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WE GOOD MORNING.[Dallas Park and Recreation Board on October 9, 2025.]
OUR DALLASCONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW VICE CHAIR.
AND I THINK WE WILL HAVE, UH,
WE'LL HAVE QUITE A FEW NEW BOARD MEMBERS EXCITED TO SEE THE NEW ENERGY, BUT WE'LL KEEP ON, UH, MAKING, UH, THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WE HAVE IT.
WITH THAT, I THINK COUPLE OF COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS I'LL MAKE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF ALL NEW BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK OUR ADMIN AND FINANCE WILL BE CHAIRED BY MR. SCOTT GOLDSTEIN.
MR. GOLDSTEIN, GET US THE MONEY.
AND, UH, MR. GU, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AS A VICE CHAIR.
TRULY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS COUNTED ON YOU AND YOU ARE AMAZING.
AND NOW GOING, UH, MR. VERTA IS GOING TO CHAIR, UH, DESIGN AND PLANNING.
SO THANK FORWARD WE WILL BE SHUFFLING ALL THE COMMITTEES WITH SO MANY CHANGES, WHICH WILL DO THIS WEEK, AND THEN ALSO THE FRIENDS GROUP, WHICH MIGHT HAPPEN THE WEEK, UH, UH, LATER.
IF THERE ARE ANY PREFERENCES, PLEASE REACH OUT.
I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY TOO.
WITH THAT, UH, FIRST POINT OF BUSINESS PUBLIC SPEAKER, MADAM SECRETARY, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA READ THE GUIDELINES FOR OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
ONLY ANY SPEAKER WHO MAKES PERSONAL PERTINENT PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE PARK BOARD WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. KIM SMITH.
AND MR. SMITH, IF YOU COULD SIT AT THE TABLE.
BEFORE I START MY REMARKS, I LET, JUST LET EVERYONE TO KNOW I WOKE UP WITH SPASMS IN MY NECK, SO I'M REALLY HOPING I DON'T HAVE A SPASM WHILE I SPEAK.
I'M PRESIDENT OF REVITALIZED SOUTH DALLAS COALITION.
IT IS A 13 YEAR NONPROFIT AT CHAMPIONS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH DALLAS ON HERE PARK.
I'M A FORMER CITY EMPLOYEE BACK IN THE EIGHTIES WHERE WE INITIATED THE BROADCASTING OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON, ON THE TELEVISION WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH WARNER AMEX.
I SERVED AS THE CITY'S MOTION PICTURE LIAISON WITH THE TEXAS FILM COMMISSION.
I ALSO PRODUCED A VARIETY SERIES ON PBS WITH ACTORS OIE DAVIS AND
AND I SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF FOR COMMUNICATIONS FOR BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AND GROUP AND, UH, UH, GEER PERMANENTE IN TEXAS, AND SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF FAIR PARK TEXAS FOUNDATION, UH, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE BIDS, UH, LAW TEAM WAS UP WITH CHAIR.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH CITY HALL FAIR PARK PRIVATIZATION PROCESS IN SOUTH DALLAS COMMUNITY AND FEEL QUALIFIED TO SPEAK OF FAIR PARK REVITALIZATION STRATEGIES THAT BRETT AND RYAN WILL BRIEF YOU ON LATER TODAY.
DURING THE PRIVATIZATION PROCESS IN 2018, I WROTE AND SPOKE WITH CITY COUNCIL AND PARK BOARD OUTLINING MANY ISSUES THAT DIRECT THE INTEGRITY AND EXECUTION OF THE PROCESS.
I MADE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS, BUT THEY WERE NOT, UH, PAID ATTENTION TO.
THEN THE EFFORT COLLAPSED, LEAVING FAIR PARK IN WORSE CONDITION BECAUSE OF FISCAL MISMANAGEMENT, FULLY RIDDEN CONTRACTS, BROKEN PROMISES, RECAL PARTNERS AND NEGLECT.
THE PARK FINDS ITSELF IN THE UNVIABLE POSITION TO TRY TO CREATE A NEW GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE BY DEALING WITH MISSING DATA, INCOMPLETE AUDITS, AND FACING GEARS OF LEGAL BATTLES.
THERE IS LEGITIMATE WORK FOR THE PARK DEPARTMENT TO DO IN THE, UH, MEANTIME AND TO BUILD LOST MUSCLE MEMORY AND TO RESTORE TRUST IN THE PROCESS.
THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I CAN SAY TODAY.
BUT AS YOU DEVELOP OUR THREE TO FIVE YEAR PLANS, PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THIS TIME.
A FEW OF THEM ARE BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG DURING THE PRIVA DECISION PROCESS.
NAME WHO IS OR WAS ACCOUNTABLE, AND OUTLINE YOUR CORRECTIVE MEASURES.
TELL THE TRUTH, APOLOGIZE TO THE SOUTH DALLAS RESIDENTS, SPECIFICALLY, OWN THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE CLEAR NEXT STEPS.
DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION PLAN THAT EXPLAINS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S NEW DIRECTION.
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VET ALL CONTRACTORS BASED SOLELY ON MERIT AND THE ABILITY TO PERFORM THE WORK AFFORDABLY.OUTLINE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES THAT BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH DALLAS AREA OUTSIDE THE BEAR PARK.
GATES GIVE SOUTH DALLAS RESIDENTS A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
SO THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS AND HELPING TO SHAPE IT INSTEAD OF RUBBING RUBBER STAMPING DECISIONS THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE.
EMPHASIZE THE CONTRACTING ETHICS.
UM, PARTNER WITH SOUTH DALLAS BUSINESSES AND CULTURAL GROUPS TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES.
MAKES FAIR PARK A FILM PRODUCTION CENTER.
PARTNERED WITH THE FILM LIAISON, THE TEXAS FILM COMMISSION.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
THERE IS A MOVIE STUDIO AT SOUTH DALLAS, OMA OMAR, UH, WITH JACK MATTHEWS.
AND FOUR FOREST AND D TRIPLE CD ALL HAVE MOTION PICTURE PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AT FAIR PARK ON
FI U IS A SIXTH LANE ROAD IS ALMOST LIKE A, THERE'S NO WAY TO SAFELY WALK ACROSS THE STREET TO GET THERE, BUT ALL WE NEED IS THOSE CROSSWALKS AND SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE SAME FOOT FOOTPRINT AROUND FAIR PARK.
THERE'S $20 MILLION PUT INTO MARTIN LUTHER KING FROM THE PARK TRANSPORTATION RIGHT AT THE, THE CORNER OF, UH, MARTIN LUTHER, THE KING AND ROBERT COLUM.
SO JOIN WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING, LEARN WHAT IS, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE WILL HELP YOU AND SHARE A FEW PLANS THAT WE KNOW, SO THIS BECOMES A TRUE PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL SUCCEED.
TELL HIM WHAT HIGH SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATED FROM, UH, YOUR HIGH SCHOOL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DOUG MONTGOMERY.
I THINK THAT THE, UH, CITY TAKING OVER IS THE PARK, PARK TAKING OVER PARK IS JUST A STUPENDOUS IDEA.
I THINK IT, I LIVE AT, UH, MY NAME IS DOUG MONTGOMERY.
I LIVE AT 61 25 MARTEL IN DALLAS.
MY PARK REP IS, UH, RUDY GREEN.
I SEE THE STATE FAIR AND FAIR PARK AS TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
I'M INTERESTED IN THE PARK ASPECT.
NOT LONG AGO, MY WIFE, WHO'S NOT FROM DALLAS, WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE OLD NUCLEAR, UH, SHELTERS IN THE CITY.
THERE SOME SABER RATTLING GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
ONE OF THESE WAS THE OLD WRR BUILDING IN FAIR PARK.
WE DISCOVERED THE BUILDING WAS UNLOCKED.
WE WANDERED THROUGH THE BUILDING, REMINISCE ABOUT THE MYSTERY THEATER BROADCAST.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT THE BUILDING WAS WIDE OPEN.
I, I TOLD MY WIFE ABOUT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM.
I WONDERED WHERE THE ARTIFACTS HAD GONE.
THE DINOSAUR EGGS AND BONES AND PETRIFIED WOODS AND FOSSILS AND ARROWHEADS.
WE AS KIDS, WE USED TO GO THROUGH THERE AND JUST MARVEL IT, STUFF LIKE THAT OUTSIDE.
SO WE WANDERED OVER TO THE SCIENCE BUILDING WHERE THEY HAD SHOWN CONSTELLATIONS ON THE CEILING.
WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, EN ENTER THROUGH AN EMPTY DOOR OF AN OPEN DOOR.
IT WAS WIDE OPEN AND EMPTY EXCEPT FOR THE CARPET AND OTHER ENTRANCE AND, AND THE DEBRIS THAT HAD BEEN LEFT BEHIND.
I DID NOT GET TO THE AQUARIUM OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS.
THE HALL OF STATE AND DISCOVERY GARDENS SEEM TO HAVE IN PARTIES, HAVE REINVIGORATED.
ARE THERE ANY GROUP, OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE SHOWN INTEREST AND WE INVIGORATED THESE MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS.
WOULDN'T THIS SERVE SOME INTEREST IN USING THE PARK YEAR ROUND LIKE IT ONCE WAS? A YEARS AGO, A FEW SELECT RIDES WE'RE OPEN ON MIDWAY ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NINTH.
YOU COULD BUY A BOOK, COUPONS AND R EACH RIDE AT ONCE, GET A CORN DOG AND COTTON CANDY AND RIDE THE FER WITH, THERE WERE FUNDRAISERS FOR THE DALLAS SYMPHONY THAT GAVE OPEN AIR CONCERT IN THE
WITH THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDINGS IN PLACE, I FEEL OPPORTUNITIES ARE MANY AND FEASIBLE TO MAKE FAIR PARK APART.
AGAIN, IT'D BE A, A PERFECT COMMUNITY PART IN THAT AREA.
AND CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS.
APPROVAL OF MAINTENANCE OF SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2025.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MR. SLAUGHTER? DO I HAVE A SECOND, MR. KINI?
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AYE, I HAVE IT.DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, MR. KINI A SECOND.
UH, MR. GOLDSTEIN, ANY DISCUSSION PLEASE, MR. KINI? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE AND PERSONALLY THANK MR. JD
UH, HE'S THE PRESIDENT, CEO OF OUR TURTLE CREEK ASSOCIATION.
THIS, THIS GROUP, UH, I'LL BE HONEST WITH EVERYONE, THESE, THESE LONG-TERM AGREEMENTS, HE'S 5, 10, 15 YEAR, SOMETIMES THEY RAISE FLAGS WITH A LOT OF US, AND THEY SHOULD, BUT THIS ONE'S DIFFERENT.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR BEST PARTNERS IN TOWN.
UH, CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT IN THE CREEK.
I DARE I SAY, FOR EVERY DOLLAR THEY RAISE, 90 CENTS GOES BACK INTO THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR CREEK.
I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THIS AGREEMENT.
I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND SUPPORTING OUR TCA AND I HOPE, UH, WE ALL APPROVE.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THIS TO YOU OVER TIME.
I BELIEVE I'D LIKE TO RELATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
UH, FIRST SPEAKER, UH, MR. KEN SMITH, UH, WE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER.
