

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

Travis Bush Verified

As if you're going to lower the drawbridge...ya right!

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

Scot Walker Verified

Jason,

I used to act on stage in San Francisco and love performing arts theaters. However, we are a tiny number of people and cannot sustain a district like downtown Plano alone. My point was not to say Plano shouldn't spend any money on the arts, it was to point out that the argument "We should build this and it will revitalize downtown Plano" is flawed.

If a private company doesn't think they will be profitable putting a project in a certain spot with their own money, it's likely not going to be profitable after putting tax payer money into it.

People aren't going to go to some destination just because a few individuals in city hall sunk a few million into the project.

The tax revenue generated from these projects is minimal because the city gives the developers tax abatements to get the project built in the first place.

In regards Boeing, I don't doubt your honesty about the CEO making a comment, however I think the idea that a performing arts theatre has any significance on a decision of where to relocate is nothing compared to the millions in incentives and tax breaks offered by cities and states.

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

Jason Rice Verified

::I used to act on stage in San Francisco

And you're not on my mailing list?

We GOTTA talk. Seriously. Do you what the pelt of a right-wing actor goes for?

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

Find...

an event	a Pegasus Pick
a restaurant	a garage sale
a drink special	a movie showtime
local music	an organization
a job	a political contribution
a house	a deal
a pet	photos

Add...

an event	a garage sale
a lost pet	a band
a story	a photo

Latest Outbursts

See more recent outbursts

Today

Fall 2009 Dinner With Dialogue Series Eating "sustainably" -- without harming animals, farm workers, or the environment -- will be the topic at this dinner at Celebration restaurant, with author Pamela Walker plus Michael and Debby Sams of Full Quiver Farms from Kemp, Texas. More info

Blogs

In which my cynicism about Dallas County taxes is proven at least partially wrong
Square Pegs
Holly in Dallas turns red in October
Square Pegs
Reality show sellers looking for lonely lovely legal lasses
Square Pegs

Latest comments

www1Reventcom on Concert review: Snoop Dogg at House of Blues (November 8): so what about the show lady lol....
ROCKN on Lewisville resident breaks Guinness World Record for longest drum roll: We all played that long. It started with about 50 drummers after the first few hours about half the ...
Interestedcitizen5 on Group gathers to protest gay rights votes in Maine and Washington: The right of a woman to vote was added by constitutional amendment, approved by the legislatures of ...
adkim on Ethics of Food panel stirs it up on Friday at Dallas Institute of Humanities: amen, donna....

See more recent comments

Latest reviews

cindyallentx on India West Fine Dining & Lounge: I went to this restaurant last friday had a wonderful experience. Love the low light romantic feel o...
jognmcdermott on India West Fine Dining & Lounge: This place has it all good food sweet service. I proposed to my fiance here it was perfect! we loved...
Billusa99 on Pappas Bros. Steak House: Agent 99 and I had dinner here last week for our anniversary and it was stellar! The somm. we had re...

See more recent reviews