A foundation operating a meeting space and private park in downtown Dallas wants to become the new hub of the city. Dallas City Council members urged the foundation’s executives to not stray too far from its original purpose.
Kyle Ogden, the president and CEO of the Thanks-Giving Foundation, asked for the council’s support of a planned expansion and district in downtown Dallas.
“Our board has challenged us to step into a role as the cultural backbone of the city,” Ogden told council members at Tuesday’s Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee meeting.
The proposal? A new district downtown and expansion of the existing Thanks-Giving Square. It would feature amenities like an amphitheater, meeting spaces, and serve as a connection between downtown, Deep Ellum and Fair Park.
That's in addition to the existing park and shell-shaped meeting space known as Thanks-Giving Square along Pacific Avenue in downtown.
Financially, the city might not benefit directly, but could indirectly benefit from economic impacts and hotel occupancy taxes.
The Thanks-Giving Square Foundation is already well acquainted with the city of Dallas. KERA reported last year that the city pays over $500,000 to lease access to tunnels under Thanks-Giving Square.
The city nets around $50,000 from the deal. That was reveled after it took city staff weeks to find the original document — and despite an assistant city manager sitting on the Thanks-Giving Foundation's board.
The revenue the foundation gets in return makes up a significant portion of its operating budget.
And the district wouldn’t just be another downtown Dallas attraction — like Klyde Warren Park or the convention center. Ogden told the council he wanted the Thanks-Giving District to “own and prescribe the downtown visitor experience.”
“It’s a bold vision,” District 11 Council Member Jaynie Schultz told Ogden.
Schultz said she was in support of the foundation’s mission but had some concerns about some of the proposal's aspects — like the goal of becoming the main downtown attraction.
“Humility may be a little more successful in that because you also want to get support from the people that also consider themselves hubs,” Schultz said during the meeting.
District 9 Council Member Paula Blackmon wanted to know how the proposal would work with the “overall feel” of downtown.
Ogden said he's discussed getting more visibility on the project with Mark Lamster, the architecture critic at The Dallas Morning News.
“We’re in the process of fleshing out something…that will kind of explain how this fits in with the walkability plans with the city of Dallas," Ogden said.
Still, more council members had questions — and advice for the foundation’s proposal.
Paul Ridley, who represents District 14 on the city council, said he appreciates the foundation’s interest in adding more to the downtown area — but also gave some words of caution.
“I don’t think we need to duplicate Klyde Warren Park here,” Ridley said. “I would just hate to see you get too far way from your purpose in life in effort to make this a big tourist attraction.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, when asked about the existing contract with the city, Ogden said it was “an independent issue” from the proposed district.
Got a tip? Email Nathan Collins at ncollins@kera.org. You can follow Nathan on Twitter @nathannotforyou.
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