THIS, THIS GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT HE STAYED WITH THAT COMMUNITY, HE STAYED WITH THAT COMMUNITY.
HE'S SUCH AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT HIM A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, UH, THANK YOU, KEN, FOR COMING DOWN.
I THINK THAT WAS PART OF CONCENTRATION, BUT IT'S ALL, ANY OTHER COMMENTS WITH THAT? ALL IN P SAY A AYE, UH, WEEPING.
UM, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT A LOT OF BEST PRACTICES, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED THOUGHTS WE'RE GONNA SHARE WITH YOU ON THIS, UH, ON THIS PRESENTATION, OF COURSE, I JOINED BY REP WILKE, WHO YOU KNOW IS THE FAIR PARK GENERAL MANAGER, AND I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR JENKIN WANTS TO, UH, MAKE SOME COMMENTS MOMENTARILY.
SO IF WE COULD GET STARTED WITH THE PRESENTATION SLIDE.
UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD INTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, OF COURSE, UM, DEVELOPING SOME NEW STRATEGIES THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO MONETIZE AND ACTIVATE THE CAMPUS IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.
SO BY WAY OF BACKGROUNDS, UM, AND TAKING A STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT, THE CITY HAS, UM, BEEN INVOLVED WITH FAIR PARK FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WE ALL KNOW IT'S OUR SECOND PARK IN DALLAS.
AND THE CITY HAS DIRECTLY OPERATED FROM THE PERIOD OF THE 1980S ALL THE WAY UNTIL 2019.
SO, UM, WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT, UH, MANAGEMENT MODELS AT THE PARK.
OF COURSE, THERE WAS THE GOVERNMENT MODEL, WHICH, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE PARK TO PARK THAT DID EVERYTHING OUT THERE.
THEN OF COURSE, WE HAD THE PRIVATIZATION MODEL.
WE HAD THE ONE OPERATOR WHO ATTEMPTED TO PULL IN.
ALL THE PARTNERS, OPERATE EVERYTHING.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT OCCURRED THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT, THAT BOTH MODELS HAD THEIR UPSIDES AND DOWNSIDES, YOU KNOW, THEIR BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS.
BUT THERE'S A NEED TO REIMAGINE HOW FAIR PARK NOT ONLY OPERATES, BUT HOW IT'S ACTIVATED FOR THE COMMUNITY AND REGION, AND THE TYPES OF ATTRACTIONS AND AMENITIES THAT DRAW PEOPLE TO THE PARK ALL WHILE FOCUSED ON BEING FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE.
WE, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY SUCCESSFUL PARTNERS ON THE CAMPUS.
AND, UM, ONE OF OUR FORMER CITY COLLEAGUES HAD A REALLY INTERESTING, AND I THOUGHT THOUGHTFUL, UM, OP-ED, UH, IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, SO RECENTLY TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE STATE FAIR AND HOW THEY ARE A REAL ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO FAIR PARK.
THE OTHER THING TO, TO RECOGNIZE IS
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THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE A NONPROFIT OR QUASI GOVERNMENTAL OPERATING MODEL MAY ORGANICALLY DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT 2, 3, 5 YEARS, WE CAN'T WAIT.YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO IMPLEMENT CHANGE NOW SO THAT THE PARK CAN BE A THRIVING COMMUNITY ASSET AND ECONOMIC ASSET TO THE CITY.
OKAY, SO GETTING INTO THE OPERATIONS MODEL THAT, I'M SORRY, BACK ONE MORE PLEASE.
THE SLIDE IS TITLE OF OPERATIONS MODEL SLIDE.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING, UM, A HYBRID MODEL.
SO THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, INVOLVES UTILIZING THE THINGS THAT WERE WORKING WELL WITH CITY MANAGEMENT AND THE THINGS THAT WERE WORKING WELL WITH PRIVATE MANAGEMENT, TRYING TO MARRY THOSE TO THE BEST DEGREE POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY RETAINING DIRECT CONTROL OF OVERALL CAMPUS OPERATIONS, BUT PIECING IT OUT IN CERTAIN WAYS.
ONE ELEMENT, UTILIZING DALLAS PARK AND REC TO PERFORM THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN REALLY DO WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE EFFECTIVELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
THOSE THINGS LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, UH, FACILITY MAINTENANCE, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IMPLEMENTATIONS, AND DELIVERING, UM, YOU KNOW, LOCAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
MEANWHILE, WORKING VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH, WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT WE KNOW, UM, HAVE EXPERTISE TO DO THINGS REALLY WELL THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE.
AND THAT'S A REAL PIVOT FROM HOW THE CITY OPERATED THE PARK IN THE PAST.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED, UM, PRIVATE EXPERTS TO HELP US WITH SALES, BOOKING, MARKETING, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, PARKING, SECURITY, SPONSORSHIP, AND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UM, ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF FAIR PARK, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO PARTNER WITH PRIVATE EXPERTS TO DO THAT.
AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE, THE THIRD LAYER OF THE STOOL, IF YOU WILL, IS TO UTILIZE NON-PROFITS TO LEVERAGE CITY FUNDING THROUGH PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY AND THIRD PARTY FUNDING.
THAT COULD OVER TIME, AGAIN, IN AN ORGANIC WAY, ASSUME OPERATIONS FOR, FOR SPECIFIC MOTIONS.
PIVOTING TO OUR REVITALIZATION STRATEGY.
SO TO REVITALIZE THE PARK AND MAXIMIZE ITS POTENTIAL, IT'S A KEY ASSET FOR THE CITY, A PARK FOR THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL RESIDENTS TO ENJOY.
AND IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINE, WHICH FAIR PARK VERY MUCH CAN BE FOR THE STATE REGION, CITY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
WE PROPOSED ARE FIVE PILLARS FOR FAIR PARK.
SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE FIVE PILLARS THERE.
I'M NOT GONNA READ 'EM VERBATIM, BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT MAXIMIZING THE, THE CAMPUS PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE.
WE'VE GOT TO GET REGULARLY RECURRING AND SEASONAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT CREATE SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS IN THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO DRAW LARGE CAMPUS ACTIVATIONS.
WE NEED TO PURSUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE NEED TO DEVELOP AND NURTURE NONPROFITS FOR THE REASONS THAT I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.
SO DRILLING INTO EACH OF THE PILLARS MORE SPECIFICALLY.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT, GREAT PARTNERS ON THE CAMPUS AND IT'S UNIQUE.
THERE'S NOT MANY PLACES IN THE STATE OR IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE A COLLECTION OF SUCCESSFUL PARTNERS LIKE WE HAVE ON THE CAMPUS.
WE NEED TO LEAN INTO THAT STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, BROADWAY, DALLAS, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'VE CREATED SUCCESS FOR THE CAMPUS.
AND WE NEED TO REALLY, AGAIN, LEAN INTO THEIR EXPERTISE.
UM, BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THAT TOO FREQUENTLY, SOMETIMES THOSE INSTITUTIONS KIND OF OPERATE AS SILOS.
AND SO A KEY STRATEGY FOR US RELATED TO THIS PILLAR IS TO DEVELOP A CORNERSTONE PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGES COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CAMPUS PARTNERS WITH JOINT PROGRAMMING, EVENTS, FESTIVALS TO DRIVE ATTENDANCE AND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, INSTEAD OF IT ALL BEING ON
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THE CITY AND OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PRIVATE EXPERTS, WE NEED TO CREATE WAYS TO, UM, COLLABORATE WITH ALL THESE PARTNERS AND HELP ALL OF US BE SUCCESSFUL AT FAIR PARK.HERE'S SOME, UH, PRETTY PICTURES.
WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THESE BUILDINGS, AND THE THING TO POINT OUT HERE, OF COURSE, IS THAT THE ATTENDANCE AT FAIR PARK ANNUALLY EXCEEDS 4 MILLION PEOPLE.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT KIND OF VOLUME, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GREATER THAN OUR FREEDOMS DO IN CLYDE WARREN PARK DIVIDES.
SO THE AMOUNT OF FOLKS THAT COME THROUGH FAIR PARK EVERY SINGLE YEAR IS HUGE, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ATTENDED PLACEMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
SECOND PILLAR, DEVELOP REGULARLY OCCURRING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
SO THE LAGOON IS KIND OF A REAL FOCAL POINT IN THE PARK.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH FAIR PARK, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S, UH, CENTRALLY LOCATED.
IT'S VERY PROMINENTLY, UM, PLACED WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND ADJACENCY TO COTTON BOWL AND OTHER AMENITIES.
AND IT'S REALLY A GREAT SITE FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS IN THE CORE OF THE PARK.
UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER WAY TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IS THROUGH OUR ATHLETIC VENUES, UM, ON THE CAMPUS.
THE COTTON BOWL AND THE COLISEUM CAN BE UTILIZED BY DISD AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M A LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
I WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN FOR LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A DALLAS HIGH SCHOOL TO PLAY, UM, A GAME IN THE COTTON BOWL.
I THINK ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ATHLETICS AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS BUILDS MEMORIES, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE PLAYERS AND FAMILIES.
AND IT'S JUST A REAL EASY WAY, UM, FOR FOLKS TO HAVE DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO FAIR PARK THROUGH OUR ATHLETIC VENUES AND EVENTS.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE PARK CAN ATTRACT SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE GOODS AND SERVICES AS RELATED ACTIVATION.
SO THE KEY STRATEGY, DEVELOP RECURRING PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS SUCH AS MOVIE NIGHTS, LOCAL CONCERT SERIES, AND DEVELOP THOSE, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESS, LOCAL VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HELD AROUND THE LAGOON SEASON.
SO, UH, UPPER LEFT, OBVIOUSLY A, UM, PICTURE OF THE LAGOON.
AND THE THING I REALLY WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION ARE THE, THE TWO IMAGES TO THE RIGHT OF THE SLIDE.
SO THE RED BOX, UH, THERE IS FOUND IN CHIPOTLE P PARK IN MEXICO CITY, WHICH IS, UM, BESIDES THE SOKOLOW, PROBABLY THE CENTRAL FOCAL POINT OF MEXICO CITY.
THEY HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE KIOSKS.
THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE, THEY'RE VERY DURABLE.
THEY'S HUNDREDS OF 'EM AT CHIPOTLE P PARK IN THE IMAGE THERE IN THE MIDDLE IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON A NORMAL DAY IN CHIP PARK.
THESE, THESE KIOSKS OPEN UP VENDORS, DECORATE THEM UMBRELLAS.
THEY'RE SELLING GOODS, THEY'RE SELLING SERVICES, AND IT JUST CREATES A REALLY, REALLY LIVELY ENVIRONMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF THEIR SIGNATURE PARK.
IN A LOT OF WAYS THAT FAIR PARK IS OUR SIGNATURE PARK.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM OTHERS, YOU KNOW, AND AS I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, AND WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT TOO GOOD TO, TO BORROW IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER PLACES.
NEXT SLIDE, PILLAR THREE IS, IS PURSUING THE LARGE SCALE CAMPUS ACTIVATIONS.
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, FAIR PARK IS A, IS A REALLY BIG CAMPUS WITH A LOT OF OPEN SPACE.
