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MORNING.[Dallas Park and Recreation Board on January 15, 2026.]
[*Portions of this clip experienced audio distortion*]
THIS BEING THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR, HAPPY NEW YEAR.
WE DON'T HAVE MR. SLAUGHTER WHO WISH IT DOESN'T.
SO REALLY, REALLY A SPECIAL DAY.
AND THE WAS ORDER OF BUSINESSES YOU CHARGE FROM AS THEY SAY THEM PICTURE TO SELL.
AND REALLY, REALLY, I THINK THEY GAVE ME FIVE PAGES.
IF I READ IT ALL, WHAT SHE DID THEN, THEN I THINK WE'LL BE HERE SOON.
I, I SAY
MY INITIAL, LIKE WHEN I TOOK JEFF BY PUBLIC SPEAKING, I KNEW NOTHING AND I WOULD CALL
I THINK ANYONE GETS CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE TESTIMONY SHE GAVE IT TO THE, THE LEGISLATURE.
REALLY WAS NOT THAT ALL, BUT I THINK I WATCHED IT LATER AND CLEARLY I THINK HISTORIC FUNDING
ANY, ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR DIRECTOR, JOHN JACK THAT CAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
BUT, AND, AND I THINK AS I SAID, I CAN KEEP ON GOING.
SO WITH THAT, UH, DIRECTOR JENKINS, WE READY FOR BUDGET WAS THE NEXT STEP.
AND I KNOW WE WOULD ALSO, WE HAVE A PLAQUE THAT WE HAVE ORDERED WITH ALL HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT PRESENT TO SIGN AND TAKE A PICTURE OF WHAT THE, AND I WANT TO WELCOME UH, CAL'S FAMILY AND, UH, ALL THE, THE YOUNG KIDDOS.
WELL I'M SURE YOU ARE HAPPY BASICALLY SEEING YOUR MOM ON THAT.
SO, SO HAPPY FOR YOU TO BE HERE.
ALRIGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, MR. PRESIDENT AND I KNOW
RIGHT ION BOARD AND ENTIRE PARK AND RECREATION CENTER STAFF, I MEAN CITY STAFF.
UH, WE WANT TO PRESENT THIS PRESENTATION TO MS. CAB COLLINS BRATTON FOR HERE'S A SERVICE ON THE PARK BOARD FROM 2017 TO 2025.
TYLER HAVE GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH AND
YOUR TENURE THAT DALLAS PARK AND REPARATION ACHIEVE CELEBRATING MILESTONES TO MENTION THE COMPANY MOVED UP FOUR SPOTS ON THE 2025 PARK SCORE.
THREE FOURTH BEST PARK SYSTEM IN THE NATION WITNESSED THE PASSAGE OF THE 345 MILLION
ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DALLAS WING GUIDED DIVERSE CO-ED ACTIVITIES THAT HOSTED AND BOOSTED YOUTH SPORTS PROTECTION BY 63%
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SUPPORTED ENDEAVORS THAT RESULT IN PARTICIPATION IN ACTIVE SENIOR PROGRAM.ON THIS DAY, THE DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT APPLAUD YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND ENRICHING DEEPER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF THE CITY OF DO WE HAVE THE SIGN? HAVE TO HAVE SIGN? VERY NICE.
YEAH, WE CAN FOLD THAT FOR YOU.
3, 2, 1, 3, 2 ONE'S THE RIGHT.
WE NEED TO, WE HAVE TO GET A PICTURE WITH ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES.
YEAH, THE, YEAH, LET'S COME ON.
WE ALL OH REALLY? SOMEBODY THAT'S FUNNY.
SO I'M NOT THAT SEE HOW WAS MY PICTURE? THE GUYS, EVERYTHING FALLING.
DO WE NEED TO BACK UP OR WE GOOD UP GUYS BACK UP TOO.
YOU KNOW, IS YOUR ITALIAN ARE GOING TO, YOU WANT ME TO? YEAH, I UHHUH MISSY WE'RE JOINING PRESIDENT INAUGURAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
REALLY THANK YOU FOR THE
I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER ANYTHING.
2017, UM, JUST LOOK BACK AND CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE AS A DEPARTMENT ACCOMPLISHED, UH, IN THOSE IN THAT TIME.
IT JUST PROVES THAT THIS IS AN AMAZING DEPARTMENT, A GREAT CITY AND THE CITIZENS WHO SUPPORT OUR WORK HERE IN THE
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO JUST MANY BREAKINGS AS
BUT, UM, I WILL CONTINUE THE WORK BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN AND TO LIVE IN, UH, A CITY ONCE ITS PARKS LIKE DALLAS HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
SO ARUN, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
JOHN, MY FELLOW, UH, NEW YEAR'S.
WE SPLIT THE NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME OTHERS, UM, AS WELL ON THE BOARD, BUT JUST
ONE OF THE GREATEST PLEASURE TO HAVE SERVED ON THIS BOARD FOR EIGHT YEARS.
AND I'M AT ANOTHER PARK OPENING AFTERNOON.
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YOU COMMENT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT GOOD FRIENDS, UM, MS. COLLINS.BRATTON HAS AS ALL ITEMS THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED AS SUMMARIZED BY DIRECTOR JENKINS.
I JUST, ONE SMALL THING, UM, BEFORE I WAS EVEN PARK COLLINS BRATTON.
SO HE CAME TO MY ITTY BITTY LITTLE PARK IN EAST DALLAS, NO NAMES.
IT WAS A VERY TOUGH TIME FOR THAT PARK.
SHE UNDERSTOOD SOME OF OUR NEEDS.
SHE HELPED ELEVATE SOME OF THOSE NEEDS, AMPLIFY SOME OF THOSE NEEDS.
THAT PARK HAS COME A LONG WAYS.
ALWAYS CREDIT, IT'S CALVERT, COLLINS, BRETT.
LITTLE BIT OF THAT SUCCESS, THE FACT THAT SHE'S RAISING A NEXT GENERATION OF TAR CLUB I'M DOING.
AND UH, IT JUST FEELS SO GOOD.
CALVER, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
UM, I FIRST THAT WE HAD AT LUNCH, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO, BUT THAT WAS A EYE-OPENING LUNCH THAT WE HAD.
AND, UM, I'VE NEVER MET SOMEBODY.
UM, THAT IS SO QUICKLY TO ANSWER THE PHONE.
NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY, NO MATTER WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING.
I COULD CALL YOU AND I KNEW YOU'D ANSWER OR YOU GET RIGHT BACK TO ME.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE.
THIS IS, UM, TANYA, UH, ALBERT.
I STARTED WITH YOU THE BEGINNING OF COVID, AND WE WERE ON AND, AND, UM, AND YOU WERE, WERE MY MENTOR.
I WAS ABLE TO TEXT YOU AND BE LIKE, I'M NOT, I'M NOT REALLY QUITE SURE ABOUT TO SAY.
SO YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AND YOUR GUIDANCE, UM, WAS REALLY MEMORABLE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND REALLY, UM, NAVIGATE THROUGH.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S THIS LONG, BUT SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT.
UM, A LOT OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES.
UM, I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FAMILY FOR ALLOWING US TO PARTNER WITH YOUR MOM AND WIFE TO BE ABLE TO DALLAS ABOUT PARKS IN GREENVILLE.
UM, THE FIRST, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE BOARD, UM, IT WAS, I HAD AN EVENT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
AND THEY HAD JUST SAID A NEW APPOINTEE JUST GOT PASSED AND, UM, TO BE SUPPORTIVE AND SHE'S LIKE, HEY, BECAUSE IT WAS AT PARK AND SHAME.
AND YOU KNOW, EVER SINCE, YOU KNOW, I'VE LOVED YOU EVER SINCE, SINCE AND TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THE DAY, GET TO KNOW EMILY, AND YOU MADE A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT PARKS ARE FOR PEOPLE AND YOU ARE FOR PEOPLE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL THAT I'M THANKFUL SHARING YOUR FAMILY.
UM, INVITED ME OVER WHAT WE BROUGHT, UM, PICNICS FOR THE YOUNG ONES.
UM, CULVER DIDN'T LIKE THE PICKLE BIRTHDAY PRESENT THE GIRLS.
SO, UH, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WATCH THE KIDS GROW UP AND UH, THANK YOU DAVID.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING I LITTLE CIRCLE WITH YOU IN ALL THE OTHER WAYS THAT EXIST AND TO THE FAMILY.
ALSO WIFE AND YOUR MOTHER SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY YOU ALL, ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND THINKING ABOUT IT, I MIGHT BE, I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE ONE OF THE ONLY GROUPS THAT WERE HERE BEFORE YOU, SO YOU WERE WELCOME ME TO THAT SPACE.
EVEN OUR, WE WERE IN THE SAME COMMITTEE.
SO EVEN BEING IN THOSE ROOM FROM YOU, YOU WERE VERY HELPFUL.
YOU AS WE READ OFF, DONE A LOT FOR THE CITY IN ABOUT 1984 OR 85.
ONE OF MY FIRST INTERACTIONS WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT LAKE AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH AND SOLVING THE ISSUE THROUGH THE THEN PARK BOARD.
FAST FORWARD AND I'VE HAD THE BITTERSWEET OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH
AND 'CAUSE I ADMIRE HER SO MUCH, BITTER HER BECAUSE I ONLY HAD A FEW MONTHS OF THAT BE ROTATED OFF THE BOARD.
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AND BEST WISHES, UH, MR. YOU SIR.UH, SO FOR ME IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT STORY 'CAUSE I, I I WAS IN THE PARKS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, AT LEAST IN PARKS.
BUT KNOWING ABOUT CRICK COMING HERE, I WAS INTIMIDATED BY CAL TRUTH.
JUST, JUST KNOWING ALL SHE HAD DONE BEFORE I GOT HERE.
AND I SAY THAT HARDLY, I, I, I JUST WANTED MY FRIENDS AND WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED AND WE'VE ALWAYS MANAGED TO GET THINGS DONE AND ALL THAT.
BUT JUST KNOWING THE WORK OF THAT YOU'VE DONE, NOT JUST WITH THE PARK WORK, BUT BEYOND BEFORE THAT AND BEYOND, AND WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING HERE IN THE FUTURE.
UH, IT JUST AMAZED ME THAT, THAT YOU GIVE SO MUCH OF, FOR YOU TO BE PART OF THE WHAT THE DALLAS DOES BEYOND PARKS.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
UM, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER A LONG TIME.
GOING BACK TO OUR JOURNAL ESTATE.
I REMEMBER WATCHING YOU WHEN I, WHEN I WORKED HERE AND YOU FIRST STARTED, AND I JUST KNEW YOU WERE GONNA BE AN IN INCREDIBLE, OUR BOARD MEMBER.
AND I THINK YOU REALLY SET THIS THING.
UM, ALL OF US, OBVIOUSLY OUR DISTRICT, THE LEGAL CITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND YOU'VE GOT REALLY BIG SHOES TO FILL FOR YOUR DAUGHTERS HERE.
SO, UM, BUT THANK YOU TAKING LINE OF SERVICE TO THE CITY AND FOR PROVING THAT FORMER JOURNALISTS MAKE THE BEST BOARD MEMBERS
UH, ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS HERE WITH THE PARK SYSTEM, UH,
YOU SELECTED ME AS THE EIGHTH PARK DIRECTOR FOR PARK SYSTEM.
UH, BUT ALSO I WANT TO THANK YOUR FAMILY.
'CAUSE FOLKS HAVE TO REALIZE WHEN YOU'RE FOR PRESIDENT, YOU, YOU SPEND A LOT HOURS WITH THE PARK DIRECTOR AND THERE'S A LOT OF PHONE CALLS, THERE'S A LOT OF MEETINGS AFTER HOUR LATE INTO THE NIGHT.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THANK YOU, YOU DURING COVID DAYS, UH, AND YOUR FAMILY
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I KNOW MR. MR. AGARAL UNDERSTAND THOSE PHONE CALLS.
'CAUSE THEY DO COME LATE IN THE NIGHT AND THEY GO BOTH WAYS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT SACRIFICE AND THANK YOU WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE PARK SYSTEM WITH HEADLIGHTS.
AND REMEMBER THE WAITING, YOU ASKED ME, WHAT'S YOUR PRIOR, I SAID, I DON'T KNOW,
OH, I PUT YOU ON PLANNING AND DESIGN AND I THINK THAT WAS THE SO, AND THEN THANK YOU FOR SHARING HER CITY AND ALL APPLAUSE FOR YOU BECAUSE THE YOUNG GIRLS, I THINK IT WAS A LOT OF TIME, SHE CITY, WE GIVE OVER GRATITUDE TO YOU AS WELL.
WE ARE JUST BUSY DOING IN CUTTING NOW,
WITH THAT, WE MOVE TO NEXT EXPLANATION.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PUBLIC SPEAKERS, UM, COULD YOU PUBLIC SPEAKERS FAR? AWESOME.
SO SPEAKERS MIGHT COUNCIL TAKE A PICTURE THAT APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER MOTION.
WE HAVE A SECOND, THE SECOND, UH, DANIEL AND MR.
IT'S NOT, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY VOTING AGENT AFTER THAT.
THE CONCENTRATING THAT HAS BEEN, UH, THAT WE HAD ON THE, UH, IT HAS BEEN REMOVED.
SO, UH, THERE IS NO INDIVIDUAL MEETING AND THERE'S NO CONCENTRATION, THE VOTING ITEM.
UH, SO SURE WE TAKE, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND WE GET YOU HERE FOR OUR STATE FAIR.
SO, MR. CONNOR, WHO IS YOUR FIRST STATE PRAYER OR BRAD IF BRAD IS HERE?
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YEAH.JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY INTRODUCE LIEBER
THIS
SO LIKE THE TERM MITCHELL CHRIS, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT AND ALL OF OUR, UH, ESTEEMED OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S AN HONOR FOR THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN HERE AND PRESENT TO YOU, UH, EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE STATE FAIR ITSELF, THE 24 DAY EVENT, AND THEN, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE COVERING AS WELL WILL BE UNDER 341 DAYS OF THE YEAR THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH OUR, UH, COMMUNITY INITIATIVES.
