So Dallas Is Going To Try And Run A Hotel

[stebo]

I just got an e-mail with the unfortunate results from the Prop 1 election prohibiting Dallas from trying to build and operate their own hotel. To me, this is a bad idea. Maybe in some cities this would be feasible; but Dallas is not one of them. We can't even run the school district. I am inching closer to getting involved in Dallas politics as much as I don't want to. There is a real need for some common sense and it might pull me out of political retirement. Grrr. I haven't held an office since Denton where I served two terms as Historical Landmark Commisoner (appointed by the mayor, not elected) but the incompetence is driving me crazy.

[UNTflyer]

The hotel will be financed by bonds, the bonds paid for by hotel occupancy taxes. The "YES" campaign was very deceptive. The hotel is needed for the convention center to bring in more business, more tax revenue, more tourism.

Yes, I am a Republican who favors the hotel. 22 other major cities have hotels attached to their convention centers. We need to revitalize downtown Dallas.

Now if only we could get HB 222 passed in Austin, we can keep our money from going to Oklahoma and Louisiana.

[FirefightnRick]

I am inching closer to getting involved in Dallas politics as much as I don't want to. There is a real need for some common sense and it might pull me out of political retirement. Grrr. I haven't held an office since Denton where I served two terms as Historical Landmark Commisoner (appointed by the mayor, not elected) but the incompetence is driving me crazy.

Heck yeah Steve. Now, will a "Yes" vote be "AGAINST" you, or a "NO" vote be "FOR" you?

Rick

[CaribbeanGreen]

ok, living in Frisco, I'm relatively unaware of this issue, save its magnitude and hype, so I'm sure this is a stupid question..... but if the hotel is so needed and will be so successful, why haven't Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt shown any interest in building there?

Also, who is going to operate this thing? Surely it won't be "City of Dallas hotel", staffed and operated by the city, right? There must be some franchise deal with a major chain, right?

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Heck yeah Steve. Now, will a "Yes" vote be "AGAINST" you, or a "NO" vote be "FOR" you?

Rick

I got a huge laugh out of Gordo and Craig talking about all of the confusion of how to vote "FOR" or "AGAINST" on this issue the last few weeks.

[UNTflyer]

ok, living in Frisco, I'm relatively unaware of this issue, save its magnitude and hype, so I'm sure this is a stupid question..... but if the hotel is so needed and will be so successful, why haven't Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt shown any interest in building there?

Also, who is going to operate this thing? Surely it won't be "City of Dallas hotel", staffed and operated by the city, right? There must be some franchise deal with a major chain, right?

It won't be run by the city. The city will probably enter into an agreement for a chain to put their name on the building and run operations. As to the question of why hasn't a hotel financed it... probably because many of the high-end hotel chains already have a hotel in or near downtown. In addition, credit is tight for businesses.

[GreenBat]

I just got an e-mail with the unfortunate results from the Prop 1 election prohibiting Dallas from trying to build and operate their own hotel. To me, this is a bad idea. Maybe in some cities this would be feasible; but Dallas is not one of them. We can't even run the school district. I am inching closer to getting involved in Dallas politics as much as I don't want to. There is a real need for some common sense and it might pull me out of political retirement. Grrr. I haven't held an office since Denton where I served two terms as Historical Landmark Commisoner (appointed by the mayor, not elected) but the incompetence is driving me crazy.

Stebo the DISD is not run by the city. It's run by the a seperate SCHOOL District, There are three government entities that are elected in Dallas County. The Dallas County Commioners court, The Dallas City Council and the Dallas Independent School Board. None of them are run with common sense. Stebo, you know I love ya buddy, but you would go crazy being involved with any of these three poorly run agencies.

[KRAM1]

I got a huge laugh out of Gordo and Craig talking about all of the confusion of how to vote "FOR" or "AGAINST" on this issue the last few weeks.

And, right there is one of the "cahllenges" I have with the Ticket! Way too much, way too much non-sports talk on a susposedly all-sports station. Man, that crud can get really boring...I have to change stations often on the way too and from work (drive time by the way) because they want to talk politics or music, etc. What? Where did the sports go. I am tuning in to their competition more and more due to the lack of sports talk when I can listen...too bad, I used to think they were #1...not any longer...I don't have a #1 in the local market yet, but it sure isn't the Ticket any longer for me. Too bad, they were once a GREAT all-sports station. That's long gone, however...

[GreenMachine]

It won't be run by the city. The city will probably enter into an agreement for a chain to put their name on the building and run operations. As to the question of why hasn't a hotel financed it... probably because many of the high-end hotel chains already have a hotel in or near downtown. In addition, credit is tight for businesses.

probably apprehensive about butting heads with Harlan Crowe.

[hickoryhouse]

It won't be run by the city. The city will probably enter into an agreement for a chain to put their name on the building and run operations. As to the question of why hasn't a hotel financed it... probably because many of the high-end hotel chains already have a hotel in or near downtown. In addition, credit is tight for businesses.

Preliminary agreements have the locally owned Omni Hotels running this facility. They recently opened the incredible Fort Worth Omni, also a convention hotel, and that building is only partially funded by city policy over there, the rest is from TRT Holdings and private investment by Bob Rowling. Private entities have had a hard time aquiring the land around the convention center thanks to it being city owned, and a great amount of push back from the local real estate magnates such as the Crow's and etc in this town. At this point Omni is going to be directing, controlling and planning the hotel and should do a fantastic job of doing so. They are a A+ organization from the top down and I see no reason why this hotel will not be a huge draw to the city of Dallas.