IT REALLY LENDS ITSELF TO ACCOMMODATING LARGE CROWDS AS WE SEE EVERY DAY AT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORKING WITH PARTNERS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND BEST PRACTICES, WE'VE BEEN MEETING VERY, UH, FREQUENTLY WITH THE ROSE BOWL AND THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE ROSE BOWL AND, UH, THE COTTON BOWL AND FAIR PARK SPECIFICALLY ARE REALLY, UM, REMARKABLE.
AND WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE MONETIZING THAT BUILDING, HOW THEY'RE USING THEIR GROUNDS IN WAYS THAT, UM, LEND THEMSELVES TOWARDS LARGE FESTIVALS, SIGNATURE TRADE SHOWS, FLEA MARKETS.
THEY HAVE THE LARGEST FLEA MARKET IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THERE'S THINGS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM 'EM THAT WE CAN, UM, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT AND, UM, AND FAIR PARK.
SO THE OTHER, THE OTHER IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE IS WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE VERY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT OF THE CITIZENS
[00:25:01]
AND, AND, UH, THE CITY HAS MADE IN THE COTTON BOWL.AND ONE OF THE, THE PRIMARY REASONS FOR THAT INVESTMENT WAS TO POSITION THE COTTON BOWL TO BE MORE, UM, COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKETPLACE.
YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FOR TOO LONG THAT WE DIDN'T MEET SPEC FOR A LOT OF THE, THE TYPES OF SHOWS AND EVENTS THAT WE WANTED TO ATTRACT THERE.
SO WE HAVE POSITIONED OURSELF TO REMOVE THOSE OBSTACLES.
SO THE STRATEGY WORK WITH EXISTING CAMPUS PARTNERS, INCLUDING LIVE NATION AND OTHER LARGE ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS SUCH AS BROADWAY, DALLAS, PERHAPS, TO SECURE LARGE EVENTS, MUSIC ARTS FESTIVALS, AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT SHOWS AND EVENTS.
SO SOME IMAGES OF THE ROSE BOWL, WHICH I'M SURE MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
IT'S A HISTORIC STADIUM OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE AS THE COTTON BOWL, BUT THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THEIR GROUNDS, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED, THIS IS SHOWING ONE STAGE WHERE THEY HAVE TWO STAGES AND THEY HAVE FESTIVALS WITH TWO STAGES, PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
UM, AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE 25 LARGE EVENTS PER YEAR.
AND THOSE LARGE EVENTS, UM, THESE ARE CONCERTS, THESE ARE FESTIVALS.
THEY, UM, MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, UM, THAT ALLOWS 'EM TO FULLY MAINTAIN, UM, NOT ONLY THE STADIUM, BUT THE GROUNDS.
SO DOUBLE SHOTS, THE COTTON BOWL, UM, THE IMAGES THERE ON THE RIGHT, THAT IS LEVEL FIVE, THAT IS THE, THE NEW SPEED LEVEL THAT IS KIND OF COMMON AREA WITH THE BAR, IF YOU HAVEN'T BIT INSIDE, IT'S, IT'S, UH, A REALLY A DRAMATIC, UH, TRANSFORMATION.
AND THE, THE SHOT THERE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS, IS THE RENOVATED CONCOURSE, WHICH IS LIGHT AND BRIGHT AND OPEN AND BIG.
UH, AERIAL MAP AT FAIR PARK, KIND OF DEPICTING, UM, THE OPEN SPACES.
AND THERE ARE MANY, THERE'S HUGE OPEN SPACES, LOTS OF FIVE CIVICS OFF OF COLUMN, HUGE PARKING, LOTS OF FITS.
YOU, OF COURSE THE COMMUNITY PARK IS SLATED TO BE IN A, IN A PIECE OF THAT.
BUT THE POINT IS THERE IS A LOT OF OPEN SPACE ON THE CAMPUS WITH ADJACENCY TO OUR, YOU KNOW, TO OUR SIGNIFICANT VENUES THAT REALLY LEND ITSELF TO THESE BIG EVENTS.
AND THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT, OF COURSE, IS THE COLISEUM, WHICH IS ALSO A, A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE CAMPUS.
IT'S A 7,500 SEAT, UM, INDOOR VENUE FOR MUSIC, FOR ATHLETIC EVENTS.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE CHART THAT WE PUT TOGETHER DEPICTING THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE ROSE BOWL AND THE BOWL.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO MOVE A LITTLE CLOSER TO READ ALL THOSE, BUT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AGE ONE, YOU KNOW, COTTON'S 1930 ROSES BOWL IS 1925 CAPACITY, ALMOST IDENTICAL.
UM, THEY'RE BOTH MUNICIPALLY OWNED AND MANAGED, UM, MULTI VENUE EVENTS.
THEY'RE BOTH NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
A VERY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THOUGH, AS WE POINT OUT AT THE BOTTOM, IS THE ROSE BOWL STADIUM HAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT'S FULLY DEDICATED TO THE STADIUM AND THE GROUNDS, AND, AND WE DO NOT, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ROSE BOWL FOUNDATION IS A REAL KEY PLAYER IN THE, IN THE OPERATIONS, THE MANAGEMENT, UM, OF THAT STADIUM.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN $80 MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN THAT, THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE ROSE BOWL SO THAT IT REMAINS COMPETITIVE IN A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE IN LOS ANGELES.
SO SINA IS, IS A, IT'S A COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF LA AND THEY'VE GOT THE COLISEUM, THEY'VE GOT SOFI, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF VENUES, UM, THEY'RE COMPETING AGAINST.
AND THEIR FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A KEY PART OF THE SUCCESS OF MAKING THE ROSE BOWL RELEVANT, CONTINUING TO MAKE IT RELEVANT AND CONTINUING TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
PARDON THE TECHNICAL DIFFICUL.
[00:30:10]
OKAY, UH, PILLAR FOUR.SO THIS IS REALLY LEANING INTO PURSUING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ON THE CANVAS.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH.
SO, YOU KNOW, RETAIL RESTAURANTS, SO HOTEL, THOSE CAN FUNCTION AS COMPLIMENTS TO EXISTING PARK AMENITIES, BUT ALSO SERVE AS, YOU KNOW, PARK ACTIVATIONS IN KIND OF A NON-TRADITIONAL WAY.
AND THOSE TYPES OF, THOSE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS GENERATE REVENUE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GROUND LEASES, UM, REVENUE SHARING, ET CETERA.
SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS EXTENSIVELY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF NEXT GENERATION EXAMPLES OF PARKS IN NORTH AMERICA THAT HAVE DONE THIS WELL.
AND THEY'VE DONE IT IN WAYS THAT, THAT EFFECTIVELY BLEND IN TO THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PARK IN WAYS THAT ARE, UM, THOUGHTFUL, IN WAYS THAT COMPLIMENT THE EXISTING PARTNER.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE RUNNING THOSE PARKS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'VE DONE IT AND WHAT THEIR BEST PRACTICES ARE.
SO THE STRATEGY, CONDUCT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY WITH KEY PARTNERS AND IMPLEMENT THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS INFORMED BY THAT STUDY THAT CAN YIELD SIGNIFICANT ATTENDANCE AND REVENUE TO THE PARK AND GENERATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LOCAL AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
SO WHAT, UH, WHAT FOLLOWS ARE A FEW EXAMPLES THAT I JUST REFERRED TO? SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE IS PARK ANA, WHICH IS IN THE SANTA FE, UH, COMMUNITY OF MEXICO CITY.
UM, AND THE FOREGROUND IS ACTUALLY A COSTCO, BUT YOU WOULDN'T REALLY KNOW IT BECAUSE IT'S BLENDED INTO THE, IT'S BLENDED INTO THE PARK SO SEAMLESSLY ON THE ROOF.
YOU CAN SEE, OF COURSE THERE ARE SOCCER FIELDS, YOU KNOW, RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES TO THE RIGHT IS A, UH, GREEN ROOF.
AS YOU FURTHER PROGRESS INTO THE PARK, UM, THERE ARE RESTAURANTS, THERE'S A PETCO, AND THE POINT HERE IS THAT THEY HAVE FOUND WAYS TO BLEND IN RETAIL IN WAYS THAT DON'T DETRACT THE PARK.
AND THE TAKEAWAY IS THESE RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES, UM, 100% THE, THE REVENUE DERIVED FROM THE RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES, THE GROUND LEASES, ET CETERA, 100% PAID FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT VERY SIGNIFICANT PARK.
SO THIS IS BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, SHOWN THIS TO Y'ALL RECENTLY, BUT THIS IS, UM, ANOTHER OVERVIEW OF THE, OF THE PARK.
IT'S IN BROOKLYN, OF COURSE, ON THE WATERFRONT.
AND AS IT WAS REPURPOSING OF THE OLD PIERS THAT BECAME OBSOLETE.
AND SO NEW YORK CITY CREATED A NEW PARK, AND AS THEY WERE CREATING THE NEW PARK, THEY INTENTIONALLY BLENDED IN RESIDENTIAL, IN THIS CASE, UM, HOTEL AND RETAIL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE SHOTS ON THE LEFT DEPICT SOME OF THE RESTAURANT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND IN THE CASE OF BROOKLYN RIDGE PARK IS, AS I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW, THE, THE PRIVATE REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH ONLY REPRESENT 10% OF THE OVERALL PARK.
NOT ONLY 100% PAID FOR THE PAYMENTS AND OPERATIONS OF THE PARK, BUT ALSO THEY'RE TRYING TO FEATHER A HUNDRED PERCENT INTO A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUALLY IMPROVE THE PARK AND KEEP IT FRESH, UH, FOR VISITORS, RESIDENTS IN NEW YORK CITY.
NEXT SLIDE AGAIN, UH, BROOKLYN RIDGE PARK, THE IMAGE THERE ON THE RIGHT, WHICH IS INTERESTING.
IT'S THE HOTEL, UM, THAT THEY HAVE ON THE PARK.
THAT'S, UM, IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND IT JUST BLENDS IN SO SEAMLESSLY INTO THE PARK, WHICH LEADS YOU INTO THE MORE TRADITIONAL RECREATIONAL ELEMENTS OF THE PARK, BUT ALSO, UM, THE RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL THAT ARE AVAILABLE THERE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED DOWN THIS PATH.
YOU KNOW, UM,
AND THAT'S NOT ONLY CLY WARN PARK THERE SUPPORTS THE RESTAURANT THROUGH ARRE.
THERE'S A RESTAURANT AT THE ZOO POINT HERE IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED DOWN THIS PATH AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE, ARE BIG, UH, FOR US TO UTILIZE THIS TYPE OF PARK ACTIVATION THAT CAN GENERATE REVENUE FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
[00:35:11]
SOMETHING.AND THEN FINALLY, PILLAR FIVE.
SO AGAIN, OUR FIFTH FIVE PILLARS FOR FAIR PARK IS DEVELOP AND NURTURE NONPROFITS TO BENEFIT, LEVERAGE RESOURCES FOR THE CAMPUS AND KEY FACILITIES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NONPROFITS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BRINGING, UH, THIRD PARTY FUNDING, PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY TO GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, UM, IN WAYS THAT WE CAN'T DO VERY EFFECTIVELY.