UH, SO, UM, WE, I WILL SAY RIGHT OFF THE TOP, IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY AGAIN OUT AT FAIR PARK, UH, BRETT AND HIS TEAM, UM, AND THEN WORKING WITH DIRECTOR JENKINS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR RYAN.
UM, BEEN AMAZING, UH, JUST GETTING TO THIS POINT.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT UNDER THE, THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT NOBODY REALLY WANTED TO BE THAT WAY, BUT I WILL.
WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, OUT AT FAIR PARK IS A, IS A REAL JOY, UH, BECAUSE THE STAFF THAT IS OUT THERE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS REALLY TAKES A TON OF PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO OUT OF FAIR PARK.
AND, UM, WE MAY HAVE BEEN MISSING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU, UH, TO ALL OF Y'ALL FOR BEING PART OF THAT PROCESS.
UH, AS FAR AS THE 2025 STATE FAIR, TEXAS GOES, UM, THERE'S BEEN OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF NEWS OUT THERE ABOUT THE FAIR, UM, AND HOW THAT WENT.
UH, HAD A LOT OF GREAT COVERAGE THIS YEAR.
WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING FAIR ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS THIS YEAR.
UM, OUR TEAM DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF PLANNING A GREAT FAIR.
UM, WE HAD SO MANY THINGS THAT, UH, FOLKS CAME OUT AND ENJOYED AND WE HAD, UH, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE A LITTLE BIT DOWN ON THE ATTENDANCE SIDE, UM, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, AND WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT, UM, AND SOME OF THE REASONS, UH, BEHIND THAT.
BUT, UH, JUST FROM AN EXECUTION STANDPOINT, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, FROM A PROGRAMMING STANDPOINT, UH, I FEEL LIKE OUR TEAM PUT TOGETHER A FANTASTIC FAIR.
AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO COME OUT AND ENJOY, ENJOY THAT THIS YEAR, UH, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL AND I, I THINK THEY ALL HAD A, A REALLY GREAT TIME.
SO, OUR 2025 ATTENDANCE, UH, WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE OVER 2 MILLION, 2,020,000 IN 64.
UM, THAT IS DOWN APPROXIMATELY 15, UH, PERCENT TO PRIOR YEAR.
IN 2024 WHEN WE WERE 2.38 MILLION.
UM, WE HAD OUR PEAK, UH, POST PANDEMIC NUMBER OF 2.5 MILLION, UH, IN 2022 WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT GOING OUT AGAIN AND, UH, ENJOYING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND LARGE.
UM, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T REACH THE NUMBERS THAT WE WERE ACCUSTOMED TO, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESSES.
AND, UH, AS I TOLD OUR TEAM AT THE END OF THE FAIR, 2 MILLION PEOPLE IS A TON OF PEOPLE, OKAY? SO DON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T SEE THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO, BUT WE STILL DREW 2 MILLION PEOPLE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AND TO FAIR PARK, AND THEY ALL HAD A GREAT TIME.
UH, AND SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THE FACT THAT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT ON A GREAT FAIR AND STAGE THAT IS, UH, THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL FOR US.
SO, SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT IMPACTED US IN 2025 FROM AN ATTENDANCE STANDPOINT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THE DIFFICULTY HERE IS KIND OF ASSIGNING PERCENTAGES TO WHAT, WHICH OF WHICH FACTOR PLAYED WHAT PERCENTAGE IN THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT CAME OUT BEING DOWN THIS YEAR.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT WERE OUT THERE.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST ECONOMICALLY, UH, INFLATION AND LABOR MARKET WERE A FACTOR.
UM, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE COST OF EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE, WHETHER IT BE GROCERIES OR DINING OUT.
YOU SEE PROBLEMS WITH, UH, RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSING DOWN.
AND I THINK PEOPLE'S DISCRETIONARY INCOME WAS JUST GETTING SQUEEZED A LITTLE BIT.
SO I THINK THAT DEFINITELY PLAYED A PART IN IT.
THE NEXT WOULD BE PRICING AT THE FAIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO PRICING AT THE FAIR, JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, STATE FAIR CONTROLS THE PRICE OF ADMISSION AND WE CONTROL THE PRICE OF PARKING.
ONCE YOU GET INSIDE THE GROUNDS, THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO INSIDE THE GROUNDS, WHETHER
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THEY CHOOSE TO RIDE RIDES OR EAT FOOD, UH, THOSE PRICES ARE SET BY OUR PARTNERS.UM, AND SO WE HAVE, UH, HEARD THE, THE, UH, ISSUES THIS YEAR REGARDING PRICING.
UM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, UH, FROM A ADMISSION AND PARKING STANDPOINT, WE DID HAVE A $2 PRICE INCREASE ON, UH, TICKETS THIS YEAR.
UM, THERE WEREN'T JUST A TON OF DIFFERENT, UH, INCREASES ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, HOWEVER, THE IMPACT THAT FOLKS WERE FEELING, UH, AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE ECONOMIC FACTORS, AND AGAIN, UM, JUST DISCRETIONARY INCOME BEING DOWN, MADE THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.
UH, SO WE DEFINITELY HEARD FROM THOSE PEOPLE.
UH, WE OWN IT, UH, WE'RE ADDRESSING IT.
UH, WE'RE DOING WHATEVER WE CAN, UM, TO, AND WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING, WE'VE BEEN PLANNING SINCE NOVEMBER OF HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR FACTOR.
UM, TYPICALLY, UH, AS FAR AS THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF, UH, RUMORS FALSELY BEING FLOATED AROUND THAT ICE WAS GOING TO BE PRESENT AT THE STATE FAIR THIS YEAR.
IT WAS ALL OVER THE INTERNET, UH, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A HEADQUARTERS AND THAT THEY WERE, THEY WOULD BE OUT THERE ON THE DAILY BASIS, SIMPLY WAS NOT TRUE.
UH, BUT I HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE REPORT TO ME THAT SOME OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND FOLKS THAT, UH, LIVED IN THEIR AREAS, UM, WERE AFRAID TO GO OUT AND GO TO EVENTS AND JUST GO OUT, UH, IN PUBLIC IN GENERAL.
UM, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, WE DON'T KNOW, UH, WHAT SORT OF IMPACT THAT HAD.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT GENERALLY 36% OF THE STATE FAIR'S ATTENDANCE, UM, IS HISPANIC.
SO, UM, I THINK WE CAN KIND OF DRAW THAT CONCLUSION.
UM, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 1ST ABOUT, UH, WHAT, FOUR DAYS INTO THE FAIR.
UH, IT WASN'T IDEAL TIMING FOR US, BUT UH, CERTAINLY THAT HAD SOME SORT OF IMPACT AS FAR AS, UH, THE ECONOMY AND THEN THE LABOR MARKET AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THE WEATHER.
UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF RAIN, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, RAIN IS GENERALLY GONNA BE THE KRYPTONITE FOR OUTDOOR EVENTS, BUT IT WAS THE HOTTEST STATE FAIR THAT WE'VE HAD IN AT LEAST 24 YEARS.
UM, SINCE 20 2001, WE HAD AN AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF OVER 88 DEGREES DURING THE 24 DAY RUN.
SO EVERY FULL DAY YOU COME TO THE FAIR AND IT WAS 88 TO 92 AND SUNNY.
UH, AND, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE ON CONCRETE IN THE PARK, IT'S ABOUT 10 DEGREES HOTTER.
SO WE KNEW THAT, UH, I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TELLING US WE'RE GONNA WAIT TILL THAT COOL FRONT COMES IN AND, UH, THEN WE'RE GONNA COME OUT TO THE FAIR.
AND THAT JUST DIDN'T QUITE HAPPEN.
UH, SOME NUMBERS FROM THIS YEAR'S FAIR.
I WON'T REALLY READ THROUGH THIS ENTIRE SLIDE.
UM, WE HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS PROGRAM AND A MILITARY MEMBERS PROGRAM.
WE HAD 13001ST RESPONDERS AND 34,000 MILITARY MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF SPECIAL DISCOUNTS, UH, FOR THOSE PARTICULAR GROUPS.
UH, BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, 153 POUNDS, UH, 53,000 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE COLLECTED AND DONATED TO THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK, WHICH IS THEIR LARGEST, UH, CANNED FOOD DRIVE OF THE YEAR AT A VERY IMPORTANT TIME.
UH, SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR OUR VISITORS, UH, THAT COME AND, UM, AND BRING PRODUCT FOR THAT.
AND THEN IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE STATE FAIR, OF COURSE GIVES THEM AN ADMISSION DISCOUNT.
UH, THE STATE FAIR'S COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, UH, CONTINUES TO GROW, UM, WITH OUR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD MORE THAN 400 NON-PROFIT LEADERS THAT ATTENDED OUR COMMUNITY DAY DURING THE FAIR THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS OUR BIGGEST TURNOUT EVER.
NEXT SLIDE ON, UM, MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION WAS PROVIDED TO 220 STUDENTS AS PART OF THE BIG TECH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
AND THEN AS FAR AS FREE ACTIVITIES AROUND THE GROUND, WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE ADMISSION PRICE FOR THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO WORK HARD TO DO IS PROVIDE AMPLE PROGRAMMING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UH, PRICE OF ADMISSION IS WORTH IT WITH THE FREE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ENJOY WHEN THEY COME TO THE FAIR.
WE HAD 3007, 3077 ACTIVITIES HELD THROUGHOUT THE FAIR, SPREADING ACROSS THE GROUNDS.
SO A LOT OF ACTIVITY, UH, LOTS OF THINGS TO DO AT THE FAIR.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR GUEST ARRIVAL PROCESS.
NEW, WE HAD SOME NEW OPERATING HOURS IN PLACE, UM, FOR PARKING AND PEDESTRIAN GATES.
UH, WE IMPLEMENTED NEW DESIGNS FOR THE MIDWAY AND THE GURLEY GATE, JUST ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE AND BE MORE EFFICIENT.
UH, WE ADJUSTED OUR LABOR MODEL, UH, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN EFFICIENCY.
UH, IN THE STATE FAIR COMMAND CENTER, WHICH WAS BUILT LAST YEAR, THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR OF THE, UH, STATE FAIR COMMAND CENTER THAT, UH, SERVED AS A COMMUN COMMUNICATION HUB THAT IMPROVED OUR INCIDENT MANAGEMENT, UH, OPERATIONAL COORDINATION AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
Y'ALL MAY KNOW ROCKY VASE AS THE, UH, FORMER
[00:30:01]
DIRECTOR OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, TEAM HERE AT FAIR AT CITY HALL.UH, ROCKY IS THE GUY THAT RUNS, UH, THE COMMAND CENTER FOR, UH, COMMAND CENTER IS STATE OF THE ART.
UM, AND IT'S BUILT INSIDE OF THE COLISEUM.
UH, IT IS TO BE USED FOR ANY EVENTS THAT HAPPEN OUT AT FAIR PARK THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SECURITY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BRETT AND HIS TEAM, UH, AS THEY HOST EVENTS AT FAIR PARK WILL BE ABLE TO USE, UH, AS NEEDED.
UH, WE HAD A GREAT COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, UH, FOR CONCESSION ERRORS AND DOING STAND REDEVELOPMENTS, AND THAT PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN, UH, REVENUE ALL THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AND THEN IF YOU ATTENDED THE GAMES THIS YEAR, UH, IN PARTICULAR THE RED RIVER RIVALRY GAME, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD ISSUES WITH LOADING THE STADIUM.
UH, WE DID SOME NEW THINGS THIS YEAR.
OUR OPERATIONS TEAM CAME WITH NIP WITH A GREAT IDEA FOR, UH, QUEUING LINES OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT OF THE STADIUM.
GENERALLY WHEN THE GAME STARTS, IT'S STILL PACKED OUTSIDE THE STADIUM THIS YEAR WHEN THE GAME STARTED AND, AND KICKED OFF, THERE WAS JUST A TRICKLE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE STILL COMING IN.
SO WE WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT PLAN AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO TEST SEVERAL NEW INITIATIVES THAT HELPED SHAPE OUR PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, PREPAID PARKING, UH, CREDIT ONLY PARKING AT SELECTED GATES, UH, PREPAID TICKETS ONLY AT THE MIDWAY GATE, APPLE PAY AND GOOGLE PAY, UH, AT ADMISSION GATES, NEW POINT OF SALE TERMINALS, AND THEN PEDESTAL SCANNERS, UH, FOR ADMISSION TICKETS JUST HELP TO INCREASE OUR EFFICIENCY.
UH, ANDY FRA IS OUR SECURITY COMPANY.
THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB FOR US.
CAN'T, UH, SPEAK HIGHLY ENOUGH ABOUT, UH, THE GREAT JOB THAT THEY DO, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, EMPLOY A LIGHTER LABOR MODEL, UM, AND JUST TO BE, AGAIN, MORE EFFICIENT IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, A CT IS OUR CLEANING TEAM.
AND HOPEFULLY, WHENEVER YOU COME TO THE FAIR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL NOTICE AND WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN IS MAKING SURE THAT THE GROUNDS ARE CLEAN.
THESE FOLKS WITH A CT ARE AROUND THE GROUND CLEANING UP CONSTANTLY AND, UH, JUST REALLY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
UM, SO WE'RE REAL HAPPY WITH THE, THE WORK THERE.
UM, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND DALLAS FIRE AND RESCUE.
WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
WE'RE, UH, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WHAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER WITH THEM IN TERMS OF, UH, JUST PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD WITH DFR TWO FOLKS THIS YEAR, UH, AT THE STATE FAIR THAT SUFFERED HEART ATTACKS AND DFR WAS ON THE SCENE, GOT THERE AND SAVED LIVES IN TWO DIFFERENT INSTANCES.
