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鈥檚 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鈥檚 support of a planned expansion and district in downtown Dallas.
鈥淥ur board has challenged us to step into a role as the cultural backbone of the city,鈥� Ogden told council members at Tuesday鈥檚 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. 四虎影院 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 鈥� 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鈥檛 just be another downtown Dallas attraction 鈥� like Klyde Warren Park or the convention center. Ogden told the council he wanted the Thanks-Giving District to 鈥渙wn and prescribe the downtown visitor experience.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bold vision,鈥� District 11 Council Member Jaynie Schultz told Ogden.
Schultz said she was in support of the foundation鈥檚 mission but had some concerns about some of the proposal's aspects 鈥� like the goal of becoming the main downtown attraction.
鈥淗umility may be a little more successful in that because you also want to get support from the people that also consider themselves hubs,鈥� Schultz said during the meeting.
District 9 Council Member Paula Blackmon wanted to know how the proposal would work with the 鈥渙verall feel鈥� of downtown.
Ogden said he's discussed getting more visibility on the project with Mark Lamster, the architecture critic at The Dallas Morning News.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in the process of fleshing out something鈥hat 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 鈥� and advice for the foundation鈥檚 proposal.
Paul Ridley, who represents District 14 on the city council, said he appreciates the foundation鈥檚 interest in adding more to the downtown area 鈥� but also gave some words of caution.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we need to duplicate Klyde Warren Park here,鈥� Ridley said. 鈥淚 would just hate to see you get too far way from your purpose in life in effort to make this a big tourist attraction.鈥�
During Tuesday鈥檚 meeting, when asked about the existing contract with the city, Ogden said it was 鈥渁n independent issue鈥� from the proposed district.
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