The city of Irving's planning and zoning commission approved a rezoning proposal in the early hours of Tuesday that could clear the way for casino gaming — and a potential sports arena — in the future.
After seven hours of public comment, the commission voted 5-4 to approve two amendments for the city council's final approval that would create a "high intensity mixed-use" development on 1,001 acres, including the site of the former Texas Stadium, around State Highway 183, Loop 12, and Spur 482. There are about 452 acres of buildable land on the site.
The development would be a mix of corporate, retail, residential buildings, and a "destination resort." The resort would have a 1,750-room hotel, restaurants, pools, retail stores, a 15,000-seat arena or a 4,000-seat theater, and room for casino gaming — if legalized by the state.
Irving resident Timothy Ashour was among dozens of people who showed up in opposition to the rezoning. He said the city should focus on family life and not solely job creation.
"Irving should take the time to plan," Ashour said. "We are putting the cart before the horse since a casino is not even legal in our state. I ask that we delay this question of rezoning until it's legalized."
Some community members have been supportive of the project and mentioned the potential for jobs and an economic edge a casino could bring to the area.
Republican former Texas Rep. Rodney Anderson, wearing a sticker in support of the rezoning, said it would create an opportunity for a high-quality development on a "valuable and underutilized" property.
During the planning and zoning meeting, he said the vote was about zoning and not about a casino.
"It could be transformed into a major economic driver, possibly complete with a major sports franchise and all the development that goes with it," Anderson said.
But the project has received strong pushback in recent weeks from people concerned about crime, the development's quick timeline, and its connection to Las Vegas Sands Corp., which has lobbied to legalize gambling in Texas for years.
Las Vegas Sands entered into an agreement to buy the land in 2022, Mark Boekenheide, senior vice president of global real estate development at Las Vegas Sands, said during Monday's meeting.
The purchase was finalized in 2023, months before primary Las Vegas Sands shareholder Miriam Adelson acquired a controlling stake in the Dallas Mavericks.
Patrick Dumont, governor of the Dallas Mavericks, was recently named the next chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands.
Neither the Dallas Mavericks nor Las Vegas Sands have confirmed whether they would move the Mavericks to the arena planned on the Irving development. But either way, the arena will be built if a destination resort is approved.
"I am not telling you that it is for an athletic sports team or not," Boekenheide said, smiling. "So don't ask."
Currently the Dallas Mavericks call American Airlines Center — which is owned by the city of Dallas —home, and Dallas has vowed to keep the team "where they belong."
While plans for the land have been in the works since 2022, the Irving City Council had not heard details on the development until January of this year.
The council had a work session about the project in February and the planning and zoning commission discussed it earlier this month before voting on the rezoning Tuesday morning. The first and only town hall about the project was held Friday, less than a week before council would meet to finalize the rezoning.
The four members of the commission to vote no on both proposals were Commission Chair Joshua Skinner, April Myrick, Fahad Ahmed and Daniel Denny, who said he was skeptical about approving a project before casino gaming is legalized.
"If it doesn't pass the state legislature this year, it's going to be two years before it comes up again," Denny said. "How much work could we expect on that site if it's uncertain it's going to get passed?"
But Boekenheide said they needed the rezoning approved to move forward with the development.
"We can actually consider beginning to conceptualize this site with a placeholder for a future destination resort," Boekenheide said. "This could potentially allow us to begin design and development on the non-destination resort uses."
However, lifelong Irving resident Deborah Malain joined the majority in opposition who were not convinced the rezoning needed to be done while casino gaming was still illegal. She said the decision in front of the commission felt unprecedented.
"If you pass this, what other illegal proposals will you be given?" she asked commissioners. "What other compromises will you be asked to make? If they are asking for a compromise and exception to the rule at the very beginning of this process, this will not be the end."
The Irving City Council will meet Thursday to vote on the rezoning.
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