SO, UH, VERY HAPPY, UH, WITH DFR.
AND, UM, THOSE GUYS WERE FANTASTIC.
OUR OUR 2025 PLAN WAS FOCUSED ON MAKING SOME MEANINGFUL MODIFICATIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS OF SAFETY VEHICLE AND PERSING, UH, GATE OPERATING SCHEDULES.
JUST TIGHTENING UP, TIGHTENING UP THE TIMES A LITTLE BIT.
AGAIN, REDESIGNS A COUPLE OF GATES.
UH, WE USE DRONE TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS ABLE TO BE USED
UM, ADDED CRITICAL VISIBILITY FOR US IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UH, WE HAVE A SAFETY TEAM THAT'S NOW IN YEAR FIVE.
UH, THAT TEAM IS, UH, REALLY COMPOSED OF SEVERAL, UM, RETIRED DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS AND THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB JUST BEING ADDITIONAL, UM, HIGHS AND EARS TO ASSIST, UH, THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH WHAT THEY DO OUT THERE ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, WE DID, UH, ATTEMPT A BACK POLICY THIS YEAR AT CLEAR BAG POLICY.
UH, WE FOUND IT VERY CHALLENGING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON THAT BECAUSE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP, UH, WITH BAGS, UM, THAT WERE NOT CLEAR.
UM, IT JUST INCREASES THE EFFICIENCY OF GETTING PEOPLE IN.
UH, WE CAN STILL, UM, CHECK THE BAGS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND SECURE.
IT'S JUST A LOT, UH, CLEANER AND QUICKER IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT WITH CLEAR BAGS.
UM, ONGOING TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF IS ALWAYS A FOCUS, AND, UH, THAT CREATED A CULTURE OF ENGAGEMENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY AS WELL.
JUST FROM A BRAND EXPERIENCE STANDPOINT, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, STATE FAIR BRAND AND THE, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS BEING THE MOST TEXAN PLACE ON EARTH IS INCORPORATED THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.
UM, A LOT OF STATE FAIR NONPROFIT MESSAGING, MESSAGING ALL THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.
UH, WE PARTNERED WITH CONCESSIONAIRES TO DEVELOP NEW BRAND IDENTITIES LIKE YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE WITH LITTLE LONE STAR DRINKWARE.
UH, WE COLLABORATED WITH CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND KEY CONCESSIONAIRES TO INTRODUCE SFT REGISTERED TRADEMARK, UM, AND LICENSED FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCT, UH, EXPANSION OF OUR SOUND SYSTEM.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S LACKING IN A BIT OF A CHALLENGE AT FAIR PARK.
THERE'S NOT A SOUND SYSTEM LIKE THERE WOULD BE AT OTHER THEME PARKS, FOR INSTANCE, THAT YOU MIGHT GO TO THAT CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS AND THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE YEARS TO BUILD UP THAT, THAT ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.
UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH,
[00:35:01]
WE, UH, WE DEFINITELY NEED AND, UH, ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON WAY FINDING SIGNAGE, UM, AND THEN ORNAMENTAL LANDSCAPE PROGRAM.HOPEFULLY YOU NOTICE THE GROUNDS LOOK GREAT DURING THE FAIR.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LANDSCAPE COMPANIES THAT COME IN AND PARTICIPATE WITH US, UH, AND DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND THEN WE INTRODUCE, UH, UH, CONTINUE TO INTRODUCE, UH, GUEST SEATING AND SHADE OPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.
THE MORE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OF THAT TO GET OTHER PEOPLE GET OFF THEIR FEET, TAKE A A LITTLE REST AND RELAXATION, THE LONGER THAT THEY WILL STAY AT THE GROUND.
ON THE LIVESTOCK SIDE, UM, SEVERAL BULLET POINTS THERE ABOUT PARTICIPATION AT THE FAIR.
THIS YEAR, MORE THAN 22,000 STUDENTS AND EXHIBITORS PARTICIPATED ACROSS THE FAIRS, LIVESTOCK AND AG EDUCATION PROGRAMS DURING THE 2025 STATE FAIR SEASON.
SO A HECK OF A LOT OF PARTICIPATION IN THAT AREA.
UM, IT'S A FOCUS FOR US AND OUR TEAM ON THE LIVESTOCK SIDE DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE AGRICULTURE, UM, AND EDUCATION ALONG WITH ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, AG AWARENESS DAY, UH, THERE WERE 207 CHAPTERS OF FOUR HFFA AND F-C-C-L-A THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE CANNED FOOD DRIVE.
AND THAT THOSE KIDS DONATED MORE THAN 28,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK WHEN THEY CAME.
UH, THE FAIRES LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURE EVENTS HOSTED MORE THAN 16,570 LIVESTOCK AND CONTEST ENTRIES, AND THEN MORE THAN $2.2 MILLION WAS RAISED.
UH, THAT'S A RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR US FOR THE BIG TECH YOUTH LIVESTOCK AUCTION AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT'S UH, RAISED IS CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS, UH, FOR EDUCATION, UM, THROUGHOUT THE LONE STAR STATE AND THEN AS WELL AS THE 60 ISD HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSEST TO FAIR PARK AS PART OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, THE GRAND CHAMPION MARKET STEER WAS A, UH, RECORD BREAKER THIS YEAR, SELLING FOR 200,000, UH, TO FRANK DEAL AND HIS FAMILY.
UM, AND THE FAIRA ALSO AWARDED 21.4 MILLION.
NOW THEY HAVE AWARDED 21.4 MILLION IN AUCTION AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS, UH, SINCE 2018.
SO, UH, REALLY POSITIVE NEWS THERE ON THAT FRONT.
NEXT SLIDE, I THINK WE'RE THERE.
ENTERTAINMENT AND ATTRACT CHANNEL.
UM, THIS IS A HUGE FOCUS ONE BACK, PLEASE.
UH, THE DRIVE BY TEXAN STARLIGHT PARADE, UH, FEATURED BRAND NEW FLOATS, UH, THEY ELIMINATED THE GROUNDS EACH NIGHT.
WE HAD MORE THAN 70 VOLUNTEERS AND A THOUSAND RIDERS THROUGHOUT THE 24 DAYS OF THE FAIR.
UH, 25 ACTS ON THE CHEVROLET MAIN STAGE.
YOU SEE TLC VILLAGE PEOPLE, PAUL WALL AND COLD WAR KIDS, UH, WERE SOME OF THE LARGEST CROWDS THERE DURING THAT TIME.
UH, A COUPLE OF OTHER NEW THINGS.
JUST, UH, A NEW MUSIC STAGE, UH, INTRODUCTION OF SIX NEW ENTERTAINMENT OFFERINGS THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HONORING THE TRADITIONS OF WHAT PEOPLE COME TO THE FAIR AND LIKE TO SEE AND KIND OF, UH, WHAT OUR SACRED COWS, SO TO SPEAK.
AND THEN ALSO FLIPPING OVER OUR ENTERTAINMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW FOR FOLKS TO SEE AS WELL.
SO IT'S KIND OF A BALANCING ACT, UH, THAT, UH, OUR TEAM IS, IS GETTING REALLY GOOD AT.
BUT, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, SOMETHING NEW TO DO AT THE FAIR EVERY YEAR.
UH, COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT THE FAIR.
UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD TWO GAMES, UH, TOGETHER.
THERE WERE MORE THAN 148,000 FANS THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR GAMES.
THIS WAS THE 100TH YEAR OF THE STATE FAIR CLASSIC, WHICH WAS A VERY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE.
AND HIS TEAM, UH, DID A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THAT GAME TOGETHER, THE HISTORIC GAME WITH
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ALLSTATE RED RIVAL WAS A SELLOUT AS USUAL, AND THE NEW STADIUM REALLY SHOWED ITSELF WELL.
UM, THE WEST SIDE IMPROVEMENTS WERE AMAZING AND, UH, WE VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE PERMANENCE.
UH, PROFESSIONAL SOCCER WAS A NEW ONE IN THE COTTON BOWL THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAD A, UH, IN OUR INAUGURAL STATE FAIR CLASSICO HELD, UH, ON SATURDAY, UH, THE FINAL SATURDAY OF THE 2025 FAIR.
UH, IT WAS DALLAS TRINITY FC, UH, WHICH MAKES THEIR HOME THERE AT, UH, THE COTTON BOWL VERSUS CLUB AMERICA, UH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE POWERHOUSE TEAMS, UH, FROM MEXICO AND HAD AN ANNOUNCED CROWD OF 22,838, WHICH WAS, UH, THE LARGEST CROWD FOR A PRO WOMEN'S SPORTING EVENT IN TEXAS.
AND STATE FAIR MEMBERS, UM, OUR TEAM MEMBERS, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS PROUD TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HIRE A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT COME IN TO WORK THE FAIR.
THIS YEAR WE HAD 2200 SEASONAL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES OF THESE 2200, ABOUT 91.4, UH, FOR RETURNING EMPLOYEES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO WE HAVE THIS CULTURE OF PEOPLE THAT LOVE WORKING AT THE FAIR AND THEY COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UM, AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A RETRAINING
[00:40:01]
THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.THESE FOLKS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'VE BEEN WITH US FOREVER AND THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, WE HAD, FOR THE 108 DIFFERENT JOBS POSTED, UH, WE HAD OVER 8,300 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.
UH, SO CERTAINLY NO SHORTAGE OF INTEREST IN WORKING AT THE FAIR AS WELL.
UH, THERE'S SOME DEMOGRAPHIC DATA HERE THAT JUST SHOWS YOU THE AGE RANGE, UH, THE GENDER BREAKDOWN OF OUR STATE FAIR TEAM MEMBERS, UH, AS WELL AS THE, UH, RACE AND ETHNICITY BREAKDOWN, UH, ON THIS SLIDE HERE AS WELL.
SO JUST GIVES YOU A GOOD IDEA OF, UH, THE VERY IMPORTANT FOLKS THAT WORK WITH US ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE COULDN'T WALK STATE FAIR WITHOUT THEM, UH, BUT IT'S 2200 STRONG AND, UH, THEY'RE EXCELLENT AT WHAT THEY DO.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CARISSA TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AT THE STATE.
WELL, HOWDY FOLKS, IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU AND, UH, BE BACK HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AND TO SOME NEW FACES THAT WE'RE SEEING AS WELL.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE STATE FAIR.
UM, WE'RE AT LEAST 24 DAYS EACH FALL.
THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS PLACES DALLAS ON A GLOBAL STAGE IN A WAY THAT THE NO PAID CAMPAIGN IN 2025 ALONE.
AS YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE STATE FAIR GENERATED MORE THAN 35,000 EARNED MEDIA MENTIONS REACHING A POTENTIAL GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF OVER 125 BILLION PEOPLE.
FOR REFERENCE, THE WORLD POPULATION IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED TO BE OVER 8.2 BILLION.
SO, UM, THAT MEANS EACH PERSON ON EARTH COULD HAVE HEARD OR READ ABOUT THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS IN DALLAS, MORE THAN 15 TIMES EACH DURING 2025.
THIS COVERAGE DOESN'T JUST PROMOTE THE STATE FAIR, IT TELLS THE STORY OF DALLAS AND TEXAS, OUR CULTURE, OUR SCALE, OUR CREATIVITY, OUR RESILIENCE, AND OUR ABILITY TO HOST WORLD CLASS EVENTS RIGHT HERE IN DALLAS.
IT'S A RECURRING INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT THAT BENEFITS THE CITY YEAR AFTER YEAR AND AT NO COST TO TAXPAYERS.
THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS A DIFFERENT AND VERY IMPORTANT DIMENSION OF THE STATE FAIRS EARNED MEDIA COVERAGE.
THIS SHEER FOCUSED NOT ON RIDES, NOT ON FOOD, BUT ON THE STATE FAIR'S, NONPROFIT MISSION SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE WANT TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS COVERAGE REINFORCES THAT THE STATE FAIR EXISTS TO SERVE DALLAS AND TEXANS YEAR ROUND.
AT ITS CORE, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS IS ABOUT BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR 24 DAYS EACH YEAR TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR.
AS MITCHELL MENTIONED DURING THE ANNUAL STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT USING THIS MOMENT TO BRING OUR SOUTH DALLAS AND FAIR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER IN MEANINGFUL WAYS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FAIR.
THE GROUNDS BECOME A GATHERING PLACE FOR MORE THAN FAIRGOERS TO ENJOY ATTRACTIONS AND EXHIBITS.
THEY BECOME A GATHERING PLACE FOR FAITH LEADERS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, CIVIC PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CONNECT, CELEBRATE, AND STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS THAT EXTEND WELL BEYOND THESE 24 DAYS.
THESE EVENTS REFLECT THE STATE PURE'S ROLE AS A COMMUNITY CONVENER, CREATING SPACE FOR DIALOGUE, RECOGNITION, OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS.
WHETHER THAT'S HONORING CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, SUPPORTING NONPROFIT WORK, INVESTING IN SMALL BUSINESSES, OR SIMPLY ENSURING COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN EXPERIENCE THE FAIR ALONGSIDE THEIR NEIGHBORS.
LIKE SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAME OUT AND RODE IN THE STARLIGHT PARADE THROUGHOUT THE RUN OF THE FAIR.
EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS IS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE STATE FAIR IS NOT JUST HAPPENING IN SOUTH DALLAS, BUT IS HAPPENING WITH OUR SOUTH DALLAS COMMUNITY.
BIG TEXAS IS MORE THAN SYMBOLS OF THE STATE FAIR.
HE REPRESENTS OUR FRIENDLY TEXAS CULTURE, THE RESILIENCE OF TEXANS, BECAUSE WHO COULD FORGET THAT HORRIBLE FIRE IN 2012? AND THE STATE FAIR'S COMMITMENT TO GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT MAKES THE FAIR POSSIBLE.
I FIND THAT PEOPLE TEND TO SPEAK TO BIG TEXAS HEIGHT, HIS BOOMING VOICE BOOT OR HAT SIZE, BUT THEY RARELY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S REALLY HIS HEART THAT IT'S BIGGEST OF ALL.