UM, SO THE STRATEGY CREATE A NEW COTTON BOWL FOUNDATION MODELED ON THE ROSE BOWL FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE LARGEST AND HIGHEST REVENUE TENFOLD FACILITY AND DEVELOP OR PARTNER WITH AN EXISTING NONPROFIT THAT WILL FOCUS ON ALL THE, THE VERY SIGNIFICANT MARCHING ARTS AND CULTURAL ASSETS, HISTORIC EXHIBIT HALLS AND VENUES AND AGRICULTURAL FACILITIES OF THE PARK.
IMAGES OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT BUILDINGS OUT THERE FROM BANDSHELL TO THE CENTENNIAL BUILDING, AFRICAN, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM, FOOD AND FIBER COLISEUM, ET CETERA.
SO FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE, UM, AND BRETT SPECIFICALLY AND HIS TEAM ARE, ARE DEEP IN THE WEEDS ON SECURING THESE SHORT TERM AGREEMENTS WITH THE PRIVATE EXPERTS THAT I DESCRIBED EARLIER.
UM, FOR THE KEY SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN OPERATE THE PARK SUCCESSFULLY.
UM, THESE THINGS ARE SECURITY, PARKING, F AND B, UM, UH, MICRO MARKETING FOR THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, UH, EVENTS, SMALL BUSINESS SERIES SALES AND BOOKING, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, IT'S A LOT OF WORK RIGHT NOW TRYING TO GET ALL THESE SHORT TERM AGREEMENTS AND THESE, AND THESE AGREEMENTS ARE THE, YOU KNOW, THE YEAR TO TWO YEARS THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, THE CAPABILITY TO OPERATE THE PART SUCCESSFULLY.
AND THEN LOOKING A LITTLE BIT FORWARD, THE 9 2 100 DAY WINDOW.
SO FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE THESE SHORT TERM AGREEMENTS SECURED, THEN WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT VERY QUICKLY INTO LONGER TERM FULL BLOWN PROCUREMENTS SO THAT WE CAN SECURE PARTNERS IN THE PRIVATE EXPERTS FOR THOSE THREE TO FIVE YEAR, UH, AGREEMENTS THAT WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE THE SUCCESS.
ONE OF THOSE THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON IS THE SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING REVENUE CONTRACT.
AGAIN, UTILIZING THE MODEL AT ROSE BOWL, THEY'VE LEANED INTO THAT HARD AND HAVE BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL, UM, AND MONETIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN WE INTEND TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, IN THE, IN THE VEIN OF ACTING LIKE A BUSINESS TO HAVE A DEDICATED ATTORNEY THAT WOULD BE FUNDED BY FAIR PARK SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UM, SUPPORT FOR ALL THE EVENT CONTRACTS, ALL THE, ALL THE BUSINESS THAT WE ANTICIPATE TO, UM, TO OCCUR AT FAIR PARK.
AND WE, UH, WE LOVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEY'VE BEEN, UH, PARTNERS WITH US FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THIS PARK SYSTEM THAT THEY ARE, UH, CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON THAT WE JUST FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, AGAIN, TO WORK WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO SEE IF THERE'S A PATH TO HAVING THAT DEDICATED ATTORNEY FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT.
IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ALL OF THE EXISTING CONTRACTS, UM, ON THE CAMPUS OF THOSE TENANT FACILITIES.
YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY, UM, ARE THEY WHAT THEY NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY PARTICIPATING IN THE SUCCESS OF FAIR PARK? BECAUSE THAT, OF COURSE IS THE GOAL.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS WORKING TOGETHER.
SO THAT FAIR PARK CAN BE WHAT WE ALL WANT IT TO BE.
UH, WE NEED TO PURSUE, UM, NEW TENANTS IN THE VACANT BUILDINGS, UH, SCIENCE PLACE, ONE BEING THE PRIME CANDIDATE.
UM, WE NEED TO FINALIZE THE, UH, EVENT ATTENDANCE, SURCHARGE IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THEN PROBABLY THE TWO, THE TWO BIGGEST THINGS PERHAPS ARE INITIATING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY THAT I MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO, LED BY THE DALLAS, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN PARTNERSHIP AND CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND LOCAL SURROUNDING FAIR PARK AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS.
AND THEN LASTLY, ONCE THAT STUDY HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN A REALLY COLLABORATIVE AND INCLUSIVE WAY, WE WANT TO AGAIN PARTNER WITH DALLAS EDC, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO
[00:40:01]
IDENTIFY AND SECURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEALS FOR HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, UH, TO SECURE NEW FUNDING STREAMS FOR THE PRODUCT, AND CREATING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.AND I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
I WAS LATE THIS MORNING, BUT I WAS DEALING WITH CITY BUSINESS AND SO I WANTED TO, UH, I KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND, I KNOW THIS IS VERY HIGH LEVEL TODAY AND THIS IS MORE KIND OF SHARING A VISION.
AND I KNOW IT SOUNDS FAMILIAR BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS YOU SEE IN HERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE MAYOR'S, UH, UH, PROPOSAL OR THE MAYOR'S PLAN, PREPARE, PARK, THE MASTER PLAN.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE THOSE THINGS, WHATEVER WE'RE TRYING TO DO GOING FORWARD.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE IT BEING VERY HIGH LEVEL.
BUT I DO WANNA SAY, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE LOST SEVEN YEARS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL PLANS, PARTS OF THOSE PLANS HAVE BEEN EXECUTED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS WITH SOME, SOME FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.
BUT OVER THESE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHAT HAS FAILED IS THE GOVERNANCE, THE EXECUTION, AND YOU TO MAINTAIN FAIR PARK.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST THAT TIME, AS I INSTRUCTED MY STAFF, BECAUSE WE, IF WE DON'T START GENERATING REVENUES SO THAT WE COULD START BEING ABLE TO OPERATE THE PARK AND PUT EVENTS ON THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES AND BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND ATTRACT THESE TYPE OF FESTIVALS, EVENTS, CONCERTS, YOU NAME IT, WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE FINAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, WHICH WILL TAKE PROBABLY ANYWHERE FOR PROBABLY 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE CAN'T SIT IDLE AND ALLOW A FAIR PART NOT TO START THRIVING UP UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, MY LEADERSHIP, MY MY STAFF LEADERSHIP.
UH, BUT ANYTHING WE DO, AND I WANNA STRESS THIS WILL INVOLVE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
AND I WANNA BE CLEAR ON THAT BECAUSE AS I EXPLAINED TO MY TEAM, WE'VE BEEN OUT OF THIS BUSINESS FOR SEVEN YEARS.
WE PROVIDED OVERSIGHT, BUT IF WE DON'T RECONNECT WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, WE WILL FAIL.
THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY PROMISES BROKEN, THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY STARTUPS NOT DELIVERED.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A PATH WHERE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE SEE THE UPSIDE POTENTIAL.
AND WHEN WE PUT THESE THINGS IN PLACE, NOT ONLY DO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY THRIVES, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SURROUNDING COMMUNITY IS GONNA BE PART OF THAT UPSIDE POTENTIAL.
WE WANNA REASSURE THE PUBLIC WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYONE OUT.
AND IF WE HAVE TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT PROPER INPUT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO START EXECUTING AT FAIR PARK.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF.
THERE'S A LOT OF MISSED EVENTS THAT WE HAD OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THESE 7, 7, 7 YEARS.
BUT I'LL BE DARNED UPON YOUR'S LEADERSHIP, AND YOU ARE ENTRUSTING ME AND MY STAFF THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA COME TO YOU ALL WITH A PLAN TO START EXECUTING IMMEDIATELY.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNICATE.
UM, WHAT, UH, CAN YOU GO BACK A SLIDE PLEASE? HOW MANY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE WORKING ON? THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY AGGRESSIVE PLAN WITH TIMELINE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ENGAGING THE EDC, THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEW 10, I MEAN 90 TO 180 DAYS, THAT'S MASSIVELY AGGRESSIVE.
[00:45:01]
WELL, WHEN I SAY 90 TO 180 DAYS, I MEAN THAT WE WILL BE EMBARKING UPON THAT PROCESS IN THE NEXT 92 A HUNDRED DAYS.SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE, AS I MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH LEN MCMANN IN THE DALLAS CDC AS A PARTNER TO HELP US.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO THIS BY OURSELVES TO HELP US ORGANIZE THAT PROCESS AND THAT STUDY TO DIRECTOR JENKINS POINT, ENGAGING WITH BOARD AND STAKEHOLDERS, THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS AROUND THE COMMUNITY, AROUND FAIR PARK.
SO IT'S NOT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN THE 9,200 DAYS, IT'S THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE EMBARKING UPON A PROCESS 190 DAYS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EXPERTS.
DO WE HAVE A RE DEBRIEFING ON THIS IN 180 DAYS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH, LIKE TYPICALLY TAKE THIS SLIDE 180 DAYS AND GRADE OURSELVES AND SAY, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE IN EACH ONE OF THESE BULLET POINTS AT A HUNDRED? ABSOLUTELY.
SO I JUST CHAT TD, UM, THE ROSE BOWL AND THEN I LOOKED UP THE ROSE BOWL OPERATING COMPANY ON OPENGOV.
AND THEY HAVE, AS YOU, YOU COMPARE THE COTTON BOWL.
THE ROSE BOWL, THEY HAVE 42 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
STADIUM REVENUES ARE 54.9 MILLION.
PROJECTED REVENUES ARE 54.9 MILLION WITH EXPENSES OF 45 MILLION WITH 40, I WANNA SAY THIS, RIGHT? 42 FTES.
HOW MANY FTES DO WE HAVE AT FAIR PARK RIGHT NOW? 48.
DOES THE ROSE BOWL HAVE, WHAT, HOW, HOW, HOW MANY ACREAGE IS THE ROSE BOWL IN THAT, THAT FOOTPRINT VERSUS FAIR PARK? ACCORDING TO, YES, AND I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION MOMENTARILY, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DRAW A DISTINCTION.
SO THE ROSE BOWL OPERATING COMPANY, WHICH WE HAVE LOOKED INTO EXTENSIVELY AND BUILD GREAT RELATIONSHIPS, BY THE WAY THEIR MODEL IS PERFORMING IN ALL THEMSELVES.
AND THAT IS NOT THE MODEL WE'RE PROPOSING HERE.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO PARTNER WITH EXPERTS.
SO IN LIEU OF US, UM, DOING THE EVENT EXECUTION, SORRY, IN LIEU OF, YOU KNOW, SO WE INTEND TO PARTNER WITH A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO EXECUTE OUR EVENTS.
SO THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE SO MANY MORE EMPLOYEES.
BUT AS FAR AS THE CAMPUS GOES, THEY HAVE TWO GOLF COURSES.
SO I'M GONNA GUESS THAT'S INCLUDING THE ROSEVILLE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING AND PARKING LOTS.
IT'S PROBABLY, I'M GONNA GUESS 200 ACRES.
THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION PERFECTLY.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF SAFETY AROUND FAIR PARK AND EVERYTHING WE'RE SEEING ON THE NEWS ABOUT DEBELL, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT FAIR PARK, AND THIS MIGHT GET ME IN TROUBLE SAYING THIS, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A FEAR ABOUT GOING TO DEBELL AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY, AT CERTAIN DAYS OF THE WEEK, AND THEN THAT GOING INTO THAT AREA, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, TO HELP OUR, OUR SAFETY OF OF FAIR PARK IN THE SURROUNDING AREA? MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
'CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I DISCUSSED WITH STAFF IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SECURE THE SB PARAMOUNT.
BUT I DO WANT TO CLEAR UP ANY MISPERCEPTION ABOUT FAIR PARK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CRIME STATS, NO.
FAIR PARK IS
AM I TALKING ABOUT INTERNAL FAIR PARK? YEAH, I'M TALKING LIKE WE FAIR PARK IS A NEIGHBOR TO THAT SURROUNDING AREA.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD STEPHANIE BERG COME IN AND TALK TO US BEFORE AND SHE RUNS THE DEBELL FOUNDATION AND AND THAT'S ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST THINGS IS THE SAFETY AND CRIME THAT IS IN DEEP DEVELOP AND THAT SPILLS OVER INTO THAT AREA AROUND FAIR PARK.
I DON'T KNOW THE STATS, BUT FROM WHAT I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE CRIME INSIDE FAIR PARK.
BUT IT'S GETTING TO FAIR PARK AND FEELING SAFE WRITING DART AND OTHER THINGS TO GET TO FAIR PARK.
SO WE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY AND TPD ON THE OVERALL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE NOT SPILLING OVER INTO FAIR PARK.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WORK WITH THEM ON WHATEVER PLANS THEY HAVE.
'CAUSE THAT'S DEFINITELY OUTSIDE OUR EXPERTISE FOR SURE.
I KNOW THIS IS A, AN ENVIABLE TASK
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS IN HERE.
I PARTICULARLY LIKE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE OTHER NATIONAL MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THE PARTNERSHIPS ARE GONNA BE KEY.
I THINK IT'S REALLY HARD TO EXPECT US TO WEIGH IN, IN AN INFORMED WAY ON SORT OF THE HIGH LEVEL
[00:50:01]
STRATEGY WITHOUT MORE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND, YOU KNOW, UPDATED NEEDS,UM, AND SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN GET TO THAT IN THAT NEXT BRIEFING AS WELL, I ALSO AGREE WITH MR. CONNOR THAT HAVING RIGHT.
GIVEN A REGULAR CADENCE OF UPDATES AS WE MOVE ALONG.
UM, SO REALLY I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR US TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS WITHOUT SEEING SOME NUMBERS AND SOME MATH ON PAPER.
UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO ASK IS WHY THE COMMUNITY PARK WASN'T MENTIONED IN THIS PARTICULAR BRIEFING, BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN OBVIOUSLY SUCH A PRIORITY AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN BRIEFED ON THAT.
SO WHERE DOES THAT FIT INTO THE OVERALL VISION? AND YOU MENTIONED, AND SINCE YOU, SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT, YOU MENTIONED AN OP-ED PIECE THAT I THINK YOU'RE, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT THROUGHOUT THE IDEA OF POTENTIALLY MOVING THE PARK TO A MORE LOGICAL LOCATION LIKE WHAT WE, WHERE WE ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT MANY YEARS AGO, CLOSER TO THE MUSIC HALL, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
SO YOU CAN ALSO GIMME YOUR OPINION ON THAT.
I WILL SPEAK, I JUST SAY, AND RYAN WILL FILL IN THE REST AS WELL AS WE LOOK AT ESPECIALLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AT FAIR PARK.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THE PLAN TO KIND OF LAY OUT AND LET'S JUST SAY THAT'S WHERE THE PARK IS GONNA BE.
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN THAT ACTUALLY REALLY, IF IT'S GONNA BE SOME TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY BACK THERE, HOW CAN THE PARK SUPPORT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY IF IT'S GONNA STAY IN THIS CURRENT LOCATION? SO I TO YOUR POINT, WE, AS WE WORK THROUGH THOSE DETAILS OF THE PLAN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY DETERMINE HOW THAT PARK AND SUPPORTS SUPPORT THE OVERALL PLAN FOR FAIR PARK.
SO WE'RE, UH, EVERYTHING IS ON TAPE.
WE'RE OPEN TO POTENTIALLY ADJUSTING THE LOCATION IF IT MAKES SENSE.
I WOULD SAY LET'S COME BACK WITH A PLAN AND SEE HOW IT DRAFTS THAT DECISION.
AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO WHAT DIRECTOR CHEEKS JUST SAID IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN OVER AND OVER HOW PARKS CAN BE CATALYSTS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO SHOULD THE PARK BE IN THE PROPOSED LOCATION, WHICH IS IN A READY TO BE DEVELOPED AREA, UM, OF THE CAMPUS THAT'S, IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN PARKING LOTS.
I THINK IT CAN BE A REALLY ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL, ET CETERA, TO BE ORIENTED AROUND THE PARK SPACE BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN THAT BE A, A MODEL FOR SUCCESS, UM, NOT ONLY IN DALLAS BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
AND RYAN, I GO A LOT FURTHER AS WE, LET'S JUST SAY WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT CERTAIN SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES AT FAIR PARK.
IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THE PARK AND IT'S SURROUNDED WITH SOME RETAIL, SOME SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES ALL IN THE SAME AREA.
IT'S ABOUT 50 ACRES, 50 60 ACRES OF DEVELOPABLE LAND THAT HAPPENS TO BE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO 4 MILLION PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THOSE GATES EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY.
ALSO, PIGGYBACKING ON MR. VICE PRESIDENT CONNOR, UM, I I THINK GO, GOING BACK TO ALL THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON OUR CURRENT STAFF.
I I WE ALL WANT TO SUPPORT CURRENT STAFF DOING THE VERY BEST THEY CAN, BEING CREATIVE IMMEDIATELY.
BUT I DO WANT TO FALL BACK TO 20 13, 20 12 WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL MAYOR TASK FORCE THAT LOOKED AT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE PUT ON THE STAFF THAT WE CAN'T, WE'RE NOT BUILT TO DO YOU AGREE? YOU KNOW, AND MR. STEIN, WE AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH STAFF.
NO, WE ARE GOING TO CONTRACT OUT SO MUCH OF, BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA AUGMENT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE ARE, WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AT MAINTENANCE, WE WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AT MAKING SURE WE MAINTAIN BUILDINGS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE ON FOLKS WHO KNOW HOW TO DELIVER EVENTS, KNOW HOW TO ADVERTISE OR MARKET OR FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE THE COTTON BOWL.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS OF TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF EVENTS ALL COME IN THE COTTON BOWL TO ANSWER.
NO, THERE ARE EXPERTS OUT THERE THAT KNOW HOW TO FILL UP THAT COTTON.
AND WE LEARNED THAT FROM THE ROSE BOWL MODEL.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE FOLKS WHO SELL SPONSORSHIPS.
THEY HAVE FOLKS WHO, UH, PUT ON THE, WELL, THEY DO HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT THEY DO MOST OF THEIR EVENTS, BUT THEY HAVE FOLKS THAT DO THE SPONSORSHIPS, THEY DO AN ADVERTISEMENT, THEY DO THE, UH, UH, THEY SELL THE SUITES.
[00:55:01]
I MEAN, LET'S, I'M JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE.I DON'T WANNA NAME ONE COMPANY OVER ANOTHER, BUT I HAVE TO, LET'S JUST, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH LIKE LEDGERS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S A GROUP LIKE JMI, THEY'RE IN THE GROUP.
THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF ATTRACTING THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE, BUT WE ARE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW WE BETTER HIRE THE FOLKS THAT CAN DELIVER.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GOOD AT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE OVERSEE THOSE CONTRACTS.
UM, AGAIN, RYAN, YOU MENTIONED ONE IN THE MORNING NEWS EDITORIAL DID A GREAT SERIES EDITORIALS ON THE FUTURE OF FAIR PARK AND UH, HOPEFULLY ALL THE PARK BOARD MEMBERS HAVE READ MOST OF IT, BUT PARTICULARLY THE PIECE THAT RAN ON SUNDAY THAT LAID OUT SEVEN PILLARS THAT I'M GONNA READ BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE ALL REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND ONE IS GREATER SUPPORT FROM CITY HALL.
TWO IS A CIVIC CHAMPION TO CREATE OR REBUILD A NON-PROFIT.
THREE IS A NEW PRIVATE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
FOUR IS EMBRACE THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
FIVE IS INVEST IN THE SOUTH DALLAS FIRE PARK AREA.
PLAN SIX IS COMPLETE THE COMMUNITY PARK AND SEVEN IS NEVER GIVE UP, WHICH I KNOW JOHN'S NOT GONNA
SO I THINK ALL OF THOSE ARE, ARE IMPORTANT AS WELL.
AND I THINK, UM, IN PARTICULAR, WE NEED SOME KIND OF CHAMPION FOR THIS BEYOND OUTSIDE OF THIS BOARD AND, AND CITY STAFF.
AND, UH, AND I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHO THAT WILL BE TAKING.
UH, MR.
AND I THINK WHOLEHEARTEDLY, IF WE WOULD'VE HAD BRIAN AND JOHN FROM THE BEGINNING, IT WOULDN'T BE IN HIS SPOT.
UH, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, ALL THESE COMPANIES THAT HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GENERATING MONEY FOR US, AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
I, I THINK WE SHOULD NEVER RELINQUISH, UH, MANAGEMENT OF, OF, OF, OF THIRD PART FROM THIS DEPARTMENT.
AND NUMBER TWO, FROM THE BEGINNING, THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT INVOLVED.
THEY WERE ONLY INVOLVED AS WE DID THIS CONTRACT.
WHILE WE WOULD BE, WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS COULD THEY MAKE? BUT AS MR. SMITH SAID EARLIER, WE GOT TO HAVE, IF NOT A KEN SMITH, A KEN SMITH, THAT THAT'S REALLY HEARTFELT ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY AND INPUT AND, AND BEING TRANSPARENT.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET THERE NOW.
JOHN, YOU CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION.
YOU SAID, HEY, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, NOT THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN WHAT WE DO.
AND WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THIS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS GREED AND, AND, AND ALL MYSELF, THERE'S NO I IN TEAM AND WE HAVE THE KIND OF BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO BOTH STAFF, I'M SO PRO DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE BEST DEPARTMENT IN THE WORLD, BUT I GREW UP OVER IT, JUST TOLD FROM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
I'LL NEVER FORGET WHERE I COME FROM.
BUT THAT THING, THE AIRPORT
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND, AND AS SCOTT SAID, WE'VE GOTTA GET A CHAMPION.
BUT THAT'S, UH, UH, ONE OF OUR PREMIER PROPERTIES AND WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP CONTROL OF IT.
BRIAN, I'M, I'M SO, UH, UH, GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND JOHN AND ALSO THANK YOU.
EVERYBODY'S CALLED IT SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SUCH A BLESSING TO BE HERE.
AND LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY'S ENTHUSED WHEN THIS THING HAPPENED AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING THE PARK INSIDE OF A PARK, WHICH I'M NOT STILL DRINKING MARGARITA ON THAT.
