Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
45° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement

FrontBurner

A Daily Conversation About Dallas
Travel

Is Fort Worth Really ‘The New Austin’?

Tim Rogers
By |
Image
McConaughey photo by Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY

First, here are all my disclaimers and caveats and equivocations: Fort Worth is definitely a city on the rise. Over here in Dallas, we acknowledge its grooviness. In 2016, in a D Magazine cover story that was a guide to Fort Worth, we called it “the best little suburb of Dallas,” but we were kidding! Just like we were kidding when, last summer, we said the city’s new marketing slogan (“The Unexpected City”) was uninspiring and confusing and contained an awkward Latinate. Got all that? Now on to the high-level commentary:

The Times of London today published a travel story titled “The Coolest City in Texas? It’s No Longer Austin.” The third paragraph asserts the following: “The fastest-growing metropolis in America last year, [Fort Worth] is drawing so many young creatives it has been dubbed ‘the new Austin.’” The story goes on to say that the Bowie House Auberge is “an easy lasso toss from the world-class Kimbell Art Museum.”

What the heck? I’m not sure when, exactly, Austin stopped being the coolest city in Texas, but this year, when it let the U.S. Army sponsor the South by Southwest Festival, Austin let the rest of the country know that it long ago became about as cool as Mitch McConnell wearing jorts and river sandals at a Nickelback concert. Presumably the marketing departments of Walmart and the American Concrete Pavement Association turned down SXSW’s sponsorship opportunities.

Deserved or not, Marfa probably has the reputation for being the coolest city in Texas. Or Fredericksburg. Or San Antonio. Or The Colony. Or White Settlement. They’re all cooler than Austin.

Now then. Who has dubbed Fort Worth “the new Austin”? I googled “Fort Worth” and “the new Austin.” The second result is the selfsame Times story currently in my crosshairs. The first result is a 2015 blog post written by a guy who’d just moved to Fort Worth because he didn’t have a job. He was so new to Fort Worth that he called it “Ft. Worth,” which is like calling the beverage “Dr. Pepper.” That period ruins your credibility. Point is: until Matthew McConaughey or Nolan Ryan calls Fort Worth the new Austin, it hasn’t been dubbed as such.

Which brings me to this business about the lasso. Have you ever tried to lasso something? I have. There’s no such thing as “an easy lasso toss.” This is a phrase clearly employed by a British wanker who parachuted into town for a weekend and has no idea what he’s talking about.

(One last disclaimer: the author of that Times story is Jonathan Thompson. He is, in fact, a Briton, but he has lived here for seven years. You should read his Times story, which quotes Tim Love, and you should read the last story Jonathan wrote for D Magazine, about the photographer David Yarrow. I consider Jonathan a mate, which is what Brits call friends even when they live in East Dallas. He’s about to become a first-time father, so I wrote this post to stiffen his upper lip and give him practice at remaining calm and loving as he confronts a foul mess that belongs in a Diaper Genie. He’ll need it.)

Local News

An Early Look at 2026 FIFA World Cup Logistics

Bethany Erickson
By |
Image
While Dallas-Fort Worth did not get the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, it did get nine matches, more than any other host city. Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

In early February, FIFA announced that North Texas would not host the 2026 World Cup final, but it did land nine games—the most matches of any North American city. On Tuesday, two Dallas City Council committees were briefed by city staff on what Dallas-proper can expect from the month-long event. Though the games will be played in Arlington, the region’s largest city is preparing to host tens of thousands of fans, if not more, for two weeks in June.

AT&T Stadium will host nine games over the 56-day tournament: Match 11 on June 14, Match 22 on June 17, Match 43 on June 22, Match 57 on June 25, and Match 70 on June 27. The stadium will also be home to two round-of-32 matches, one quarterfinal matchup, and one semifinal matchup.

The joint meeting of the Dallas City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Sports Recruitment and Retention and the Economic Development Committee on Tuesday reviewed the scope of the area’s World Cup involvement. 

Monica Paul, the executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, told the Council that economic projections are still being massaged by FIFA and are due by summer. However, early estimates for four matches predicted a boon for the region of $415 million. With nine matches and additional activities, Paul suspects that number could more than double.

“What I can tell you is that in 1994, I still hear about Dallas hosting the World Cup at the Cotton Bowl—we hosted six matches,” Paul said. “So to go from six matches to nine is a huge increase from an economic standpoint.”

Paul outlined where events would happen. In addition to AT&T Stadium, teams will be able to choose from four base camp sites: Dallas Baptist University, Toyota Stadium in Frisco, University of Dallas, and TCU. They will train in either the Cotton Bowl Stadium or at SMU. A multi-week fan festival will be held at Fair Park, and additional fan gathering opportunities are in the works across Dallas-Fort Worth.