IN 2025 ALONE, THE STATE FAIRS COMBINED PHILANTHROPIC AND FAIR PARK GIVING IS ESTIMATED TO MORE THAN $12.4 MILLION.
SINCE 2016, WE'VE COMMITTED OVER 20.6 MILLION THROUGH OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORT EDUCATION, NONPROFITS, NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY.
AND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE INVESTED NEARLY $42 MILLION INTO FAIR PARK IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING 5.9 MILLION.
IN 2025
THESE INVESTMENTS REFLECT A LONG-TERM INTENTIONAL COMMITMENT, NOT TO JUST HOSTING A SUCCESSFUL
[00:45:01]
ANNUAL EVENT AT FAIR PARK, BUT TO STRENGTHENING FAIR PARK AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY YEAR AFTER YEAR.THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS FOR BIG TECHS AND THE STATE FAIR TO GIVE BACK.
THIS SHOWS THE STATE FAIR'S CONSISTENT COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN FAIR PARK WITH NEARLY $44 MILLION CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY ALONE SINCE 2015.
THESE FUNDS COME FROM THE FAIR'S ANNUAL SUCCESS, GIVING THE CITY FULL DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN, IMPROVE, AND PRESERVE THE CITY OWNED HISTORIC PROPERTY.
YOU'LL NOTICE 2021 IS ABSENT OF COURSE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE 2020 FAIR WAS CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
SO NO EXCESS REVENUES WERE AVAILABLE THAT YEAR.
BUT OVERALL, THIS DEMONSTRATES THE STATE FAIR'S LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, WITH THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, AND OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO KEEPING FAIR PARK VIBRANT AND WELL MAINTAINED FOR THE COMMUNITY YEAR ROUND.
IN 2025, THE STATE FAIR CONTRIBUTED 2.63 MILLION TO THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR FAIR PARK MAINTENANCE AND PROJECTS.
IN ADDITION TO OUR ANNUAL RENT OF 1.75 MILLION, WHICH IS ALSO DEDICATED TO FAIR PARK, THESE FUNDS SUPPORT MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS LIKE HOT BOWL RENOVATIONS AND THE FAIR ITSELF INVESTED MORE THAN $1.25 MILLION DIRECTLY INTO FAIR PARK DURING THE YEAR.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS WITH THAT INCLUDE PAVING REPAIRS,
BUILDING PART OF A MULTI-YEAR EFFORT TO MODERN MODERNIZE THAT FACILITY.
THESE INVESTMENTS ARE TANGIBLE PROOF OF THE STATE FAIR'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO KEEP FAIR PARK SAFE, FUNCTIONAL, AND WELCOMING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SINCE 2016, THE STATE FAIR HAS COMMITTED WAIT, THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS SYSTEM WORTH GIVING.
BUT THE STATE FAIR SINCE 2016 HAS COMMITTED NEARLY $8 MILLION THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS PROGRAMS DEMONSTRATING OUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK COMMUNITY.
THIS FIGURE DOES NOT INCLUDE OTHER INITIATIVES LIKE THE BIG TECH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND BIG TECH URBAN FARMS, WHICH FURTHER SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND AGAIN, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUCCESS OF OUR ANNUAL 24 DAY EVENT EACH FALL.
NEXT SLIDE FOR BIG TECH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
THIS CATCHING UP? YES, THERE WE GO.
THIS CHART SHOWS THE HISTORICAL GIVING OF THE BIG TECH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE PROGRAM HAS AWARDED OVER 2120 $0.1 MILLION IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO MORE THAN 3,700 STUDENTS, BOTH LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE LONE STAR STATE.
SCHOLARSHIPS SUPPORT LOCAL GRADUATES FROM SIX DALLAS ISD HIGH SCHOOLS, NEAR FAIR PARK YOUTH ACROSS TEXAS WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR LIVESTOCK CONTESTS AND LONGTIME SEASONAL EMPLOYEES OR THEIR DEPENDENTS PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL HAS BEEN AWARDED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS ALONE UNDER MITCHELL'S LEADERSHIP.
BUT THIS SLIDE IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPACT OF OUR BIG TECH URBAN FARMS PROGRAM, WHICH OPERATES YEAR ROUND ON THE STATE FAIR MIDWAY AND FAIR PARK.
UM, WE'VE TOLD OUR TEAM AND THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT SINCE 2017, BIG TECH'S URBAN FARMS HAS OFFICIALLY GROWN AND DONATED MORE THAN 2 MILLION SERVINGS OF FRESH PRODUCE TO HELP FEED FAMILIES IN NEED IN THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING HEALTHY LOCAL ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD THROUGH HIGH YIELD HYDROPONIC PRODUCTION.
YOU KNOW, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS ISN'T JUST FUND, IT'S A POWERHOUSE FOR THE NORTH TEXAS ECONOMY.
THE STATE FAIR IS ESTIMATED TO GENERATE MORE THAN $600 MILLION IN, IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY EVERY SINGLE YEAR, SERVING AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL ANNUAL EVENTS IN THE NORTH TEXAS REGION.
THE STATE FAIR PROVIDES AN UNPARALLELED PLATFORM FOR HUNDREDS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL VENDORS.
FROM FAMILY OWNED FOOD STANDS TO MOM AND POP SHOPS TO NATIONAL BRAND EXHIBITORS.
THESE VENDORS COLLECTIVELY GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SALES OVER THE 24 DAY EVENT EACH YEAR.
FAIR OPERATIONS ACCOUNT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND EXPENDITURES RELATED TO STAFFING AT FAIR PARK.
[00:50:01]
WE SUPPORT THE REGIONAL ECONOMY BY CREATING THOUSANDS OF SEASONAL AND PERMANENT JOBS, GENERATING DEMAND FOR SKILLED CHOICE AND SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS LOGISTICS, MARKETING, PUBLIC SAFETY, MORE THAN JUST A FUN DAY.THE STATE FAIR ALSO DELIVERS MEASURABLE AND RECURRING PUBLIC VALUE THROUGH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUE FROM SALES TAX, HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX, BUSINESS AND VENDOR FEES, EMPLOYMENT AND PAYROLL TAX.
THAT'S A TEXAS SIZED IMPACT EVERY SINGLE FALL.
AND NOW I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MITCHELL TO WRAP UP THIS YEAR'S PRESENTATION.
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN FOR Q AND A.
THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
AND YEAH, SO LOOKING FORWARD, JUST UH, SOME KEY AREAS OF FOCUS.
CHOOSE WITH THE CITY WIFI SUPPORT THAT IS BEST.
SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD, JUST SOME AREAS THAT, UH, ARE IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON, UH, IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, VALUE AND GUEST EXPERIENCE INITIATIVES, UH, TOP OF THE LIST, SFT, UH, HAS A NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UM, JUST IN THIS BEGINNING STAGES, UH, LOG FLU AREA.
UH, AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, THE LOG FLUME AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS WAS RETIRED.
WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, OPEN UP A TON OF SPACE ON THE MIDWAY THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE REPURPOSED AND, UH, BE ABLE TO BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY USED.
UH, UTILITY UPGRADES, UH, US SEMI CENTENNIAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH IS A, A BIG WORD FOR, UH, AMERICAN TWO 50, UH, LIGHTING AND PAVING, UH, PARKING TRAMS AND PERIMETER SECURITY, HVAC, UH, AIR QUALITY INVESTMENTS, UH, IT INFRASTRUCTURE, MIDWAY RIDES, UH, REHAB FOR THOSE THAT WE OWN.
UH, DESIGN OF A NEW MULTI-USE FACILITY IN THE LIVESTOCK AREA.
IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD LOVE TO DO AT SOME POINT.
AND PARK BEAUTIFICATION IMPROVEMENTS, UH, CONTINUES TO BE AN AREA OF FOCUS FOR US AS WELL.
UH, SO IN CLOSING, UH, JUST WANNA SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT OF THE FAIR.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE SOME OF Y'ALL OUT AT THE, UH, ANNUAL BOARD PICNIC THIS YEAR.
I HOPE, UH, THAT YOU'LL COME BACK AND JOIN US AGAIN IN 2026 WHEN OUR DATES ARE SEPTEMBER 25TH THROUGH OCTOBER 18TH.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
IT'S ALWAYS THE MOST OF IT, EVERYTHING OF THE YEAR, SO, BUT THAT IS, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT, APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, THAT, THAT WAS A LOT OF STUFF.
I, I, I WAS GOING THROUGH IT A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF TO, TO, TO LOOK AT AND, AND EVERY YEAR YOU BRING KNOW A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, APPRECIATE IT.
UH, I KNOW WE, WE BRIEFLY TALKED IN THE HALL, BUT I, I, I THINK THE BIGGEST FACTOR IN YOUR NURSING BEING DOWN WAS, IS ECONOMIC.
I I THINK WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CHOOSE WHERE TO GO, THEY, THEY STATUS WHERE THEY'RE GOING THERE ONCE OR MAYBE NOT, MAYBE TWICE LIKE THEY DO EVERY YEAR.
UH, SO I JUST THINK IT WAS ECONOMIC.
I THINK THAT YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT COME BACK THIS YEAR, EVERY YEAR AS WE GET MAYBE A LITTLE BIT INSTALLATION BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF STARTING A HIGH INFLATION RATE.
UM, BUT PEOPLE WERE JUST CHOOSING WHERE TO SPEND, COME BACK, YOU KNOW, 2020 WAS ZERO OUT RIGHT COVID, AND IT GREW REAL BIG.
AND SO NOW, NOW WE KIND OF SMALL, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE COMING.
BUT I THINK THAT WAS THE BIGGEST, THE BIGGEST THING THAT I SAW.
BUT AGAIN, IT WAS PHENOMENAL OUT THERE.
UM, APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THAT TENT OUT FOR THE STAFF THE FIRST DAY.
LIKE YOU DID SAY IT WAS THE HOTTEST IN THE HISTORY, OR AT LEAST THE LAST 24 YEARS, AND IT REALLY WAS, THAT OPENING DAY WAS TREMENDOUSLY HOT.
UH, AND
I SAW CHANCE BEING UP THE FIRST DAY BEFORE WE EVEN GOT THERE THAT MORNING.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE, THEY'RE KICKING COOL AND PEOPLE AND THEY WERE HAPPY TO COME BACK.
'CAUSE, 'CAUSE YOU, YOU GUYS TAKE CARE OF 'EM.
THAT REALLY IS A FACTOR IN WHAT WE DO.
UM, DO YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER STUFF, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE FUTURE? MAYBE YOU CAN'T DISCLOSE AND TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE MAYBE YOU'RE STILL WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STAFF, BUT YOU SAID ELECTRICAL, BUT ARE YOU LOOKING TO BRING IN NEW THINGS TO THE, TO THE FAIR? MAYBE? I KNOW WE GOT SACRED COW THINGS.
I MEAN, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF OLD SCHOOL TEJANO CHICANO MUSIC, UM, BUT MUSIC, BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GONNA BRING NEWER BANDS OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I KNOW THAT MA THE MAFIA WAS WELL ATTENDED, BUT IIII SEE THAT YOU SAID THE MUSIC IS ONE OF THE BIG FACTORS STANDS FOR FOR NEW MUSIC.
SO EVERY YEAR, WELL, WE, FIRST OF ALL, UM, WE WORK WITH A
[00:55:02]
UH, IF YOU GO TO OTHER LARGE STATE FAIRS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, MOST EVERY SINGLE THAT IS A TICKETED, ADDITIONAL TICKETED EVENT, UH, WITHIN THE FAIRGROUNDS.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO THAT, IT ACTUALLY DOES ALLOW YOU, BECAUSE SOME WAY TO TURN ON THE INVESTMENT TO GO TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF TALENT.
SO WE TRY TO USE THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, UH, TO GET THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN.
WE HAVE, AND SOMETIMES THAT MIGHT BE TALENT THAT'S ON RISE, OR IT MIGHT BE A MORE ESTABLISHING THAT'S OUT THERE FOR A WHILE.
UH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING STRONGLY, UM, IS OUR FREE ENTERTAINMENT AS FAR INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL.
AND AND, AND THE REASON I'M BRING THAT UP, BECAUSE YOU HAD, LIKE, SABO WAS ONE OF YOUR, WAS ONE OF YOUR GROUPS OVER THE SPOTLIGHT STAGE, BUT THE GUN IS, OR GROUPS THAT ARE REALLY, ARE REALLY HUMMING RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT GENRE AND, AND SOMETIMES I DON'T THINK I DO EITHER, BUT IT, IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHEVROLET AND, AND THE REASON I SAY I'M TALKING MORE ABOUT LIKE ATTENDANCE.
THERE'S A LOT OF NEW WAVES OF MUSIC AND ALL, WHICH IS RIGHT LIKE A, LIKE A LIKE DGA SPECIFIC DA AND, AND PUTS ON A SHOW FOR AND DRAWS THOUSANDS OF THAT 25 TO 48 THAT COMES IN AND ALWAYS SAY EXPENSE, THE DOLLARS THAT YOU'RE BEING YOU.
RIGHT? UM, AND, AND DURING THE STATE FAIR, MAYBE JUST ONE, ONE DAY OR EVEN THE, THE FAIR, FAIR PART MATTER OF FACT, UM, UM,
ANYTIME YOU HAVE IDEAS OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO ME, I'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET INTO THE RECORD.
AND, AND, AND I, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT ARE UP HERE THAT BRING, THAT DRAWS IN PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.
SO LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE STUFF, BUT I, WE APPRECIATE IT.
YOU GUYS DO BOTH OF YOU AND, AND ALL AND ALL, ALL OF THE, EVERYTHING I DO.