Credit is not an issue for a hotel Chain such as Omni. They draw credit from themselves and the investment group that owns them. It is an incredibly genius setup.

[meangreenacct]

The hotel will be financed by bonds, the bonds paid for by hotel occupancy taxes. The "YES" campaign was very deceptive. The hotel is needed for the convention center to bring in more business, more tax revenue, more tourism.

Yes, I am a Republican who favors the hotel. 22 other major cities have hotels attached to their convention centers. We need to revitalize downtown Dallas.

Now if only we could get HB 222 passed in Austin, we can keep our money from going to Oklahoma and Louisiana.

I agree with the HB 222 - I'm tired of wasting gas to go lose my money. I'd rather do it close to home.

[meangreenacct]

ok, living in Frisco, I'm relatively unaware of this issue, save its magnitude and hype, so I'm sure this is a stupid question..... but if the hotel is so needed and will be so successful, why haven't Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt shown any interest in building there?

Also, who is going to operate this thing? Surely it won't be "City of Dallas hotel", staffed and operated by the city, right? There must be some franchise deal with a major chain, right?

As far as why other hotel chains have not stepped in a built the hotel if it's such a good deal - I think it's partially what Flyer said in that many already have a hotel in the area. I think one think that seems to be the driving force for it being a good deal for the city and not necessarily for private enterprise is the tax revenue it could raise. A normal hotel hands all the hotel and other taxes over to the government, however if in this case the hotel is owned by the city that money goes into the pockets. I don't know what the tax rates are, but that tax could be the difference between running at a loss/break even or making money, something that wouldn't be available to a privately owned hotel. Additionally if the hotel brings in conventions that would not have been here otherwise that's additional revenue from sales taxes when people eat/shop in the area when they are in town for the convention. All issues that wouldn't necessarily come into play in a private hotel deciding if they should build or not.

[yyz28]

It won't be run by the city. The city will probably enter into an agreement for a chain to put their name on the building and run operations. As to the question of why hasn't a hotel financed it... probably because many of the high-end hotel chains already have a hotel in or near downtown. In addition, credit is tight for businesses.

It already has been. Omni hotels will run it.

...our convention center is nationally considered second rate. Not because of the facility itself - it is one of the best in the country - but because there is no convention hotel attached to it. Chicago, New Orleans, Austin, Anaheim, Orlando, Minneapolis - all cities we compete with for convention business, all have hotels attached or across the street from the Convention Center, and all were funded by the City recognizing the importance to the rest of the community to have a thriving convention business. The other privately owned hotel owners in the area were FOR this bill (except for one, who led the charge against this thing, Crowe, who doesn't live in Dallas anymore, and who owns the Anatole, who funded the NO HOTEL side of this thing) because they know this thing will drive business to them. More conventions in Dallas = a West End Resurgance = Traffic Victory Park needs so badly = better Downtown Dallas. Anyone who doesn't want this hotel either doesn't know the facts or doesn't want Dallas to succeed and compete directly with other major cities. Crowe and his group did all they could to bullshit the voters into voting against it, and their ad campaigns were completely misleading.

This is a WIN for Dallas.

[yyz28]

As far as why other hotel chains have not stepped in a built the hotel if it's such a good deal - I think it's partially what Flyer said in that many already have a hotel in the area. I think one think that seems to be the driving force for it being a good deal for the city and not necessarily for private enterprise is the tax revenue it could raise. A normal hotel hands all the hotel and other taxes over to the government, however if in this case the hotel is owned by the city that money goes into the pockets. I don't know what the tax rates are, but that tax could be the difference between running at a loss/break even or making money, something that wouldn't be available to a privately owned hotel. Additionally if the hotel brings in conventions that would not have been here otherwise that's additional revenue from sales taxes when people eat/shop in the area when they are in town for the convention. All issues that wouldn't necessarily come into play in a private hotel deciding if they should build or not.

A hotel of the scale of what this will be is a HUGE investment - based on Dallas City Halls recent record, most with those kind of $$$ are not going to let that type of investment be impacted in the way that City Hall can impact it when it is to be attached to a City Owned facility. Dallas city politics are a big reason Dallas doesn't attract more private business. Just ask the Arlington Cowboys.

[eulessismore]

Stebo the DISD is not run by the city. It's run by the a seperate SCHOOL District, There are three government entities that are elected in Dallas County. The Dallas County Commioners court, The Dallas City Council and the Dallas Independent School Board. None of them are run with common sense. Stebo, you know I love ya buddy, but you would go crazy being involved with any of these three poorly run agencies.

Thank you Brett; it's always hard to get the politically convinced to listen long enough to be informed that they are wrong to say that it is. One woman I met on the train, who said she was a judge, and sounded like a Republican, was letting me know once how incompetent we (at the City of Dallas) were at running the schools. I was too polite to inform her how incompetent she was at knowing the functions of local government entities. Hey, she said she was a judge; I was trying to respect her office, but it was getting hard for me to separate the office and the officeholder.

[oldguystudent]

Stebo the DISD is not run by the city. It's run by the a seperate SCHOOL District, There are three government entities that are elected in Dallas County. The Dallas County Commioners court, The Dallas City Council and the Dallas Independent School Board. None of them are run with common sense. Stebo, you know I love ya buddy, but you would go crazy being involved with any of these three poorly run agencies.

It took me a while when I moved here to figure out that that's the difference between a USD and an ISD.

[stebo]

Yeah, I was lumping them all together. As far as the hotel revenue is concerned, I thought that all hotel taxes were to pay for the AA Center?