The Dallas City Council voted to spend up to $51 million to acquire part of the old Dallas Morning News campus near Reunion Tower. That includes over 200,000 square feet of the campus, according to city documents.
The two items are billed as being part of the city’s multi-billion-dollar revamp of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
But the council’s agenda materials say little about how the former Morning News land adds into the equation. The two plots are along Houston and Young Streets in downtown adjacent to the convention center, Reunion Tower and City Hall.
The News reported in early February elected officials spent hours behind closed doors discussing what the city could do when Ray Washburne — the developer who owns the land in question — announced a plan to sell the land.
Washburne said the building may be turned into a data center — but that’s after The News reported the city was already in talks with the developer to buy the land for the convention center project.
KERA reached out to the city for comment on how the newly acquired square footage will factor into the project, but did not receive comment before this story was published.
The council passed the acquisition with little discussion and a 13-2 vote. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and District 12 Council Member Cara Mendelsohn were the only elected officials to vote against the land deal.
Recently, the city suspended dabbling in any real estate purchases due to failures — and millions of dollars spent — on other properties, WFAA reported.
The city is simultaneously working on the convention center and getting ready for the venue to hold thousands of journalists during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dallas officials finalized a deal to bring the tournament’s officials International Broadcast Center to the city-owned venue.
Got a tip? Email Nathan Collins at ncollins@kera.org. You can follow Nathan on Twitter @nathannotforyou.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