THANK YOU
UM, I AGREE WITH JUST, I'M NOT TERRIBLY CONCERNED ABOUT ATTACK VICTIMS OF YOUR OWN INCREDIBLE
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PLEDGE THAT YOU'D ALREADY MADE TO LOOK AT THE PRICING AND WORK ON THAT ISSUE WHEN YOU REACHED COUNCIL LAST WEEK, UM, MY ONLY CRITICISM OF THE PRESENTATION IS I THINK YOU BURIED LEAD ON SLIDE 19, UH, OF HOW MUCH YOU GUYS GIVE INVEST IN FAIR PARK.
SO I WANT DIRECTOR JENKINS TO MAYBE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS, THAT PIECE OF INVESTMENT IN WHAT WE USE THOSE DOLLARS FOR.
UH, 2015 THERE HAS BEEN 40 $40 MILLION THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED.
AND OVER THE YEAR, MONEY USED IT FOR
BUT IT'S BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL.
UH, WITHOUT THAT FUNDING IT WOULDN'T, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESTORE PRESERVES A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS OUT THERE.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WHENEVER THERE'S A SHORTCOMING THAT MONEY HAS ALLOWED US
AND I KNOW MITCH, MITCH MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT HOW THE
AND I WANNA, UH, E ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE IF I MAY, 'CAUSE THIS KIND OF ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, WHY THOSE DOLLARS ARE GREAT.
UH, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, THE PARTNERSHIP IS GREAT AS WELL.
AND I KNOW FOLKS DON'T REALIZE WHAT THE FAIR EVERYONE THINKS THE FAIR AFTER THEY LEAVE.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAIR IS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
UH, WE COLLABORATE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR ON ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING.
IF WE'RE SHORT ON SOME FUNDING ON OTHER THINGS.
MITCH AND HIS TEAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO HELP THE PARK SYSTEM.
UH, I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER EVENT WHERE YOU HAVE A $600 MILLION IMPACT AND MOST CITIES WILL BE GIVING FOLKS INCENTIVES.
UH, THE ONLY FUNDING WE DO PROVIDE TO THE FAIR IS FOR THE OU I MEAN, TEXAS, OU AND THE RAMBLING PRAIRIEVIEW GAME, UH, THAT'S NEVER MY ION OH NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST, NOW Y'ALL KNOW ME.
UH, AND THEY, THEY GIVE US A LEASE PAYMENT EVERY YEAR AS WELL.
[01:00:01]
THAT ON TOP OF THAT $44 MILLION A YEAR, THEY GIVE US CLOSE TO A $2 MILLION LEASE PAYMENT EVERY YEAR.AND ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS THEY GIVE US THE YEAR
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY PUBLICLY, THEY ARE ONE OF OUR BEST PARTNERS AND, UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE STATE AT FAIR PARK.
THANK YOU THAT MORE THAN ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
AND UM, I FULLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT, UM, FAIR, I MEAN WE HAVE A TENDENCY IN THIS STATE SOMETIMES TO PICK ON OUR BEST PARTNERS.
SEEMS HARDER GOING THROUGH WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH WITH FAIR PARK THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
THE STATE FAIR HAS BEEN, I THINK GOING FORWARD, WE NEED TO MAKE, WE ARE THE CONTINUE TO BE THE CENTERPIECE, UM, AND ARE AT THE TABLE TO HELP ADVISE US ON THE NEXT STEPS FOR, UM, I JUST GREATLY APPRECIATE THE, THE INVESTMENT.
YOU GUYS HAVE AN INCREDIBLE CIVIC LEADER.
UM, JUST APPRECIATE EVERYTH YOU GUYS.
MS.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, YOU, YOUR ATTENDANCE NUMBERS MIGHT HAVE NOT LIKE EXCEEDED YOUR EXPECTATIONS, BUT YOU REALLY, ALL OF THE OUTREACH, YOUR IMPROVEMENT AND THEY GIVE BACK DEFINITELY EXCEEDS EVERYTHING AND ATTENDANCE.
I MEAN, GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE, THE AMOUNT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN BACK, UH, I WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND A TRUE IMPACT.
UM, I SHIP IS IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF, UH, THE FAIR, THE FAIR PART AND THE, AND I REALLY ADMIRE THAT.
C WAS SECOND TO THE LAST SLIDE IN TO HOW, WHERE THAT MONEY GOES TO.
WE AS THE BOARD ALWAYS UNDERSTAND YOUR PACT, UM, AND GIVING IN.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THERE WAS SOME DEFICITS IN UTILITY AND EVERYTHING THAT IN THE PAST, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT GOT RESOLVED, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF YOUR CREATIVITY OF HOW YOU'RE GETTING YOUR MONEY AND HOW IT'S BEING UTILIZED FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS OF FAIR PARK IS ESSENTIAL TO THE, SO THANK YOU.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOUR DEAN.
UM, I, I WOULD KNOW A LITTLE BIT IF THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WERE SAID, ANOTHER PART, YOUR PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH THE, WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW WHERE WE WERE AT WITH THE MANAGING
UM, IT WASN'T WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED OR EXPECTED FROM THE PAST.
UM, UM, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND I'LL LEAVE IT TO MY SESSION, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANY MENTION ABOUT THEIR ENDING THE FREE TICKETS FOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
SO I WANNA SPEND A COUPLE MINUTES ON IT.
UM, LAST YEAR, LAST SEPTEMBER, THE MEETING OPERATIONAL COSTS AND LOW, THE MEDIA ALSO CITED SAFETY CONCERNS INVOLVING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM RECENT YEARS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS TERRIBLY UNFAIR TO PUT ON TEENS WHO USED A FREE TICKET REGARDLESS WAS NOTICEABLE DISAPPOINTMENT, MAKING THE FAIR YEAR OLD, ESPECIALLY BUDGETS TO MAKE THE ISSUE EVEN HARDER TO
FAIR PARK IS A CITY OF DALLAS PARK.
THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS OPERATES IS WELCOME TO OPERATE WITHIN IT EVEN IF THEY ARE SEPARATE.
THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT MAKE THIS POLICY DECISION.
REVOK EVERY HIGH SCHOOL TEAM, UH, REVOKING
[01:05:01]
ESPECIALLY WHEN EVERY DECISION WE AS A BOARD THE CITY NEED TO MAKE HAS TO BE THE DEFEND FAIR PARK AND PROMOTE THEIR PARK ANOTHER WAY.WHEN THE STATE TAKES A PUNCH, WE TAKE PUNCH TWO.
SO THIS, THIS IS WHAT I WANNA SEE FIRST.
I WANNA SEE STRONG AND EARLY CONSIDERATION BY THE FAIR TO REINSTATE FREE ADMISSION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
PRIORITIZING DISD FAIR PARK IS THEIR PART TOO.
REINSTATING WHAT THEY HAD BEFORE WILL REFLECT SECOND, IF THE FAIR IS NOT TO DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART DEPARTMENT IS BOARD TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE MARCH THIS YEAR, NOT LATE SUMMER, NOT AFTER PLANS ALREADY SET OF MARCH.
AND FINALLY, IF FREE TICKETS ARE NOT REINS, ALSO KINDLY ASKING JUST AS WE SO GRACIOUSLY
I WANNA CLOSE, IF I HAVE ANY TIME LEFT, I WANNA CLOSE WITH, UH, THIS ISN'T FINGER POINTING.
UH, THIS IS STEWARDSHIP OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES TOGETHER, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DO DOES.
AND I WANT TO WELCOME OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, MAXIE JOHNSON.
YOU CAN SEE YOUR APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE HARD AT WORK, SO THANK YOU.
I WANNA ASK SOME QUESTION FOR VENDOR PRICING.
I THINK UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN THEY GO TO A MORNING EVENT OR AN AMUSEMENT OR AN AIRPORT OR SOMEPLACE LIKE THAT, THAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO PAY A PREMIUM FOR THE CONVENIENCE TO HAVE A VENDOR SERVICES AVAILABLE AT THAT LOCATION AT THAT TIME.
BUT I, MY IMPRESSION AT LEAST IS THAT THE SPONSORING INSTITUTIONS, UH, PLACE EXERCISE OVER THAT PRICING.
WHAT BEYOND A POINT VENDOR PRICING REFLECTS BADLY ON THE INSTITUTION?
UH, I RESPECTFULLY RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE HAVE PASSED THAT POINT AT THE STATE FAIR.
UH, WHEN SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY $20 FOR BARBECUE CENTER, THE FACT THAT YOU MAY DISCOUNT FOR THEM TO GET INTO THE FAIR GROUND.
WE CONSIDERING
AND SO ALL OF THAT IMPACT, ALL OF THE AFFORDABILITY IS FALLING ON YOU AS AN INSTITUTION.
I REALIZED THAT THERE'S A BALANCE WITH THAT, THAT IF YOU VENDOR YOU THE APPLICANTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT, UM, IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON YOUR VIEWS ON THAT.
UM, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY FIRST OFF, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT.
UH, WE ARE RIGHT WITH YOU, UH, IN THE TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH YOU, AND IT'S BEEN STATED, STATED THAT IT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, PRIORITY GOING 26, UH, IS TO ADDRESS THE PRICING ISSUES.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE LED TO DECREASED ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR.
DIFFICULT TO SAY, UH, WHICH PERCENTAGE APPLY TO EACH.
UH, THIS IS THE ONE THAT WE OWN AND THIS IS THE ONE WE WILL, UH, ADDRESSING THAT, UH, WE HAVE PLANS TO, UM, HAVE
AND OUR GOAL BE FAIR, MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE.
THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND FOR FEE FOR BEING SELECTED AS A VENDOR, IT'S JUST SIMPLE
UH, THEY ACTUALLY CONCESSIONARY AGREEMENTS, THEY EXTREMELY RIGHT PERCENT.
[01:10:01]
UH, NO.PRODUCTS MIGHT BE UNIQUE ENOUGH, EVEN THOUGH, WHICH CORNY DOGS, FOR INSTANCE, UH, IT'S NOT, UM, YOU, ME HUNGRY.
THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE, UH, EXCLUSIVITY.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, WHEN WE ARE GOING OUT AND LOOKING FOR NEW CONCESSIONAIRE TO COME IN, WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO BRING CORNY DOGS, FOLKS IN
UH, IT COMES WITH THE FLETCHER'S CORNY DOG THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, IF THEY COME TO THEY HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEIR EXPERIENCE MAY NOT BE THE SAME.
UH, SO YEAH, THERE ARE A FEW IN, UH, WITH UNIQUE PRODUCTS THAT WE, THEY DO THAT USUALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR NEW CONCESSIONAIRES TO TAKE WHATEVER MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN ONE YEAR, THERE MIGHT BE ONE SPACE, UH, COME AVAILABLE IN ANOTHER SPACES.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THAT PARTICIPANT ORATION AND WHETHER THEY HAVE, UH, THE, UM, EXPERIENCE AND CAPABILITY OF OPERATING IN A HIGH VOLUME SITUATION.
AND THEN WHAT IS THE, SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO DO PIZZA AND THERE'S ANOTHER PIZZA STAIN RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
UH, BUT YET
IT'S NOT LIKE I'VE GOT A BETTER MIKE.
YEAH, WE CAN GET OVER A HUNDRED APPLICATIONS EACH FOR NEW CODES.
DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE IN, IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
OR IF ISSA WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SET UP.
SO STARTED A COMMUNITY PROGRAM CALLED THE BIG TECH BUSINESS.
AS NEW VENDORS BECOME A VENDOR OF THE STATE, OR IF YOU'RE AN EXISTING VENDOR, YOU CAN SELECT, PARTICIPATE THROUGH OUR MASTERCLASS.
THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST TO, IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE.
AND ALSO UNDER, AT THE STATE HERE, TEXAS, THAT THAT HAPPEN NATIONWIDE, HUNDREDS COMMUNITY RIGHT HERE,
AND THEY SHADOW THAT VENDOR AND THEY LEARN REALLY WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN.
THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH SETTING UP A RESTAURANT OUTSIDE OR INSIDE FOR 24 DAYS OF THE FAIR.
AND SO THEY GET TO LEARN THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
AND SHE ASKED, SO DO YOU STILL, AND THERE'S BEEN YEARS WHERE SOME HAVE SAID, I'M GOOD, I'M GOOD, I WANNA GO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT THERE'S MANY, WE HAVE MANY SUCCESS STORIES, STORIES APPLY, DIDN'T GET IN, BUT HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, GRADUATED AND REAPPLIED, AND, UM, NOW HAVE OPERATING BOOTH AND ARE SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL
MY GRANDMOTHER AND SISTERS PART OF THAT GROUP ORGANIZING WITH HER AND MY, AS A KID, FOR ME, SHE WAS ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT WE WENT INTO THE FED 'CAUSE OF THAT KNOWING HAD TO BE DONE.
SO I, I WAS VERY PROUD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I HAD A VERY LONG, LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR I'VE BEEN TO THE FAIR IN A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND ABOUT ATTENDANCE, JUST LIKE MY COLLEAGUE RUDY MENTIONED, UM, I THINK THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO MENTION ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TICKETS.
UM,
AND FOR THEM NOT TO RECEIVE THOSE TICKETS.
AND YOU ALL KNOW I LOVE, IN 24, WE WORKED TOGETHER TO SAFE AIR TEXAS, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO A LOT OF CONFEDERATE WRITE YELLOW SHIRTS, PASS OUT FREE TICKETS.
[01:15:01]
THAT THEY WOULD SIT SAME YOUNG PEOPLE, GAVE THEM A PAUSE.SO, UM, ON THE STREET IS THAT IT WAS A SILENT BOYCOTT ABOUT THE NEWS, ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GENERATIONAL ACTIVISM.
SO FOR ME, I THINK THAT MENTIONED, I THINK THAT WE TABLED TOGETHER.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, ARE YOU ALL CONSIDERING WE TALKED TO YOU, I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS STUDENTS WITH, WAS IT A HUNDRED RACE, THREE TICKETS, MATH HIGH SCHOOL ACROSS THE STREET? UM, FOR THEM, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS A STUDENT WHO MAY BE A CAUSES WAY.