BUT, UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS PROPOSAL.
AND LIKE MR. SMITH SAID, WE, WE STAY TRANSPARENT AND KEEP THE, UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY'S NOT GONNA BE ON BOARD, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
AND, UH, I'M GONNA KIND OF PIGGY BACK ON ALL THE, UH, PREVIOUS PART BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE TALKING.
'CAUSE IN A LITTLE BIT, I'M GONNA HIT ON EVERYTHING THEY SAID.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I, I LOVE THE PROPOSAL HAVING TO BE, HAVING TO BE AT KIND OF FIRSTHAND, UH, EYE OF THESE VENUE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ROSE BOWL, UH, THE BROOKLYN PARK AND JUST SEEING WHAT THEY DID CAN BE INCREDIBLE
[01:00:01]
FOR FAIR PARK GOING FORWARD.AND I, I AGREE WITH SOME, MY PROGRAMMERS, THE CITY OF DALLAS PARK DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO RUN THIS, THESE, THIS WHOLE FACILITY, INCLUDING THE CONVO AND FAIR PARK AND, AND OVERSEE THE MANAGEMENT OF, OF WHO WE BRING IN TO BRING IN GAMES, CONCERTS, IE YOU KNOW, FLEA MARKET INTO THE, INTO THE PARK AND, AND JUST TRY TO CREATE IT.
BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE GET A LOT AND WHEN THEIR SURVEYS DONE, NOT US THIRD PARTY INTO THESE RUN SURVEYS IS SAFETY.
PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE COMING TO FAIR PARK.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT IS UP TO OUR NEIGHBORS TO CLEAN THEIR STOREFRONTS AND TO KEEP THEIR, KEEP THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS LOOKING GOOD.
THAT HELPS THE PROCESSION OF WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO TO FAIR PARK.
IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CLEAN AND THE STOREFRONTS ARE NOT PEOPLE LOADING IN FRONT OF THERE, THAT HELPS.
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO GO.
WE KNOW FAIR PARK'S A SAFE PLACE TO GO, BUT JUST WHEN, WHEN CONSUMERS COME DOWN THERE, CUSTOMERS COME DOWN THERE, THEY FEEL UNSAFE 'CAUSE OF WHAT, WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING IN.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S UP TO OUR NEIGHBORS TO DO THAT.
NOT NECESSARILY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT'S JUST KEEP EVERYBODY FROM BEING, BEING, BEING A CONVENIENCE STORE AND PEOPLE ARE HANGING OUT IN FRONT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY, I, ME BEING A HOMESCHOOL OF MADISON, WAY CLOSER THAN THAT OTHER SCHOOL WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING.
I GOT FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS, BUT I LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY, EVEN THOUGH WE SEE FAIR PARK, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS 67% HISPANIC, SO MAKE SURE WE'RE BRINGING THEM TO THE TABLE ALSO BECAUSE 67% OF THE BIG NEIGHBOR THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND, AND I KNOW ONE OF OUR PREDOMINANT FOCUS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, A LOT, A LOT OF, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, I'M AFRO MEXICAN, HISPANIC, YOU KNOW, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALWAYS TEND TO GO TOWARDS ONE PERSON, BUT WE ALSO GOTTA BRING 'EM HISPANIC COMMUNITY INTO THE, INTO THE ABOVE AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE GETTING INVOLVED IN WHAT THEY WANNA SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS PART.
UM, BUT I AGREE THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE MANAGING.
THERE SHOULD NEVER BE ANOTHER NONPROFIT THAT RUNS THE WHOLE COMPLEX.
WE COULD HAVE A NONPROFIT, MAYBE RAISE MONEY TO KEEP SOME OF OUR VENUES AND SOME OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE GREAT, YOU KNOW, BUT JUST TRY TO MANAGE WHERE CITY MANAGES BREAD.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS ON.
UM, I'VE HEARD IT WAS VOLUNTOLD NOT VOLUNTEERED.
BUT ALSO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW.
THE NEIGHBORS KNOW THAT EVERY NEW BUSINESS THAT WE BRING IN, EVERY, EVERY NEW CUSTOMER, EVERY NEW CONCERT, EVERY NEW EVENT THAT WE BRING TO FAIR PARK IS ALSO GONNA CREATE BUSINESS FOR THEM.
SO THEY CAN, THEY CAN HAVE PEOPLE STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SPEND MONEY.
IF WE BRING IN NEW RESTAURANTS OR WE CLEAN UP OUR NEIGHBOR'S LOCATIONS, PEOPLE WILL SPEND MONEY INTO THE, THE COMMUNITY IF WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO BESIDES GO TO THE CONCERT, IEA HOTEL, IE RESTAURANTS, JUST DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
PEOPLE WILL SPEND LONGER AT THE FAIR PARK VERSUS JUST COMING TO A CONCERT OR TO THE MUSIC HALL.
THEY'LL TEND TO COME FOR DINNER IF WE HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER THEM AND STAY LONGER AND SPEND MORE DOLLARS IN DALLAS.
AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S OUR GOAL, IS TO BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INTO THE FAIR PARK SO WE CAN HAVE THAT, WE CAN CREATE FUNDS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR BUILDINGS THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW, AGAIN, DEFERRED MAIDENS, RIGHT? WE'VE HEARD THAT WORD ALL WEEK ABOUT CITY HALL, BUT IT'S ALSO HAPPENING AT FAIR PARK.
SO WE GOTTA BRING IN FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE A PROFIT PROFITABLE ENTITY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS VERSUS SOMETHING THAT'S COSTING US MONEY EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I, I'D SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
CAN I REITERATE ON ONE OF THE THINGS THAT R UH, RYAN MENTIONED IN THE BRIEFING ABOUT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND DPD AND IF AND AS WE GENERATE THESE ADDITIONAL REVENUES, JUST LIKE ANY CITY REVENUES ALLOW YOU TO DO A LOT MORE.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT IT IS THAT SPILLOVER EFFECT WHERE THERE IS ADDITIONAL FUNDS AVAILABLE TO GO WITH THE STREETSCAPE OUTSIDE THE PARK, UH, BE ABLE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PATROLS AND SECURITY BECAUSE WE WANT FAIR PARK TO, TO REALLY BE THE ENGINE THAT WAS MEANT TO BE.
AND IF WE, WELL, WE ARE GOING TO DO IT RIGHT.
IT IS GOING TO BE THAT ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT SPILLS OVER INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE TIDE IS GONNA RISE.
AND IT'S BEEN TOO LONG FOR US NOT TO GET THIS RIGHT.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING MONTHLY MEETINGS.
WE ARE GONNA BE DOING THIS IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY TO MAKE SURE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY STREETSCAPE, THE INGRESS EGRESS IS RIGHT.
[01:05:01]
BECAUSE I KNOW WE KEEP REFERRING TO THE ROSE BOWL.I KNOW WE KEEP REFERRING TO BROOKLYN PARK, BUT THEY HAD TO WORK WITH ALL THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE GOTTA LET OUR NEIGHBORS KNOW TOO.
IT'S, IT IS PART OF THEIR ACCEPTING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY GOTTA BE ABLE TO HELP US TOO.
GET GET TO THAT, GET TO THAT PART.
AND REMEMBER THE OTHER PART THAT WHY THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL AT THE ROSE BOWL, YOU, THOSE OTHER PARKS THEY HAD TO WORK WITH.
WE NEED OUR, WE NEED OUR NEIGHBORS ALL IN WITH US TO REALLY DO.
AND RYAN, WE HAVE 1% INDIANS TOO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ANCHORED TENANTS IN SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS AROUND THERE.
WHAT ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, JOHN, YOU JUST ALLUDED TO THIS WITH ATHLETICS.
WHAT OTHER ANCHOR TENANTS ARE WE THINKING ABOUT IN, IN THE PARK TO DRIVE REVENUE ATHLETICS,
WE WILL HAVE LET GO DALLAS AS A TENANT OF THE COTTON BOWL STARTING GAMES IN 2027.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, FAIR PARK IS AN INTERESTING PLACE AND IT'S, UH, IT'S GOT A LOT OF ROOM FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT'S, IT'S EXHIBIT HALLS, IT'S CULTURAL FACILITIES, IT'S IT THAT, IT'S ATHLETIC VENUES.
SO, SO I WOULD SAY WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LEAN INTO THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL THERE AND TRY TO ATTRACT MORE MM-HMM
SO, YOU KNOW, MORE SPORTING TENANTS, MORE SPORTING FACILITIES.
THE, THE BIG THING IS THERE'S ONE KEY FACILITY OUT THERE THAT'S CURRENTLY VACANT IN THAT SCIENCE PLACE THAT'S 170,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
AND SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING POTENTIALLY UNIQUE THERE.
SO AGAIN, ONE OF THE
I WOULD SAY THIS, MR. CONNORS, MR. VICE PRESIDENT CONNORS, I HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING FAIR PARK TRULY A CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT AN INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T FOCUS ON A LOT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS IN THE QUAD OF FAIR PARK.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT POINT, YOU KNOW, WAS EXACTLY THAT.
WHAT OTHER, NOT JUST BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, SOCCER.
WHAT ELSE COULD WE, COULD WE BRING TO EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW, I WAS TRYING TO BRING CRICKET, YOU KNOW, SO WE GOT OPPORTUNITIES FROM CRICKET, WE GOT OPPORTUNITIES FROM RACKET SPORTS, RACKET SPORTS.
WE JUST NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT OPERATORS AND AGREE TO TERMS WITH THEM TO BRING THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO FAIR PARK.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE, TO REPEAT THAT ON THE COMMENT, YOU, YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 520,000 SQUARE FEET THAT EXHIBIT SPACE IN THAT BUILDING, AND A LOT OF IT IS COLUMN FREE IN A LARGE WAY.
SO CAN YOU DO BIG INDOOR, I'M THINKING OF A, A TENNIS TOURNAMENT, A PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT.
THE ANSWER IS YES, YOU KNOW, AND, BUT, BUT OUR PREVIOUS, UH, GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, UM, DIDN'T ALLOW FOR THAT KIND OF CREATIVITY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE PAGES TURNED.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
YEAH, MY, UH, MY WIFE'S AUNT, UM, COMPETED IN THAT MASSIVE PICKLE OF ALTERNATIVE THAT HAPPENED YEAH.
UM, SHE WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE, ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM GEORGIA, UM, THAT CAME HERE AND COMPETED IN THAT.
AND THAT WAS A FANTASTIC EVENT.
BUT LIKE MOST OF THE AREAS IN OUR PERIPHERY OF DALLAS, THE PARKING WAS ATROCIOUS AND TRYING TO GET IN, EVEN THOUGH BROOKHAVEN HAS A LOT OF PARKING, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSAND OF PEOPLE TRYING TO COME IN AND SEE THAT IT, IT WASN'T DOABLE.
SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT FAIR PARK IN TERMS OF INGRESS AND EGRESS IS THERE.
IT'S PUTTING THE BUILDINGS TO WORK.
I THINK THE GREAT PRESENTATION, SOME REALLY GOOD THOUGHTS.
I THINK THE FIRST MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO PUT THE WORD OUT THAT WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE CRITICAL NEED.