Should Dallas be picked to host the tournament’s International Broadcast Center, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will be its headquarters, pending contract negotiations. If Dallas does get picked, Paul says that the center would bring an additional estimated 5,000 broadcasters to the city. 

Paul said that in 2006, Germany had 50,000 people a day attending their fan festivals. Qatar, which hosted the World Cup in 2022, had an average of 70,000 attendees at its festivals and a maximum attendance of 98,000. One of Russia’s largest days drew 160,000 to its fan festival.

“Even people that may not have tickets to the matches taking place here will go to the fan fest,” she said. Additional fan events could be held at places like Klyde Warren Park, Southern Gateway deck park, the Arlington Entertainment District, and potentially the Soccer Hall of Fame or the Star in Frisco.

Commission Rebuffs Effort to Remove Parks’ Independence. The charter review commission will soon hand its recommendations to the City Council for discussion, and it denied one of the most significant alterations: making the Council the boss of the parks director instead of the park board. The independence of the Parks and Recreation Department was viewed as a major asset by a majority of the commission. Former Councilman Adam Medrano was one of the two pushing the initiative, ostensibly still upset by the attempted privatization of the ball field at Reverchon Park in 2019.

Firefighters Put Out 3-Alarm Fire at Vacant Church Near Love Field. The two structures in the 7700 block of Denton Drive were completely destroyed, but there were no injuries. It took about 90 minutes for the fire to be extinguished, and the flames were too heavy to combat from the inside.

Cool Wednesday, Storms Possible This Afternoon. It’ll be in the 40s for your morning commute, but we’ll get up to the 60s through mid-day. Storms will develop to our west and begin moving east around 4 p.m., and it’s possible some of that rain could reach Dallas. It seems like most of the concern is to our west, which is where meteorologists are warning of “a few storms” that could include hail and heavy winds.

Local News

Austin Will Offer T.C. Broadnax Its City Manager Job

Bethany Erickson
By |
t c broadnax dallas city manager
City Manager T.C. Broadnax, photographed shortly after his hiring in 2017. Jonathan Zizzo

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson told the Austin City Council Tuesday evening that outgoing Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax is its search committee’s lone finalist for the same job in the capitol city.

The announcement comes one day after Broadnax and the other finalist, Denton City Manager Sara Hensley, traveled to Austin for a town hall to answer questions from residents. It also comes roughly 21 days after Austin named Broadnax a finalist. Early documents from the city’s search firm indicated that Broadnax was ranked as the most qualified of the applicants.

“I give great thanks to both of our excellent candidates,” Watson wrote on the city’s message board Tuesday night. “I know this has been a daunting process, but they’ve demonstrated their professionalism. Austin would do well with either person.”

Broadnax announced his resignation last month after running Dallas for seven years. His last day at 1500 Marilla is slated to be June 3. A majority of the City Council asked him to resign, arguing that the fractured relationship between Broadnax and Mayor Eric Johnson made doing city business more difficult than it should be. 

Advertisement
Local News

Is ‘Project X’ the Key to Keeping the Mavericks in Dallas?

Bethany Erickson
By |
Image
Patrick Dumont to Mark Cuban: "Thank you very much. I'll take your team now." Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

We aren’t saying today’s mysterious agenda item is related to the City Council discussing a way to keep the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, but we’re not not saying it’s about retaining the Mavs.

At 3:30 p.m. today, a special called joint meeting of the Dallas City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Sports Recruitment and Retention and the Council Economic Development Committee (apologies for the mouthful) will be updated on the 2026 FIFA World Cup activities in North Texas. If you recall, the region is hosting nine matches and will also be the site of referee headquarters and an international broadcast center.

That’s interesting enough. But there is a real mystery in an agenda item slated for closed session, where the two committees will be meeting privately with attorneys. Here’s how the matter is described in the agenda:

“Discuss or deliberate the commercial or financial information that the city has received from a business prospect (“Project X”) that the city seeks to have locate, stay or expand in or near the city and with which the city is conducting economic development negotiations; and deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to such business prospect.”

It’s no secret that Dallas Sports Commission executive director Monica Paul has been working to bring all kinds of events to Dallas and North Texas, so this could literally be anything. But the broad language may be a clue (“stay or expand in or near the city”). And given the speculation around the new owners of the Dallas Mavericks and their suburban land acquisitions ahead of the team’s lease with the American Airlines Center expiring in 2031, perhaps Dallas is trying to get ahead of its competition.