SO I DO WANT TO FIND A WAY TO FIGURE OUT FOR PEOPLE WHAT HIM, THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE FED ON THOSE FREE TICKETS.
BECAUSE THAT WAS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND, AROUND EVERY TICKETS.
AND HE, GREG CARTER IN SEVEN EIGHT, THIS HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, REALLY, BUT I'M BUS UP.
BUT I'M SMART CHILD TO FIGURE THAT, UM, LET ME SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THE SCHOOL PROGRAM.
JUST KIND OF SET STAGE IN
WE SENT OUT COMMUNICATION TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE SCHOOL TICKET PROGRAM IN THE SPRING.
HOW IT DIDN'T GET OUT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THE KIDS UNTIL AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
I HAD LONGER BE DOING HIGH SCHOOL TICKETS FOR THE FAIR.
UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A FEW YEARS.
I CAN TELL YOU MANY, MANY YEARS SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAD FAIR DAYS, FAIR DAY.
WELL, THE STATE AND THE SCHOOL CALENDARS DID AWAY WITH FAIR DAYS WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WHICH WAS PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE EARLY AUGHTS, SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.
UH, WHEN THE FAIR, THE ATTENDANCE AMONG OUR HIGH SCHOOL, THE AMOUNT OF TICKETS TO, UH, KIDS WITHIN A HUNDRED MILE RADIUS, PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE, AND ALL TEACHERS AND FOLKS THAT WORK WITHIN THE SCHOOL AS WELL.
SO OVER 2 MILLION TICKETS, OUR PERCENTAGES OF REDEMPTION ARE 10%.
THIS YEAR THEY DROPPED TO 7%, 4 MILLION KIDS TICKETS AND ANOTHER 200
OKAY? SO WE SAT AT 1.6 MILLION TICKETS, ABOUT 400,000 THOUSAND LESS.
AND THE RENEWAL PERCENTAGE WAS JUST ABOVE 7%.
IT'S A PROGRAM TO OPERATE, NOT BEEN THERE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS FAR AS FOLKS THAT LIVE DIRECTLY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, BUT WHEN WE MET WITH DISD LAST SPRING AND TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THAT WAS THE REACT A AS WELL, THEY SAID, BUT WE'RE DALLAS.
WE SAID, WE'RE JUST PICK, CHOOSE WHICH DISTRICTS WE GIVE TICKETS TO AND WHICH ONES WE DON'T.
SO THE FACT IS THAT FROM A SAFETY AND SECURITY STANDPOINT, THIS HAS BECOME AN ISSUE OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE FAIR, UM, YOU KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAD WHAT WE CALL RUNS ON THE MIDWAY THAT ARE STARTED BY TEAMS AND MAYBE DOING THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST KIDS THINGS.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL YELL SHOTS FIRED, AND THEY'LL STAY TAKE OFF RUNNING IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND IT'LL CAUSE A STAMPEDE ACROSS THE GROUNDS.
A FEW YEARS AGO, WE HAD A HUGE RUN ON THE MIDWAY WHERE PEOPLE FAILED OUT AND FAIRGROUNDS AND EVERYBODY LEFT THE GROUND BECAUSE OF A CALL FOR, FOR SHOTS FIRED.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD A LOT OF INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THAT.
A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAD, UH, MEDICAL CASES AS A RESULT.
AND THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS AS WE LOOK TO TRY TO FAIR A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH KEY SECURE ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE.
IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT THERE
ABSOLUTELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
[01:20:01]
BUT IT ALSO MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE FACT THAT THERE'S A REASON WHY THOUGH.AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAY ALL KIDS ARE BAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST THAT WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS HISTORICALLY, AND IT'S A RISK FACTOR FOR US TAKING IT OFF THE TABLE.
YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED THAT WE NEEDED TO CONSIDER IT.
IT, UM, IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION.
WE WANTED TO, WE, UM, TRIED TO PUT OTHER THINGS IN PLACE LEADING UP THAT
WE, WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO TALKING, ALWAYS OPEN PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE DID WORK WITH C ORGANIZATION TO GIVE THEM FREE.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AS WELL.
UM, JUST KNOW, BECAUSE SOMETHING WE THANK YOU, UH, FIRST AND FOR FOREMOST, THE PARK DEPARTMENT'S BIGGEST, UM, AND OUR BIGGEST SUPPORTER, UH, THE MOVE TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT, UM, I WOULD PERSONALLY CREDIT FAIR PARK STILL STANDING BECAUSE OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS AND THE INVESTMENT
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND THE ULTIMATE, WE CAN HAVE LOTS OF DEMANDS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE DOING OWN REVENUE AT THE END BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPENSES.
AND THEN AT THE END OF IT, YOU GET EXCESS REVENUE.
OUR DEPARTMENT, WELL, THE MORE WE DEMAND UPFRONT, THE LESS REVENUE BEHIND JUST SAID THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE WORK WITH, UM, NON-PROFIT LIKE
BUT I I I, I TRYING TO DEMAND, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I, I DEMAND AND I ASK FOR THINGS, BUT I, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT
AND FIRST YOU ARE PARTNERS TO OUR TENANTS THAT ARE THERE BECAUSE YOU WORK WITH THE EXTERNALIZATIONS THAT ARE THERE BASIS YEAR ROUND.
YOU GUYS ARE ONE OF THE BEST PARTNERS FOR THEM.
SO YOU GIVE BACK TO THEM ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, I KNOW WHERE, MA'AM, IF THEY CALL YOU, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE THOUGH.
YOU'RE THERE 24 DAYS OUTTA THE YEAR, BUT YOU'RE THERE 365 OFF YOUR RENT FOR COLLEAGUES AND THE OTHER, UM, PARTNERS AT THE FAIR.
BUT THANKS FOR BEING, I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE.
I KNOW YOU WARN DI ABOUT IT, PROBABLY
UM, WHAT HISTORY OF THE, OF THE SCHOOL DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHEN THAT STARTED?
YOU GUYS SEND TICKETS FROM ONE POINT YOU, ONE POINT FIXED THIS YEAR AND THAT INCLUDES WHAT?
[01:25:01]
UH, PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.AND THEN ALL TEACHERS, UH, AND ADMINISTRATOR ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
THAT'S ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER TENANT? I, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THIS AND I LOOK AT WHAT THE FAIR POINT STATE STATE FAIR.
MITCH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER TENANTS AT FAIR PARK THAT I WAS JUST TRYING TO LOOK THIS UP, THAT GIVE AWAY JUST HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
ACCENTURE DISCOVERY GARDENS HAS REDUCED TICKETS FOR CHARGES FOR ADMISSION FOR, FOR HIGH SCHOOL DISCOUNT PROGRAM FOR $12 FOR, UH, THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS TO COME.
I DON'T KNOW OF OTHER PARTNERS THAT DO.
I WILL SAY ALSO FOR KIDS AND IT'S WASHINGTON STATE.
AND YOU, YOU GUYS, SO WHAT, WHAT RE TICKET PROGRAM? UH, I ACTUALLY
DO YOU GUYS TALK A LITTLE BIT THE REDUCED PRICE FOR KIDS IDS? IS THAT IN PLACE? YES.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE PRI WHAT'S THE COST? WHAT'S THE PRICE? $4.
SO IT'S IN LINE WITH, SO IT $10 AGAINST DISCOVERY GARDENS OF STUDENT ID.
IF THERE'S ANGST ON THIS, I JUST THINK IT'S UNFAIR THAT WE'RE PICKING ON THE FAIR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONGSTANDING TRADITION TO DO THIS.
AND WE DON'T DO THIS WITH BROADWAY, DALLAS, TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDENS.
WE DON'T DO THIS WITH, OR OU TEXAS GAME.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, CHANGE ARE, UH, LIKE THAT AND Y'ALL'S JOBS, UH, AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, THIS BODY IS TO TAKE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
UH, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT AT THE STATE FAIR.
YEAH, I, I JUST, I FULLY AGREE AND I KNOW THAT WAS PROBABLY A HARD DECISION AND WE WEREN'T IN THE ROOM FOR THOSE.
UM, UM, YOU RENT THE
BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO FOLLOW ON ONE GROUP, STATE FAIR OR THE FAIR PARK TO DO THIS.
AND NOT EVERYBODY WE'RE GONNA EXPECT THIS.
WE EXPECT THIS FROM EVERYBODY.
BALANCING ACT, THAT'S THE WORD,
UH, MY SECOND ROUND HAS SLIDE 26, 27 IN YOUR, YOUR OPERATIONS, YOUR TAKEAWAYS, UM, AND WANTED TO KNOW, DIDN'T WORK WITH NOISE, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ON THAT SLIDE, BUT, UM, WITH THE SOUND SYSTEM IMPACT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO, IF IT WOULD HAVE, I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT IN THE PAST AND A LOT OF PEOPLE COME AND, UM, SPEAK ONE TIME AND ALSO MAKE SURE THERE IS LEVELS OF YOUR SOUND LOOK INTO THAT.
IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE IT WOULD OVERRIDE THE LOUDNESS OF THE RIOTS AND MACHINERY AND THE PEOPLE AND ALL, BUT ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS, UM, SO THAT THOSE LEVELS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UM, FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN ANY BAR.
SO, SO ANYWAY ON THAT, HOW WAS THE, UM, WHAT WAS YOUR, UH, HOW, UH, DO WE STILL HAVE THAT IN PLACE WITH THE, THERE WAS LIKE A, A FEE THAT COME TOWARDS, DID THAT EVER HAPPEN? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WE JUST TALKING ABOUT A SURCHARGE? YES.
NO, AS COUNCIL, WE, 'CAUSE THEY LEASED THE GROUNDS FROM US, BUT NOT WE HAVE WHAT WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, WE'LL WORK THAT OUT.
SO IT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING, SO THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SECOND ROUND.
THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. PRESIDENT, FOR MY SECOND ROUND.
I, UM, I DO RESPECT, UH, MR. VICE CHAIR'S POINT OF VIEW THAT HE JUST MADE RIGHT NOW ABOUT,
[01:30:01]
UM, WANNA REMIND, UH, OFFERS THE ALL ACCESS PASS EACH SUMMER TARGETING 13 TO 17-YEAR-OLD.UM, THERE'S NO FREE PASSES IN THERE.
THEN I CAN SHAKE A STICK AT IS TO PLACES IN FAIR PARK TOO TO OUR GUESTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
A MOMENT, MOMENT AGO, YOU START OUT LOUD AND NOW I HAVE A BIGGER ONE WITH IT.
A MOMENT AGO YOU JUST HAD THE SAFEST FAIR, RIGHT AFTER YOU DOUBLED DOWN ON WHY YOU REVOKED FREE TICKETS FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHOSE FAMILIES NEED THAT.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT OUR, THERE ARE WAYS TO GET A SAFER FAIR WITHOUT CALLING THEM OUT.
THANK YOU MR. TO THE POINTS THAT WERE JUST MADE.
LANE, I THINK YOUR NAME SHOULD BE FREE AT THE FAIR, ALL THE KEYS.
UM, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY
AND I WANT YOU ALL EVEN TO THINK ABOUT LONG, THE LONG GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE, LIKE YOU ALL SAY, WHO GOT THOSE FREE
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WERE FRESHMAN INTO HIGH SCHOOL, 10 TO 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THEY ARE THE PASSION THAT I DID TELLING THEIR CHILDREN THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE THING.
BECAUSE THAT TRADITION AND MY QUESTION TO YOU WILL CONSIDER BRINGING IN
UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FOLKS THAT WERE HAPPY, UH, THEY FELT THAT IT WAS A SAFER ENVIRONMENT AS A RESULT OF JUST HAVING IT IS NOT THERE, BUT MADE IT SAFER IN THEIR OPINION.
SO, UH, THERE WERE PEOPLE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT, TRYING TO BUILD STUDENTS HERE.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE'RE STATING WE'RE IN FRONT OF Y'ALL'S FACTS OF ALL THE
UM, AND THE THING THAT THE FAIR INDUSTRY IS STRUGGLING WITH IS WHOLE AND A CONSTITUTION.
UM, BUT THIS, I MEAN, WE DIDN'T WANT, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO, AND WE ARE OPEN TO, AGAIN, CONSIDERING WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS WE AVAILABLE TO DRIVING UP COSTS FOR SAFETY AND INSECURITY.
I, I DO WANT TO GO TO THE FACTS.
LIKE YOU JUST SAID,
SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU ALL ARE LOSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY GIVING AWAY THESE FREE TICKETS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEM.
I I'M NOT PAINTING THE PICTURE.
I'M, TO ME, THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
AND THAT IS A VERY CONSCIOUS AND HYPER AWARE OF THIS MESSAGE THAT WE ALL IZED.
ESPECIALLY AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE JUST WENT OVER ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED, ONE IN THE CITY OF PENN, NORTH TEXAS THAT WE'RE SAYING, BUT YOU YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY TAKE, AND I, I AM, I KNOW, UH, MR. WOODS SAID HE'S NOT, HE DON'T WANT HIS, BUT I AM SAYING THAT I DEMAND THAT THE YOUTH GET THEIR TICKETS BACK.
THAT'S MY STANCE AND I'LL CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE TOWARDS THAT.
AND CONSIDERATION IS CUTE, BUT I NEED TO TO BE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MY VOICE MATTERS IN THIS CASE, BUT
[01:35:01]
I'M NOT THE SURE TO BE LOUDER FOR THIS PAPER.UM, AT AT RISK OF BELABORING THE POINT I JUST, SO JUST FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
DO, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS ON THE UTILIZATION JUST FOR THOSE HERE OF THOSE TICKETS WHEN WE WERE IN LINE WITH THE
SO THERE WERE STILL A
SO YEAH, SO, SO THAT IS A COST, ESPECIALLY IF THEY DON'T UTILIZE THEM, IT'S NOT COMING TO SPENDING MONEY ON OTHER THINGS.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, I DO THINK WE, IT WOULD'VE BEEN PROBABLY HELPFUL IN RETROSPECT IF WE HAD KNOWN IISD KNEW.