I KNOW THE EVENTS WHICH USED TO BE HAPPENED.
UH, THE DIWALI
I THINK AS A DIRECTOR, JENKINS SAY MULTICULTURAL, I THINK KOREANS HAVE HUGE FESTIVALS.
I THINK DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES HAVE HUGE FESTIVAL.
SO THE WORLD HAS TO GET OUT THAT WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND THAT'S THE PLACE WE, THEY CAN, WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW
[01:10:01]
THERE THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE AND WE WILL WELCOME THERE AND PROVIDE THEM OPPORTUNITIES.I THINK IF THAT GETS DONE, NOT A EASY TASK 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO PREPARE THE DAMAGE, WHICH HAS HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS.
BUT I THINK THAT'S THE, I WOULD SAY IT'S A BRAND BUILDING.
WE HAVE TO DETO IT AGAIN AND WE HAVE TO DO IT FAST.
WHILE YOU WORK WITH ALL THESE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, ANY OPTIONS WE CAN CHOOSE.
FIRST IS TO REBUILD THAT BRAND FOR FAIR PARK.
AND I, I, NOT AN EASY TASK, BUT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT.
AND LET'S, LET'S JUST DO REGULAR BRIEFING SO THAT WE ALL KEEP EACH OTHER IN CHECK.
WE ARE ACHIEVING THE MILESTONES, WHICH WE ARE TAKING HERE.
WITH THAT WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT PIECE OF NEXT BRIEFING, WHICH IS THE LUNA APPROACH.
AND, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, TODAY, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A BRIEF
AND TODAY WE'LL STRICTLY FOCUS ON NEXT STEPS AS FAR AS ORDERING ASSESSMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT ANY LEGAL OPTIONS.
'CAUSE AFTER I COMPLETE THAT ASSESSMENT, THEN I WILL BE BRINGING A BRIEFING BACK TO THE ENTIRE BOARD TO DISCUSS SOME LEGAL OPTIONS FOR US TO CONSIDER.
I'M, UH, SUPERINTENDENT FRANCIS, UH, SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL WORK HERE.
THE, UH, PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS, UM, WELL, THE OVERVIEW IS OVER THE PURPOSE.
WE'RE GONNA DO A VERY QUICK, UH, BACKGROUND AND HISTORY THERE.
WE'LL LOOK AT THE AREA OF ENCROACHMENT.
UM, FRANCIS WILL GO OVER, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OEQS AND THEN, UH, REQUEST AND EXTEND.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE THE, UH, OUR BOARD WITH A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE ENCROACHMENT ON LUNA ROAD AND TO SEEK GUIDANCE ON APPROPRIATE NEXT STEPS.
UH, VERY QUICKLY, UH, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS, UH, SINCE 2017 THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN WORKING ON THIS, UH, ISSUE THAT INCLUDES, UH, DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION, UH, PRIMARILY THROUGH THE DMO, UH, DIVISION.
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL APPROVE THE LITIGATION DIVISION, THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT, UH, OEQS, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE AND, UH,
SO, VERY QUICKLY, AS FAR AS THE HISTORY GOES, IN 2017, UH, THE PMO DIVISION WITHIN PARKS, UH, STARTED, UH, DOCUMENTING EQUIPMENTS, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
AND DURING THAT PROCESS, IT WAS DETERMINED IT WAS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT, UH, ENCROACHMENT OVER ON LUNAR ROAD, UH, THAT WE WERE MADE AWARE OF.
THEN IN 2019, THE PARK, THE PMO STAFF STARTED FORMALIZING A DATABASE FOR THE ENCROACHMENTS, UH, ACROSS THE, UH, SYSTEM.
AND THEN IN 2021, UH, WE PROCEEDED TO PART BOARD A PRELIMINARY ENCROACHMENT, UH, POLICY THAT WAS OFFICIALLY ADOPTED IN 2022.
IN 2024, BROUGHT BACK ADDITIONAL UPDATE FOR
AS FAR AS THIS PARTICULAR ENCROACHMENT GOES, UH, I NEED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU SEE OUTLINED IN GREEN.
IT IS TECHNICALLY, UH, DALLAS PARK'S PROPERTY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE AERIAL PHOTO, YOU WILL SEE A SMALL RECTANGULAR AREA THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE GREEN, THAT IS PRIVATE PROPERTY, THE PARKING LOT IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT.
UH, WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PARKING LOT, UH, THAT IS TECHNICALLY ON PARKED PROPERTY.
THE HOME PROPERTIES IS THAT AREA ADJACENT TO THE HOME FLOOR SHOOTING RANGE.
SO EVERYBODY CAN HAVE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NEXT SLIDE, TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED INTO IT, UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR SIDE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, EVERYTHING THAT'S OUTLINED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RED AND OR ABOVE THE RED, THAT IS THE, UH, ADJACENT, UH, PRIVATE PROPERTY.
EVERYTHING TO THE LEFT AND SLIGHTLY BELOW.
THE RED BOX IS TECHNICALLY PARKED PROPERTY.
[01:15:02]
UH, THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION, THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE PARCEL IS, UH, JUST SHORT OF FIVE ACRES.THE IMPACTED AREA OF THE ENCROACHMENT IS 3.5 ACRES OR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF FOOTBALL FIELDS IN SCIENCE.
IN MARCH OF 23, A CASE WAS OPENED WITH CODE COMPLIANCE.
AND IN THAT SAME YEAR, IN OCTOBER OF 23, IT WAS REFERRED OVER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO ISSUED A LETTER IDENTIFYING THE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS TO THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE ADJACENT PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND THEN IN JUNE OF 24, THE UH, OWNERS OF THAT PROPERTY, UH, PROCEEDED TO REMOVE ALL TRAILERS, EQUIPMENT AND STORAGE THAT WAS BEING USED ON OUR PROPERTY AND NEEDED OFF OF OUR, UH, PROPERTY.
AND, UH, LAST MONTH, UH, ON SEPTEMBER, UH, 12TH, UH, THE CONSERVATION STAFF FROM TMO UH, ACCESSED THE PROPERTY, JUST SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER PERSPECTIVE ON IT.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOWING SLOPE AND AT THE TOP OF THE SLOPE, WE ARE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY 12 FEET OF GRAVEL FIDDLE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE O OVERALL SURFACE AREA ON TOP, UH, IT IS EFFECTIVELY A, UH, A SMALL GRAVEL, UH, PARKING MONTH.
THAT'S ABOUT TWICE, ABOUT THREE NINE FIGURES IN SIZE.
AND WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO FRANCIS.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN SUPPORTING, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT WITH THIS LOCATION, AND THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO A ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION.
AND THERE'S TWO REASONS TO DO THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN FIRST KNOW THE NATURE OF THE FILL THAT WAS PLACED ON OUR PROPERTY.
AND THEN SECONDLY, SO WE CAN DETERMINE IF THEIR OPERATIONS, UM, HAVE CREATED ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
SO, UM, IN MAY, WE RECEIVED FROM O-E-Q-S-A PROPOSAL FROM THE CONSULTANT MODERN GEOSCIENCES TO DO THAT INVESTIGATION.
IT INCLUDES A PHASE ONE SITE INVESTIGATION AND A PHASE TWO.
THE COST OF THAT IS ESTIMATED ABOUT $75,000.
UM, THE PHASE ONE IS, UM, A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN THE PHASE TWO IS WHERE THE CO CONSULTANT COMES ON THE SITE AND WE'LL DO THE SAMPLING AND, UM, THE LAB ANALYSIS OF THOSE SAMPLES.
SO THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO, UM, SOIL SAMPLING AND WATER SAMPLING, AND IT'LL BE 10 SHALLOW TEST PICKS AND, UM, THREE DEEP SOIL BORINGS FOR SOIL.
AND THEN THOSE, UM, DEEP SOIL BORINGS WILL BE CONVERTED INTO GROUND MONITORING WELLS.
SO, UM, THIS SHOWS, UH, THE TESTING THAT'S RECOMMENDED FOR THE SAMPLING FOR BOTH THE WATER AND THE SOIL.
UM, IT IS A BROAD RANGE OF CHEMICALS THAT WILL BE TESTED, AND THAT INCLUDES, UM, VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, SEMI VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS, AND THEN
SO THE NEXT STEPS, UM, YOU'RE HERE TODAY TO GET YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S A PHASE ONE AND A PHASE TWO, AND THE COST IS ESTIMATED AT, UM, $75,000.
UM, ONCE THAT SITE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED, THEN WE'LL WORK WITH OEQS AND THE CONSULTANT ON WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WE WILL, UM, WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UH, MR. AND ME DIRECTOR, THANKS.
WERE YOU TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING? NO.
UM, THANK YOU MR. RED JOHNSON.
MS. FRANCIS, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE CLEARLY EVERYWHERE.
WE NEED YOU, UH, IN THIS CITY ON THIS ISSUE, EMERALD FOR, UM, UNAUTHORIZED CAT HABITATS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK HERE.
UM, THE, THE BIGGEST FIGHTER THAT WEST DALLAS HAS EVER HAD SAT RIGHT HERE TO MY LEFT AND HE SAT HERE FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS BRIEFING COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT LAST WEEK, LAST MONTH, LAST YEAR.
CLEARLY WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR A LONG TIME IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WITH THIS ENCROACHMENT IN LUNAR ROAD, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
I STILL WANNA THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR NOT WASTING ANY MORE TIME, UH, BECAUSE WE DO NEED A STRONG BIAS FOR ACTION ON THIS.
[01:20:01]
SLIDE FIVE, UM, SAYS THAT ENCROACHMENT WAS DISCOVERED IN 2017.I APPRECIATE THE REST OF THE INFORMATION ON THAT SLIDE, BUT, UH, TO SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH OUR POLICY SINCE THEN, BUT WHAT'S PRETTY DAMNING, FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IS THAT IT WASN'T UNTIL 2023 THAT A CASE WAS OPENED AND VIOLATIONS WERE SERVED TO THE OPERATOR.
THAT SIX YEARS, SIX YEARS, I'M GONNA REPEAT THAT OVER AND OVER SIX YEARS.
I AGREE WE NEED TO FUND A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BECAUSE I WANNA GO AFTER THIS OPERATOR AND I HOPE OUR BOARD DOES TOO.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US NEED TO BE AN EXPERT TO KNOW THAT EVERY DAY THAT WENT BY WITHOUT ENFORCEMENT TOLD THIS OPERATOR THAT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS OKAY FOR SIX YEARS.
AND LISTEN, I DON'T LIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX, NONE OF US LIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX BECAUSE COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX IS UNREPRESENTED RIGHT NOW.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 14, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU ONE THING, UM, IF AN ENCROACHMENT HAPPENS FOR JUST A FEW FEET ON, SAY A PLACE LIKE THE KATY TRAIL, WE WON'T GO 36 HOURS WITHOUT A VIOLATION BEING SERVED.
WE WON'T GO A DAY AND A HALF, SIX YEARS IS WHAT IT TOOK FOR WEST DALLAS.
I WANNA BE REAL CLEAR WITH MY LAST STATEMENT HERE.
WE'D BE FOOLISH TO THINK IF WE ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE TO BLAME.