Two historical notes before we let you go: in our D Magazine office library, we have a copy of 2004 DVD titled “Project X.” It contains computer-generated imagery produced by Halff Associates on behalf of the Dallas Cowboys. It shows a stadium complex built near downtown Dallas on the banks of the Trinity River. Is this Project X a sly callback to that Project X?

Finally, Project X was also a pretty good Todd Phillips movie from 2012. Is Dallas considering throwing a totally out-of-control party at City Hall?

Local News

Leading Off (3/26/24)

Tim Rogers
By |

Bridge Collapses in Baltimore. We normally keep things local on Leading Off, but this is what everyone will be talking about this morning. A cargo ship appears to have lost power before it crashed into the 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused it to collapse. Here’s video.

North Texas City Managers Jockey for Austin Job. The two finalists for the city manager gig in the Capital are Denton City Manager Sara Hensley and Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax. Yesterday they made their pitches at a public forum. Broadnax described Dallas as “the city I had dreamed of leading” but said, “I would love to have an opportunity to lead [Austin] so that we can be the beacon for any other city in this great nation, let alone in the [state] of Texas.”

E. Coli Levels Spiked at White Rock Lake. A Dallas city memo says that after 1.5-million gallons of sewage from Plano flowed into the lake, levels of E. coli were still high a week later—though the memo didn’t provide any specifics, and the city hasn’t yet provided them to the Morning News.

North Texas Expected to Get $689.7 Million From Eclipse. That’s the economic impact according to research by The Perryman Group. My own personal analysis is that if it’s cloudy on April 8, people are gonna be pissed.

Development Fees Too Low in Dallas. This story in the paper makes it sound like everything is going to hell. As in: “The cost to build and renovate in Dallas will rise this year … . [I]t’s the everyday Dallasite that will pick up the bill in the end. The Dallas City Council is slated to consider an ordinance to amend and add fees tied to permitting, engineering, inspections and other items … . One fee will increase more than 2,400% on certain projects … .” But then, when you keep reading, you come to understand that it’s been way too long since Dallas raised its fees, so right now we’re way cheaper than everyone else. To build a $33 million apartment complex, it would cost $38,000 in Dallas, while Plano would charge $228,000.

Local News

We Finally Have Clarity on the 2024 Bond Election Projects. Sort Of.

Bethany Erickson
By |
Image
Almost 800 projects could be tackled in the 2024 bond election in May, including dredging White Rock Lake. Kristi and Scot Redman

The city released—finally, on Friday—the wish list of projects for the 2024 bond election in May. That’s just a month before we head to the polls; it’s three weeks later than most City Hall watchers expected.

The list includes nearly 800 items. (You can see a map of the projects here.) They range from replacing streets and playgrounds to acquiring land for parks. The list includes money for dredging White Rock Lake and funds to replace two libraries in North Dallas (Preston Royal and Park Forest) and one in Oak Cliff. 

It also includes $50 million for a new police academy at UNT Dallas. Officials say that the academy will help the city recruit more officers. The current academy has been located in an industrial space in the Red Bird neighborhood since 1990. Last month, the $150 million project received $10 million from the Communities Foundation of Texas, and the state Legislature allocated $20 million in the last legislative session. Should the proposition get voter approval, funding for the project would be over the halfway mark. 

Image
The city listed proposed projects in an interactive map.
City of Dallas

Local News

Leading Off (3/25/24)

Zac Crain
By |

Two Flood Warnings In Effect. One is for White Rock Creek near Greenville Avenue (which will last until this evening) and the other is for the Trinity (which should last until tomorrow afternoon).

In Other Water News: Recreation Activities Resume on White Rock Lake. As of yesterday. It had been closed since March 19 thanks to a 1.5-million-gallon sewage spill in Plano.

‘Dos a Cera’ for USMNT in Arlington. The U.S. Men’s National Team took down Mexico at AT&T Stadium with the iconic 2-0 scoreline, thanks to an absolute banger of a goal from Tyler Adams and another from Gio Reyna. The match was paused late because of a homophobic chant from Mexico supporters.

Rev. Sheron Patterson Retires. She was the first Black woman in North Texas to be ordained in the United Methodist Church 35 years ago. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with her while reporting a story when she was senior pastor at St. Paul UMC down the street. Most recently, she held the same post at at Hamilton Park UMC.

Advertisement
Essays

D Magazine’s 50 Greatest Stories: An Argument For Moving Back In With Mom

Matt Goodman
By |
Image
Just a few reasons why you might consider moving back in with your elderly mother. illustration by PJ Loughran

In 2011, Nancy Nichols, then D Magazine’s dining critic, got personal in our pages. Newly single and the proud owner of 2.5 pounds of Costco almonds, Nancy decided to move in with her mother. She sold her home near Bachman Creek and settled into her mom’s near Preston Center, which they soon began calling Grey Gardens. Big and Little Edie, scaring family members with Christmas gifts of old pill bottles and pantyhose, watching TV, sipping gin and tonics, sharing dog walking duties, putting Netflix DVDs back in their sleeves. (Remember that?)