SO MAYBE THAT'S JUST SOMETHING FROM A PERSPECTIVE WE COULD JUST COMMUNICATE ON THOSE KINDS OF, UM, IN THE FUTURE, IT WOULD'VE BEEN PROBABLY BETTER FOR US TO BE OUT FRONT OF IT AND UNDERSTAND.
UM, AND I, I THINK MR. TWIN'S VOICE IS REALLY VALUABLE HERE.
SO IF THERE IS, I I IT IS TARGETED FOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, PARTICULARLY LEANING TOWARD DISD OR THE FAIR PARK.
I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO MAYBE THAT'S A CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
UH, IT NOT EXACTLY LIKE IT DID BEFORE, BUT STILL SEEING THE NEED FOR, FOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROGRAM IN ITS IN THE PLAN DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE A SO THE GOOD AND THE BAD.
SO MS. MOND, YOUR FINAL ROUND MA'AM.
UH, IT IS NOT JUST DISD HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO PRIVATE ALSO LIKE YES, GREENVILLE AND ST.
MAR, ALL THESE KIDS WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR FREE TICKET.
OH YEAH, I DIDN'T, SO YOU'RE PUNISHING A WHOLE CLASS OF STUDENTS FOR SOMETHING THAT A FEW DID, AND THAT DOESN'T, THAT REALLY DOESN'T SEEM FAIR.
I MEAN, IF WE, UM, UH, LOCK UP EVERYTHING IN, UM, AT THE FAIR.
IS THERE A WAY CAMERAS CAN IDENTIFY PEOPLE THAT GO TO THE FAIR KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THAT THERE'S, THEY, IT'S HARMFUL THAT THEY ARE SUBJECT TO ARREST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S CONSIDERED THE STUDENTS EARNING OR REQUESTING THEY'RE TAKE, THEY'RE TAKING RATHER THAN JUST MAY.
CHRIS, THIS IS, I THINK LOT HAS THREE PARTNERS.
HONESTLY, IF I CAN, I WILL TAKE A CLASS TOGETHER FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, WHICH YOU CAN.
I WORK WITH LOTS OF BRANDS, CREATE BRANDS.
IT'S REALLY IS SO, SO SPECIAL.
YOUR EARNED MEDIA, I THINK REALLY TEXAS, NOT ME, THAT IT WAS, IT WAS GETTING MET IS WHAT IS THE STATE WHERE WE ARE READING ABOUT THAT HERE.
[01:40:03]
TRULY, I THINK MADE IT ON THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE TICKETS.AND I KNOW IT IS NOT LIKE YOUR FACE AND YOUR COULD NOT MAKE EASY DECISION.
I MAKE SENSE THAT I THINK IT'S A OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMICALLY, UH, DEPRIVED FAMILIES TO NOT SEND THEIR DATA.
AS YOU SAID, IT'S THE BALANCING ACT.
SO MAYBE THERE IS SOMEWHERE, AND I HOPE HOW, HOW YOUR BOARD, YOUR STAFF, AND I'M SURE YOU ARE RECONSIDERING IT MAYBE NUMBER OF WAYS.
I THINK
SO MAYBE, MAYBE A DISCOUNT OR EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO PAY TWO BUCKS, I THINK THAT IS THEN COMING THERE FOR ROUNDNESS BECAUSE IT'S FREE.
SO SOMETHING MAYBE SIGN UP FOR SCHOOLS SO THAT YOUR REDEMPTION IS LESS.
SO IT HELPS IN THE SECURITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY KNOW THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBERS ARE THERE, THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE RESPONSIBLE COMING THERE.
SO SOME OF THOSE IS BALANCING ACT, RIGHT? WHICH YOU WOULD BE NOW, YOU KNOW, GIVE, I THINK YOU ARE ONE OF THE PARTNERS WHO SAID, GIVES US RENT, GIVES US PART OF REVENUE.
BECAUSE LET ME ASK YOU, AS
UM, DEPARTMENT, UH, IS PERFECT, IS A PERFECT DEPARTMENT FOR US.
UM, A LOT OF TALK ABOUT, UH, IMPROVING GROUNDS, UH, AND I THINK, UH, THIS BODY SWISHING, UH, WHEN
SO I WOULD SAY THE, UH, CATCH UP HOLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE YOU FUNDING FOR THOSE PARTICULAR BUILDINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, FREES UP DOLLARS THAT WE MAY HAVE AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR ANOTHER CAUSE.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY CONTINUAL PERCENT CAN FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, MR. PRESIDENT, I, I WOULD WANNA NOT, ONE
AND I WOULD LOVE TO, TO
AND WHEN I, WHEN MITCH AND I SIT, SIT DOWN WITH EXPENSES AND WE'RE SEEING WHERE ARE THE BIGGEST EXPENSES AND IF WE CAN KIND OF GET THOSE THINGS UNDER CONTROL THERE, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE OTHER TYPE OF DISCOUNT TICKETS, OTHER INCENTIVES FOR OTHER TYPES OF
THE SECURITY CONTINUES TO ESCALATE EVERY SINGLE YEAR AT ONE TIME.
AND I THINK ALL ON GET, YOU KNOW, SEEMS LIKE WORLD IS BECOMING UNSAFE AND THAT SEEMS TO BE, BUT ONE PLACE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MIGHT BE DOING IS TO EXPLORE TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT BODIES, NOT ENOUGH WAYS WHICH CAN MAKE US SECURE AND LITTLE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMUNITY.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP THEIR STADIUM AND THEIR CROWDS TO BE MORE SECURE, PRETTY OUT THERE.
WE JUST HAVE TO ARRIVE THE ONE AND TRULY THAT, UH,
[01:45:03]
IF WE ADOPT THE RIGHT, GET THE, WE WOULD PREEMPT THE
AND ACTUALLY THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT CLEARLY SHOULD, WHICH, AND THEN YOU FIGHT WITH THE STATE ON THAT.
THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST.
SO HAVING SAID NO, I THINK I END UP BY SAYING THAT HONESTLY
WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT BRIEFING, WHICH IS A BY MASTER PLAN.
UM, MITCHELL RISSO LEAVING, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME, UH, AND PHILIP, THEY HAVE, UM, MASTER PLAN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WANTED TO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU ONE FOLLOW TIME.
ANOTHER I WOULD ALSO LIKE
SHE'S BEEN HIGH COURSE AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT TO BRAD AND PHILLIPS AND REALLY JUST FOCUSING ON THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THE CHANGES.
'CAUSE THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO BTE TWICE AND AT LEAST TO THIS BOARD ONCE, MAYBE TWICE.
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK IN LATE MORNING TO YOU.
WE, WHAT A JOURNEY, WHAT WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE MAYBE A YEAR OR LESS MASTER PLAN WE'RE, UH, TWO AND A HALF YEARS INTO IT.
AND IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS.
I WILL SAY THAT PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE HAS HAD TO MARK OUR EFFORT IN ALL THE INPUT.
LIKE SAY THE LAST NINE MONTHS HAS BEEN JUST A LOT ABOUT REFINING THE DOCUMENTS, THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, AND THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE HISTORY AND PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES THAT HAPPENED OVER TIME AND TRENDS.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, I THINK I'VE SAID THIS EVERY TIME, A MASTER PLAN LIKE THIS WILL BE A LANDMARK IN ITS OWN WAY, BUT IT, IT IS A GUIDING DOCUMENT.
IT, IT DOESN'T ANSWER EVERY QUESTION GOING FORWARD.
THERE WOULD BE DESIGN PROJECTS, THERE'LL BE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT HAPPEN THAT DESIGN TEAMS LIKE, LIKE OUR OUR TEAM.
YOU COME IN AND YOU BEGIN TO REFINE WHAT IT ACTUALLY BECOMES IF THE FINAL DESIGN.
BUT THIS IS A GREAT, GREAT PIECE OF WORK.
UH, MUCH MANY PEOPLE TO THINK ALONG THE WAY.
RESPECTFUL HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO GO.
SO WITH THAT, BRAD IS JUST GONNA TRY TO SUCCINCTLY WALK THROUGH THE, THE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS WE'VE BEEN MAKING.
THE, SO THE BRIEF PRESENTATION THAT WE'LL GO OVER TODAY, UH, WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN TO THE TASK FORCE ON TUESDAY EVENING.
UM, SO WE WILL JUST WALK THROUGH THIS.
THE, THE BRIEF PROJECT HISTORY.
UH, THIS SHOWS THE PROJECT INITIATION BACK IN 2022.
UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY PRIOR TO, UH, US BEING, UH, HIRED AS THE CONSULTANT.
UH, THAT WAS THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT'S NEED, UM, LOOKING FORWARD INTO, UH, 23 AND 24 EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
I WAS TOLD WE HAVE LOST THE CORNER.
EVERYONE'S SCREEN, RIGHT? UM, OH, OKAY.
UH, WE, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE, UH, TASK FORCE PRESENTATIONS, UH, BACK IN AUGUST 23, 20, BEEN LATER ON IN 24 AS WELL AS, UH,
[01:50:01]
LAST YEAR, 25, WE HAD ONE IN FEBRUARY AS WELL AS, UH, JUST THIS THURSDAY OR TUESDAY, UH, JANUARY 26TH, UH, TWO PRE PTE PRESENTATIONS, UH, WERE HAD OVER IN THE, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS.UH, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT DRAFTS WERE RELEASED AT, AT FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, INTERVALS, UH, WITH EXTENSIVE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT FOR EACH OF THOSE.
AND AS PHILIP MENTIONED, THE LAST SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS HAS REALLY BEEN FOCUSED AROUND LISTENING TO EACH OF THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, AN EXTENSIVE PRO PROCESS WITH, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH D PART, THE, UH, TASK FORCE, MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE, AND THEN OUR INTERNAL STAFF ON ACTUALLY, UH, QUANTIFYING EACH ONE OF THOSE QU UH, COMMENTS INTO A SPREADSHEET AND CREATING A, A RESPONSE FOR EACH OF THOSE.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH A FEW SLIDES HERE.
UH, NEXT SLIDE AND ADD, UH, SO JUST TO OVERALL, UH, SUMMARIZE THE ADOPTION PROCESS WITH THE TASK FORCE MEETING LAST TUESDAY, THE PARK BOARD BRIEFING, UH, TODAY, THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE A, UH, PARK FORM ADOPTION, AND THEN POTENTIALLY EVEN A CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION.
UH, THOSE DATES WOULD BE YET TO BE DETERMINED.
SO AS, AS FAMILIAR AS TASK FORCE WAS WITH THE MASTER PLAN, WITH, WITH ALL OF THE DIALOGUE THAT WE WERE HAVING.
SO WE WENT THROUGH THIS SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR CHANGES EACH ONE OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF, OF THIS, UH, AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, WITHIN THIS PLAN, THERE IS A NEW, UH, HOW TO USE THIS PLAN, UH, KIND OF A ROADMAP ON, ON THE SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF THE MASTER PLAN.
WE CAN GO THE NEXT SLIDE WITHIN THE PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS, SOME, SOME UPDATES WITHIN THAT BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE DIALOGUE WITH TASK FORCE, UH, BUT MAINLY PULLING OUT SOME OF THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS, UH, FOCUSING ON THOSE OR, OR AT LEAST, UH, UH, MENTIONING THOSE AS A, AS ANOTHER SUBSET OF THE GUIDING DOCUMENTS WITH WITHIN AND AROUND THE WAY.
UM, ONE OF THE MAJOR EFFORTS OF THIS PLANNING EFFORT WAS JUST QUANTI, UH, QUANTIFYING AND SUMMARIZING EACH ONE OF THE PLAN, UH, PREVIOUS PLANNING DOCUMENTS, WHETHER THAT WAS LAKE WHITE STRATEGY PLAN, A SUBJECT MATTER SPECIFIC PLAN, OR AN ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF A SPECIFIC PROJECT SUCH AS THE STONE TANGLES AREA,
UH, THOSE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS HELP INFLUENCE HOW THINGS WERE BUILT AT THE LENGTH AT THAT TIME.
SO WITHIN THE, THE DIALOGUE WITH THE GROUPS AS WELL, WE WANTED TO, UM, IT'S KIND OF A GIVEN WITHIN THIS MASTER PLAN, BUT WE WANTED TO, UH, ELABORATE ON THAT MORE IN THE, UH, STEWARDSHIP OF WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK.
WITHIN THIS MASTER PLAN, THERE'S A LOT OF BIG IDEAS, THERE'S A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC TRAILS OR SPECIFIC UPDATES WITHIN THE PARK.
UH, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WANTED TO BRING THESE FOUR AREAS, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT AS THE PRIORITIES FOR THE PARK ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, LARGE INFRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES, THAT'S LAKE HEALTH, THE CULTURAL AND, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, UM, ONGOING MAINTENANCE, AND THEN OF COURSE, OPERATION AND POLICY.
SO KNOWING THAT THESE FOUR FOUNDATIONAL STEWARDSHIP ELEMENTS, UH, WERE KEY TO ANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AS THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS START TO BE VETTED AND PUT INTO THE PRIORITY LISTS, UH, THESE, UH, THESE FOUR ELEMENTS SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF.
UH, SPECIFICALLY WE TALK A LOT ABOUT LAKE HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE MASTER PLAN AND THROUGHOUT OTHER, UH, PARALLEL EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY ALONGSIDE THE DREDGING PROJECTS.
AS I MENTIONED, THE, UH, THE HOW TO USE THIS PLAN, UH, WAS ONE OF THE UPDATES.
THERE WERE SOME CONSOLIDATION OF SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN PREVIOUS DRAFTS, SO REALLY GETTING INTO DETAIL WITH THOSE THAT WERE ALONGSIDE US WITH THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, SOME OF THE UPDATES TO A FEW OF THE GRAPHICS, UH, WITHIN THE PLAN FOR THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE MASTER PLAN IN ITSELF AND IT SHOWS THE, UH, OF THE ENTIRE LAKE.
THEN WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN, THERE IS A, A, UH, FOCUSED AREA FOR EACH ONE OF THESE 21 PARKS WITHIN THE PARK.
WE SHOWED 20, BUT THEN, UH, ONE AREA AROUND THE FISH HATCHERY AND THE WINSTEAD TRIANGLE BOOK TO A 15 A AND 15 B.
UH, SO THERE IS ACTUALLY NOW 21 FOCUS AREAS WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN THAT, THAT GO INTO DETAIL OF THE ACTUAL SPATIAL ORGANIZATION OF THOSE AREAS.
[01:55:01]
THEN, UH, POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS, UH, EXISTING CONDITIONS SURROUNDING INFLUENCES AND, UH, COMMUNITY ASSETS THAT ARE LOCATED INSO IF WITHIN THIS, UH, PRESENTATION, WE HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTED HERE ON THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, WE'LL KIND OF WALK THROUGH THOSE BRIEFLY.
UH, WITHIN THE MOCKINGBIRD POINT AREA, THERE WAS SOME, UH, DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS THAT UPDATES IN AROUND THE, THE OBSERVATION POINTS AND SOME PICNIC AREAS NEXT TO SOME 44 BIRD NEST.
SO WE MOVED SOME OF THAT AND, AND RESPONDED TO ANY OF THE, UH, COMMENTS RELATED TO THAT.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE ALONGSIDE BOY SCOUT HILL, THERE WAS A LONG RUNNING RECOMMENDATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT A PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS OVER EAST LAW THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE MASTER PLAN AT THIS TIME.
UH, BUT IT IN TERMS OF ITS TOTALITY OF A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IN TERMS OF, UH, POTENTIAL SAFETY, UH, STUDY ON THE TRAIL DEPARTURE FROM THE BRIDGE ONTO EAST
AT WINFREY POINT, THERE WAS SOME UPDATES ON THE GRAPHICS AND WHERE, WHERE ITEMS WERE SHOWN, UH, ON THIS MASTER PLAN SLIDE.
UH, THERE, THE PLAYGROUND RECOMMENDATION IS LOCATED WITHIN THE BASEBALL FIELD OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, ALONG ALONGSIDE THE, UH,
UH, IT IS INTENDED THAT THAT TRAIL ROAD BEND WOULD REMAIN.
UH, SO THAT TRAIL WOULD CERTAINLY,
ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UH, AREAS OF STUDY WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN AND A LOT OF THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT IS WHAT DO WE DO IN BETWEEN THAT RAPID CURVE CONDITION THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO, UH, THE SHORELINE AND THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UH, WE WANTED TO OPEN UP TO EVEN MORE OPTIONS, UH, WITHIN THE, THE CURRENT DRAFT.
IT SHOWS A POTENTIAL OVER THE WATER BOARDWALK, BUT ALSO AN OPTION OF, UH, LAND RECLAMATION AND SHORELINE AND STABILIZATION TO POTENTIALLY EVEN GROW THAT EDGE BETWEEN THE BACK
UM, AT THIS TIME, AT THE MASTER PLAN LEVEL, WE'RE SHOWING BOTH AS OPTIONS AND POTENTIALLY SOMEDAY THAT COULD, THEY COULD BOTH BE IMPLEMENTED AND PROVIDE A BETTER SAFER OPPORTUNITY THERE.
THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THIS BURGER, AND MAYBE IT'S A ONE OR THE OTHER OR BOTH AT SOME.
THE OLD FISH HATCHERY, AS I MENTIONED, WAS SEPARATED, UH, BY THE SOAK TRAIL OF A WHILE OR SANTA FE A WHILE BACK.
AND, AND THIS ACTUALLY SHOWS THE, UH, UH, THE WINSTEAD TRIANGLE IN THE RECENT, WITHIN THAT AREA THAT HAD HAPPENED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UH, INCLUDING SOME PARKING, A TRAIL AND SOME, UH, COMMUNITY SPORTS AREAS.
SO WE WANTED TO SHOWCASE THAT IN THE MASTER PLAN AS WELL.
THIS THEN SHOWS THAT WINSTED TRIANGLE, UH, A 50 AS WELL.
WITHIN THE BIG IDEAS AREA I MENTIONED, UH, PREVIOUSLY THE, UH, OR THE EAST LOCKER OVERPASS, UH, ID, UM, PAGES WERE REMOVED FROM THE PLAN, UH, JUST TALKING ABOUT SAFETY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THERE FOR FURTHER STEPS.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AS WELL AS WITHIN THE GARLANDS ROAD AREA.
ADDITIONAL, UH, GRAPHICS WERE INCLUDED TO SHOW THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT POTENTIAL SAFE TRAIL CORRIDOR BETWEEN THE BACK CURB ROAD AND POTENTIALLY RE REVITALIZED SHORELINE EDGE.
UH, ALONG THAT, THAT STRETCH, AS IT LEADS DOWN TO THIS BUILDING, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
WITHIN THE DESIGN GUIDELINES, MOST OF THE EDITS WERE, WERE REVOLVED AROUND, UH, SOME EXISTING IMAGERY AND OTHER, UM, CONTEXT OR, OR VISIONARY IMAGERY OF POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UH, THINKING OF PARKING AS THE WEST SIDE OF THE LAKE HAS BEEN, MOST OF THOSE PARKING LOTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPROVED INTO, UH, EIGHT, UH, CONCRETE PARKING LOTS ON THE EAST SIDE THAT HAS YET TO BE DONE.
SO AS THAT, UH, PROGRESSES INTO NEW ENHANCEMENTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER A, UH, POTENTIAL FILTRATION STRIPS OR SOMETHING THAT, THAT CAN CATCH SOME OF THAT RUNOFF WORK GOES INTO.
THAT IS, UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ALSO LEADS TO LAKE HEALTH
[02:00:01]
FACILITATION IS THE RUNOFF ONWE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FINAL ONE.
BUT WITHIN THE, UH, PARK EDGE CONTROL SECTION, WE DID TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN USED WITH TEMPORARY FOLDERS, UH, KIND OF A LARGER IMPLEMENTATION THAT CAN BE TEMPORARY TO SEMI TEMPORARY THAT CAN BE THERE FOR A WHILE, UH, BUT ALSO USING WOOD BOLLS, UH, AS WELL AS THE RESPITE CURVES AS, AS THE MENTIONED.
AND I DO BELIEVE THERE IS ONE MORE SLIDE ON, ON THE WOOD FINDING.
SO WITHIN THE WHITE, UH, SIGNAGE AND GRAPHICS THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED TO SHOW THE NEW NEWLY UPDATED, UH, DIGITAL MARQUES SIGNS AT WINSTED, UH, AND GARLAND ROAD, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER ONE FURTHER UP.
UH, AND THEN THE WEB, UH, THE TRAILWAY BINDING SIGNAGE, UH, JUST NOTATING THE NEW DESIGN AND THE NEW IMPLEMENTATION AROUND THE LATEST.
SO AS THIS IS THE FINAL SLIDE, REALLY THE, THE SUMMARY OF THIS MASTER PLANNING EFFORT AND THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER WITH, UH, YOUNG AND END THE TASK FORCE AND AND D PART WAS, UH, TO, TO CREATE A FIRST STOP.
LIKE WHEN THERE IS A NEW IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT, YOU SAW THE 27 30 DIFFERENT OLD MASTER PLANS OR DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS AND IT WAS ALWAYS A QUESTION ON WHICH ONE WE GO TO FIRST.
MOVING FORWARD, IT'LL BE GO TO THIS DOCUMENT FIRST AND THEN IT WILL LEAD YOU TO THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT EITHER STILL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE STILL ONGOING OR VALID OR IT WILL HAVE UPDATES WITHIN THE DOCUMENT TO HELP INFLUENCE FUTURE RECIPIENT.
WITH THAT, THAT IS OUR BRIEFING AND YOU HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? SO A CONCISE WITH THAT, MR. JONES, ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE FOR OBJECTIVE JANUARY, 2024.
WE ARE IN JANUARY, 2026 AND YOU'D THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOLING EVERYONE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY WORKING ON THIS PLAN FOR THAT ENTIRE PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT HAS BEEN WORTH THE PLAN THAT'S PRESENTED YOU TODAY IS FAR, FAR BETTER PLAN THAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN IN JANUARY OF 2024 STAFF AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE OFFICE.
WHILE THAT PROCESS MOVED FORWARD, I WANTED TO CONSULTANTS TO THIS PROJECT AND THEIR RECEPTIVENESS TO THE MANY, MANY
AND, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC.
THEY WANT TO SINGLE OUT NOT ONLY CAROL BELL WALTON WHO
MAKE THE PLAN
AND BY THIS PLAN, A PORTAL TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THERE PLANS, IN FACT, UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN DECLARED OBSOLETE FOR THIS PLAN, THE RESULT I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN BE PROUD OF.
I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD GET TO THIS DAY WITH THIS DEGREE OF CONSENSUS, BUT WE HAVE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AS YOUR, YOUR SUPPORT.
THIS MEANS A LOT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. WOOD, THANK YOU
I APPLAUD MR. YOUNG BRINGING IN AND WHETHER HE'S JUST THE RECIPIENT IN THE SEAT AT THE POINT WHEN IT ALL FINALLY CAME TOGETHER OR YOU WERE, BUT I GOT THE COMMENT FROM MS.
[02:05:06]
I'M HAPPYTHE PARKS ARE NOTHING AND THESE ARE THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND WE'RE, WHILE WE'RE HERE AS A VOICE, NOT NOT WHAT WE WANT, IT'S WHAT OUR OVER ANOTHER CITYWIDE, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OPINIONS ON THE ONE THAT I OVERSEE AS WELL.
SO I APPLAUD YOU, UM, FOR GETTING TO THIS.
IT'S NOT EASY, UM, TO GIVE OPINION AND, YOU KNOW, THE SUMS AND, UM, IT, IT IS, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
CAN BE BEAUTIFUL FOR, UH, WORKING HARD AND ADDRESSING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, BUT I HEAR A LOT OF NOISE AND I'LL GET IT.
THANK YOU FOR IT TAKES A LOT AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE TOUGH SKIN TO GET.
SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. THANK YOU, SIR.
UM, YEAH, I WANNA ECHO BOTH COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, THE, UH, TASK FORCE AND, UH,
WE TALK ABOUT ADVOCACY IN THIS ROOM A LOT AND I THINK
AND SO, UM, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER.
SHE IS, SHE AND OTHERS ARE VERY, UM, PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS LAKE AND ABOUT THE SURROUNDING AREA, AND THAT'S GREAT.
WE NEED MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THE PARK SYSTEM, UM, TO MR. WOODS POINT, CITYWIDE ASSETS LIKE FAIR PARK, LIKE, UM, LIKE WHITE ROCK LAKE, UM, LIKE THE, A FREEDOM.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING ALL OF AND UH, LISTENING IN AND WORKING THAT IN.
MR. MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU AGAIN.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES WHO JUST SPOKE BEFORE ME.
UH, MR. YOUNG IN PARTICULAR, UH, OR MR. CONNOR.
NAME THEM BOTH OF OUR BEST, UH, PARK ADVOCATES, MS. BILL WALTON.
UM, AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE ALL KNOW BETTER THAN ANYBODY.
OUR JOB IS TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES, NEVER TO MINIMIZE THEM.
UH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN BEEN DONE TO GET TO THIS POINT.
UH, AS MUCH AS I LOVE ADVOCACY FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR PARK LOVERS HOME JUST AS MUCH WHEN THEIR ADVOCACY IS RECEIVED AND ACTED ON, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HONOR, HONOR, SHOW
WELL, THANK YOU FROM THE BALLPARK LOVING HEARTS AND AGAIN, KEY TO OUR ADVOCATES OWN WHO, UH, YOU WATCHING FROM HOME.
AND, UH, IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE SOMETIMES.
YOU KNOW WHAT, SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES ONE PERSON.
YOU, I AS WELL WANT TO SEE THE ADVOCACY OF THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, AND WHEN MR. SAYS THAT WE HAVE, NOT THAT YOU SAID, BUT SOMETHING OF THAT MATTER, UM, IT, I HAVE BEEN ON THIS FOR OVER FIVE YEARS AND I KNOW THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND WITH BECKY RADER AND HER FORMER PARK BOARD EXPERTISE AND CARVILLE,
AND SO TO SEE THAT ION WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, UM, LOT OF SETBACKS TO GET HERE, BUT WE'RE HERE.
AND, UM, AND SO I'M REALLY THE PROCESS, BUT I'M ALSO MORE GRATEFUL THAT THE COMMUNITY A LARGE, UM, INTO SEEING IT COME TO FRUITION.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A POSITIVE DAY.
UM, SO, UM, I KNOW YOU THE PAID ONES AND THANK YOU.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY OFFICE AND THANKS.
I THINK AS YOU SAID, IT WAS LONG COMING AND, UH, TRULY USING AND I THINK
[02:10:02]
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.CAN WE MOVE TO YOU ANY YES, I GOT YES, MR.
I LIKE THE, WHEN I, I GOT, UH, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VIRTUAL MEETING DISCUSSING OUR OAK CLIFF SKATE PARK.
UH, YOU'LL GET AN EMAIL ON IT WHEN IT'S VIRTUAL.
IT'S NOT AN IN PERSON, SO YOU CAN DO IT FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME.
UM, THERE ARE THREE, ONE MINUTE IN DISTRICT THREE, SO YOU THAT I WAS JUST GOING TO ANNOUNCE THERE.
THREE MADE UP EVENTS AND THANK YOU SHARING THOSE HERE FOR SHARING THEM OFF RIGHT NOW.
DON'T FORGET IT'S NEXT THURSDAY, SO IT'S NOT
IT IS 1213 OR 1214, AND WE ATTEND PATIENT BOARDS.