Back on my soapbox...

KERA: Dallas Budget Shortfall Clouds Fair Park's Future (2009-05-29)

Dallas Budget Shortfall Clouds Fair Park's Future
BJ Austin, KERA News

Plans to save Fair Park may be swept away in a flood of "red ink". KERA's BJ Austin says 7 million dollars -- all of Fair Park's funding -- has been cut from next year's Dallas budget.

This September, DART trains will bring passengers to the 2009 State Fair. There are two stations; one at the front gates; the other near Martin Luther King Boulevard. Last week, DART, Fair Park officials, and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, predicted light rail service to Fair Park would be a catalyst for new activities year-round. Two days later, every bit of Fair Park's annual funding was cut in the proposed city budget for next year. Councilmember Vonceil Jones Hill says no one is safe from the budget axe - as City Hall looks at ways to make up a 190 MILLION dollar shortfall.

Hill: I expect there will be extensive conversation about that particular item, as well as all others. But it is indicative of the fact that we've got to look closely at all of the services that we're providing.

At the front gates of the fairgrounds, Erroll McKoy, President of the State Fair chooses to remain optimistic. He believes Fair Park will have a summer theme park - with two dozen amusement park rides on the Midway in 2012.

McKoy: We want to be to Six Flags what Rough Rider Park is to the Texas Rangers. We will be a smaller, more bite-sized version. It'll be an economical visit. The price will be about half that of Six Flags, but it's still going to be jam packed, full of good things to do.

Dallas Attorney, longtime Fair Park supporter, Darrell Jordan says this is no time to douse new plans for Fair Park. The opera is leaving the Music Hall for the performing arts center downtown. The major museum exhibits are leaving for the Perot Museum of Science and Nature in the West End. The train museum is leaving for Frisco. The New Year's Cotton Bowl Classic is leaving for the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington. Jordan says Fair Park needs to step up its game. He hopes a proposed "think-tank" session this fall lead by Dallas Summer Musicals will chart a new future. Jordan would like to see the Park take a cue from Disney and its Epcot Center.

Jordan: where large, civic minded corporate sponsors have what would amount to exhibits - not a museum setting, but in an interactive, interesting setting where parents, and kids, and visitors would come to the park - that would be a great thing also.

Councilman Dave Neumann says Fair Park is not likely to be shuttered but it may have to operate differently.

Neumann: I'm confident that several of these proposed reductions in services will be restored. But there's going to be give and take. Clearly, we're all going to have to tighten our belts. A lot of things we've become accustomed to we may not have in this next budget cycle.

Council colleague Jerry Allen is a little more optimistic about Fair Park.

Allen: Obviously Fair Park is a jewel. So there will be ways to figure out how to trim it. It's a jewel that we've got, especially in light of the DART line opening up. So, that's a big deal.

A Fair Park official tells KERA that jewel needs to be shining in 2011 because Fair Park has just been chosen as the site of a HUGE Super Bowl party. The official NFC party could draw upwards of 100 thousand people to Fair Park.

Email BJ Austin


© Copyright 2009, KERA

Why?! Why would you do this? Why would you even think of doing this? Especially after spending $11.7 million on the Esplanade Fountain renovation and $57 million on the Cotton Bowl upgrades in the last year alone? And don't forget the costly renovations to city buildings like the Texas Hall of State, Texas Discovery Gardens and the Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park that are currently underway.

And WHY would you consider doing it now that DART's debut at Fair Park is weeks away? Do you want Fair Park to fail? Or is it just more fun to spend millions of dollars to get everyone excited about Fair Park's impending revitalization and then yank the rug out from underneath all those who love and believe in it?

“The City of Dallas: A Great Work of Art” my a$$! It would be if the City took care of what it had, but this is the second year in a row that Dallas has proposed major budget cuts to art and culture. Fair Park is a National Historic Landmark – mainly because it is the only intact and unaltered pre-1950s world fair site remaining in the United States (with an extraordinary collection of 1930s art and architecture to boot). There are only three sites in Dallas County that qualify as such, and Fair Park’s Centennial Buildings were the FIRST to be designated on the NHL list in September 1986. The Dealey Plaza Historic District was second (NHL spells it D-E-A-L-Y, but that is another rant for another day), and the Highland Park Shopping Village (which isn’t even IN the City of Dallas) third. Why, for the love of Pete, would you cut – or consider cutting - funding to something so important and historically significant? It is just irresponsible!

Plus, Fair Park serves 7 million people on average a year. Wonderful programs like Fair Park in Lights, the Dog Bowl and the State Fair of Texas – just to name a few - all happen down at the Fairgrounds. Not to mention the seven museums, