the Controversial Committee Report
“We don’t raise sacred cows...we just butcher them.”
The rotten and fetid odor which plagued Denmark is now hovering over the old Texas Stadium site.
Today, the Irving City council heard a very fluffy presentation, with colorful renderings, of a "California Dreaming" utopia which QueenB VDs single source developer, OliverMcMillan had prepared.
(What almost made the entire presentation glib was the use of all the buzz words swarming around the council chamber. Maybe a new terminology has entered into the city’s lexicon: developer psychobabble.)
Under most circumstances, the proposed project might have been a good thing for the city. After all, the Texas Stadium site represents the best and most expensive parcel of land owned by the city. And since the demolition of the stadium, citizens have anticipated a development which would "brand" the city with a truly unique and special character.
However, staff of the CCR regrets to inform its dear readers that this didn’t happen today in the OliverMcMillan presentation. Instead, the city council was presented with renderings which could only be described as nouveau urban sprawl with trees and planters.
(Seriously, Irving is going to attract visitors with Rodeo Drive-type shopping? Oh wait, the queen will be there…won’t she?)
Even though the OliverMcMillan concept is not really a new or remarkable consideration, some of QueenB VDs Pet Rocks were already gaga over the presentation and spouting talking points only the queen could have dictated.
However, this is not the only issue with the OliverMcMillan proposal. Before the city council takes another step to push QueenB VDs royal carriage, across the ‘Signature Bridge,’ several questions should be answered or resolved.
* How much will the city have to cough up to fund the fluffy streets and medians this developer anticipates?
* Will the city commit as many millions, in tax deferrals and infrastructure benefits, as they did with the Hines Realty housing development?
* What is the connection between Hines Realty and OliverMcMillan, since Hines introduced QueenB VD to them in a meeting in Las Vegas. What was really discussed and agreed upon by the queen at this meeting? What happened to the transparency mantra the queen espoused during her campaign?
* What happened to the consideration of seeking proposals from other developers for this iconic site? Has the city foregone the concept of requesting RFPs for projects of this magnitude?
* If this same proposal, with single source developer and a ‘hand out’ for city bucks, was identified for the Entertainment Center area, would Queen VD still be fawning over the developer? Or would the queen be the perpetual stick in the mud as she has been with the ARK developer?
* How complicit is the City Manager with this development concept and possible proposal for city funding benefits? Is this a matter of best use of land and city funds, or merely attempting to count to five?
* Considering the potential city funds which might be granted, under a yet unknown cost, doesn’t the city have other pressing development and needs to address? After all, the city shouldn’t be in the business of making developers successful with city funds.
* Should one assume QueenB VDs Sugar Daddy handlers and closet "Dark Money" contributors believe this single source developer is perfect for their needs?
While there may be many additional questions, the important consideration now is to derail this train before it reaches the depot and consider what else is floating, in the development world, which would "brand" the Texas Stadium site as the crown jewel of city-owned real estate.
The city will have "branding" when the Entertainment Center is completed, so why not have an additional and true brand at the gateway to Irving where real Cowboys once roamed?
And frankly, Baja Las Colinas, as envisioned by OliverMcMillian, is not a brand.
………………………Mark Holbrook