“You Can Go Home Again” is one of the 50 greatest stories that has run in this magazine. It’s one of those beautiful essays that are never more perfect as when they are published in a magazine, a chance to reflect on your own life and family as you learn about someone else’s, tears and laughter and all. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll leave you to it. I need to go call my mom.

Local News

The Oldest Park in Dallas Has an Uncertain Future

Bethany Erickson
By |
Image
One of the historic structures housed at Old City Park, in the Cedars. via Facebook

At the end of May, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will temporarily take over operations of Old City Park. The park, the oldest in the city’s history, has been managed by the Dallas County Heritage Society since 1967.

The park was purchased in 1876 for $600 (about $22,000 in 2024). Over time, it has become a repository that offers a glimpse into the region’s history. Over the past 40 years, the park has received Victorian homes and other historic buildings from the Cedars neighborhood, Plano, Carrollton, and the area that is now the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. 

The 20-acre park has one of the state’s most extensive collections of 19th-century pioneer and Victorian homes. About the time the Dallas County Heritage Society took over operations in the 60s, the park became known as Dallas Heritage Village. Serving as a living history museum, it charged admission until recently.

“This model served Dallas well for many years, but as attendance fell and the organization ran unsustainable operating deficits for 10+ years, it became very clear that changes were needed,” interim park CEO Michael Meadows said in a lengthy update on Facebook in November. “So, last year, the Dallas County Heritage Society, the organization that currently manages Old City Park, made the decision to change the name back to ‘Old City Park’ and to transition from serving as a living history museum into a public park that celebrates Dallas history.”

Meadows said the park is now free to visit, and DCHS staff has added a “much wider array” of programming to attract visitors. The city says more than 31,000 people visited the park last year.

However, the condition of the park’s 22 structures and their continued maintenance may be a sticking point in any master plan.

Dallas Judge Stuffs Her Docket to Make a Statement. Judge Amber Givens assigned her court over 119 jury trials in a single day, on April 1. The thinking is that doing so will encourage plea deals or a quicker trial, but most defense attorneys are furious and the district attorney says his prosecutors will have no way to prepare for such a workload. The Dallas Morning News reports that both sides have to prepare as if the court would hear these cases, despite the likelihood that the week will see just two trials.

Construction Begins on Opal Lee’s Childhood Home. The grandmother of Juneteenth hasn’t lived in that Fort Worth home since a mob of White racists burned it down in 1930. On Thursday, Trinity Habitat, HistoryMaker Homes, and Texas Capital Bank broke ground on a new home on the same plot, where the 97-year-old will live after it is completed.

Richardson ISD Votes to Close 5 Schools. The district is trying to solve a budget deficit exacerbated by the fact that the state of Texas hasn’t adjusted its funding per student in many years. Closing Greenwood Hills, Springdale, Spring Valley, Thurgood Marshall, and Dobie will save the district about $11 million. The board voted 7-0 in favor of the closures, despite the heckling from parents in the audience.

Biden’s Visit to Dallas Proves Fruitful. ICYMI, President Joe Biden is in town (he’ll be wheels up for Houston soon, though). He attended two private fundraisers last night that organizers tell D Magazine netted more than $3 million. He also cracked this joke about Trump and endorsed Colin Allred for senator. Among the attendees was former Nikki Haley voter Mark Cuban, state senators Royce West and Nathan Johnson, and Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia.

Jenkins Now Dad of Twins. County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins, 59, and his wife Ramsey welcomed twins Wednesday morning. He was reportedly on hand to welcome Biden at the airport, but then went back to the hospital. He also has a teen daughter from his first marriage.

Don’t Go in the Water. The aftermath of Plano’s 1.5 million-gallon raw sewage spill into White Rock Lake continues. Dallas Park and Recreation officials have suspended water-related activities at the lake because of elevated bacteria levels. Fishing, rowing, yachting, and other boating activities are suspended during the suspension.

Four Local Nonprofits Receive Funds from MacKenzie Scott. Yesterday, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave roughly $7 million to four local nonprofits. Bonton Farms, the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas each received $2 million, and Dallas Afterschool received $1 million.

Grab the Umbrella. Showers and thunderstorms are likely by mid-morning, the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office says. That rain will linger through tonight, and we’re expected to get at least half an inch of rain.

Advertisement
Page Cached: 2024-03-28 10:10:01 on http://www03.dmagazine.com