THIS FALLS ON MANY DEPARTMENTS WITHIN OUR CITY.
THIS IS A FAILURE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT FIRST AND FOREMOST, BUT IT'S EVEN BIGGER FAILURE FOR EQUALITY AND HOW OUR COMMUNITIES ARE TREATED.
AND I HOPE, I HOPE THAT THIS CITY BEYOND THIS DEPARTMENT AND BEYOND THIS PARK BOARD AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE INJURY.
VERY PASSIONATELY SPOKEN READING.
I ALSO SPEAK VERY PASSIONATELY ON THE SUBJECT.
I, UM, HAVE A SIMILAR ISSUE GOING ON PERSONALLY IN MY OWN LIFE.
SO SEEING THIS, THIS SORT SCALE, UH, MAKES ME QUIET, LIVID, AND HAVING LOOKED UP THE OPERATOR DOING THIS AND THEIR VIEWS, PEOPLE HAVE LEFT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I HAVE TO BE GOING OFF OF S POINT IS NOW THAT THE LITIGATION OFFICE IS INVOLVED, WHY DO WE HAVE TO PAY THIS ENVIRONMENTAL? SO WHY NOT BE ASKING OR FORCING THE OPERATOR TO PAY THE WARRANTY AS OPPOSED TO GOING $75,000 ON A BLOCK TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE THAT THEY'VE DONE AND THEN PERHAPS TRY TO BE REIMBURSED AT SOME POINT KNOWING WHAT THAT COST IS.
CAN WE NOT DEMAND THAT THAT BE PAID FOR BY THE OPERATOR? I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A GOOD, I KNOW Y'ALL BEEN TALKING DIRECTLY WITH THE COLE, UH, WITH COLE LAWYER.
UH, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS THE FIRST STEP WE NEED TO DO SO THAT WE WILL HAVE, BE ABLE TO PUT LEGAL TO MAKE THE PROPER DECISION.
AND WE AS MANAGEMENT NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE PROPER DECISION.
'CAUSE WE NEED THIS ASSESSMENT DONE FIRST.
AND, AND DO YOU WANT SHANA? GOOD MORNING BOARD.
MY NAME IS SHANA HAMILTON, I'M THE OPERATIONS RESEARCH ANALYST FOR PARK MAINTENANCE.
AND YOU ARE CORRECT MR. JENKINS.
UM, THE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE HANDLED FIRST AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS AFTER THAT, UM, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS.
SO WE ARE AT THAT POINT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET A, AN CONSULTANT THANKS FOR, UM, OEQS, WHO, UM, PROVIDED THAT INPUT AND IT GUIDING US WITH THAT PROCESS.
I, I, I EXTEND, I MEAN THAT, SO THERE'S BEEN IN MY OWN FIRST SITUATION, RIGHT? THERE'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN DONE.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA PAY FIX IT WHILE THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE PERSON'S DONE THE DAMAGE.
HEY, FIX IT, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE, I MEAN, THE CONCERN I HAVE HERE IS THAT WE SPENT $75,000 ASSESSING WHAT THE DAMAGE IS AND, AND, AND, AND THEN WHAT, YOU KNOW, WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING, I MEAN WE'RE OEQ, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UM, LORI FROM, SHE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGER FOR OEQ.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD, YOU ASKED WHY WOULDN'T WE TAKE ON THAT COST AND, AND DO THAT? THANK YOU.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR WHY WE NOT STARTING WITH DEMANDING THAT THEY PAY TO FROM THE FRONT END OF ASSUMING THAT CAUSES TO PLACE
RIGHT? SO FIRST WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THERE IS THERE, IS THERE CONTAMINATION OUT THERE? WE KNOW THAT THEY FILLED THE PROPERTY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT.
SO THE BEST THING FOR THE CITY IS THAT WE CONTROL THAT, THAT
[01:25:01]
WE ARE BEING ABLE TO PUT THAT SCOPE TOGETHER SO THAT IT'S BEING FULLY EVALUATED SUFFICIENTLY.IF WE ALLOW, IF WE GIVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, IT MAY NOT GET AS THOROUGH THE INVESTIGATION AS WE NEED TO REALLY GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S THERE.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE PUT THE BURDEN OF DOING THE ASSESSMENT OR THE SCOPE OF THAT ON THEM.
IT'S NEARLY THE FINANCIAL REALITY OF DOING IT.
IT'S GONNA COST 75,000 TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGES THAT YOU, YOU'VE CLEARLY DONE.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE STUDY DONE TO BE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE SATELLITE IMAGE WHAT'S HAPPENED.
I I WILL SAY THIS, UM, UH, WE, AND I KNOW ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL BE COMING BACK AFTER THE ASSESSMENT AND, AND LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT ARE OUR LEGAL OPTIONS.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TALK IN MORE DETAIL.
BUT I, I DO AGREE THAT IN A LOT OF CASES WE DO DO THESE THINGS UP FRONT SO WE CAN HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AND SO WE CAN MAKE OUR CASE A LOT STRONGER WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS.
IF I CAN ADD TO DR. JENKINS, GRADY, I THINK ABSOLUTELY YOU ARE RIGHT.
BUT, UH, IF WE DO THAT, WE'LL BE KICKING THE SCAN MUCH FURTHER DOWN.
ONCE WE HAVE THE ASSESSMENT, WE'LL LEAVE IT TO THE LEGAL TO MAKE THOSE CLAIMS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT WE CAN AND ALL.
AND GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS AREA, THAT AREA, THIS IS THE BEST $70,000 WE CAN SPEND.
OTHERWISE, IT'LL GO THROUGH A PROCESS, MAKE A
SO, SO, BUT, BUT AGAIN, SO'S VERY FAIR THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO LOOK FOR OUR MONEY.
BUT TRUST ME, GIVEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THAT AREA, THIS IS THE BEST $70,000 WE CAN SPEND ON 19.
I, I HOPE THAT WE WIND UP COVERING THE COST OF THAT STUDY ALONG WITH WHATEVER THE COST OF FIXING ADVANTAGE.
UM, LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE ENCROACHMENT EVENTUALLY HAS TO PAY, UH, OR CAN AFFORD TO PAY OR ANYTHING ELSE, THIS IS A MESSED UP SITUATION ON OUR PROPERTY.
AND I, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE FIRST STEP TOWARD RESOLVING THE MESS IS TO, IS THIS ASSESSMENT OF WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MESS.
AND WE WOULD NEED TO DO THIS EVEN IF THE ENCROACHMENT WEREN'T THERE AS A POTENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE PARTY.
I THINK THIS IS A BIG INITIATIVE WHICH YOU'RE TAKING AS A DEPARTMENT AND UH, VERY SOON THIS IS A STEP, I THINK SOMETHING WHICH THE I KEY STARTED AS A MOMENT WITH THE LAST APPROVAL AND HOPEFULLY HELP US CLEAN THAT AREA.
SUCH A GREAT AREA, GREAT CALL COURSE, BUT IT'S REALLY BAD WHAT WE ARE SEEING.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN WITH THAT.
OUR NEXT, UH, BUDGET UPDATE IS VERY, WHICH LAST? OKAY.
YES, MR. SLAUGHTER, COME TO FAIR PARK.
UH, I WHERE MY PEOPLES AT? I THINK YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER REMOVED YOU.
I, I GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU PEOPLE.
MATT, UH, BIG TEXT, UH, CALLED ME LAST NIGHT POKER GAME.
HE SAID, YOU GOT YOU PEOPLE CAN USE YOUR PASSES MORE.
GET OUT TO THE, I'VE BEEN OUT THERE SEVEN TIMES ALREADY.
AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE HEYDAY HUSTLE.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE SATURDAY ALSO, UH, ON TEXAS OU GAME IS GOING ON, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN, YOU CAN WALK TO ONE MILE OR YOU KNOW, THE 5K AT A UNT.
IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT.
SO, UH, GLAD TO SEE YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
I'M GLAD THAT I CAN SEE YOU THIS MORNING.
I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE OUR FRIENDS.
WILLIS WINTERS PARK FOR A SUCCESSFUL, NICE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
THEY HAD OVER 250 PEOPLE OUT, FIVE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, A MARCHING BAND FROM WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL.
[01:30:01]
HAD A HELICOPTER FLY OVER.WE HAD FREE FOOD FROM, UH, TEX-MEX VENDORS, UH, PASTA VENDORS.
UH, VERY QUICKLY, WE HAVE A BRANCHING OUT EVENT ON THE 18TH.
UM, JUANITA CRAFT, UM, PARK, UM, REC CENTER, UM, IN SPRING AVENUE IN, UM, SOUTHEAST DALLAS.
UM, THEY HAVE THAT COMING UP AND THERE MAY BE A DOG PARK RIBBON CUTTING IN LAKELAND HILLS IN EAST DALLAS IF THEY GET IT ALL COMPLETED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL GET THERE, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE EVENTS COMING UP ON THE THANK YOU MR.
UH, TWO QUICK UPDATES ABOUT THE TRAINER AUDUBON CENTER.
SINCE TIM IS NO LONGER HERE WITH US, WE'VE NOT BEEN ASSIGNED A NEW LIAISON.
UM, THE, UH, OTTAWA, TEXAS HAS IDENTIFIED A REPLACEMENT FOR SHIRLEY WHITE AND DEPARTED A CENTER DIRECTOR DURING THE SUMMER.
THEY'RE GONNA BE MAKING A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THAT SOON.
THEY'RE JUST GETTING EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, THAT PERSON IS, IS READY TO BE, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY SEEN.
AND IT'S GONNA BE VERY, IT'S, IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME.
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE PERSON WHO THEY'VE CHOSEN.
UM, AND EVERYONE'S REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING STRONG LEADERSHIP AT THE CENTER.
UM, ON OCTOBER THE 19TH, WHICH IS A SUNDAY FROM FIVE TO NINE, THE SONGBIRD SUPPER, IT'S A, IT'S A MAJOR FUNDRAISER FOR THE CENTER.
UH, SET UP THE TABLES ALONG THE WALKWAY OUT IN, IN THE PRAIRIE AND IT IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL ALFRESCO DINNER.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE THE MUSIC AND UM, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EVENTS AND YOU ALL ARE INVITED AS GUESTS.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO ATTEND AGAIN SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19TH FROM FIVE TO NINE, I'D BE HAPPY TO SEE YOU BOTH.
AND I USUALLY GO, YOU NEED TO BE THERE,
SO IF ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME AND JOIN ME IN OCTOBER 19TH, SONGBIRD SUPPER AT TRINITY AONE CENTER, I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AS OUR GUESTS OUT THERE.
ANY STOP ANNOUNCEMENTS, PLEASE STOP ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I HAVE, I HAVE, YES, GO AHEAD.
UH, BROADWAY, DALLAS HAS BROUGHT YOU ALL SOME PINS.
THEY'RE CELEBRATING THEIR HUNDREDTH YEAR, SO I'LL PASS THOSE OUT TO YOU.
BUT BROADWAY, DALLAS THIRD HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, NO MORE OF OUR NEXT PART BOARD MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23RD AT 10:00 AM WITH THAT, IT'S 1133 AND WE BOARD MEETING.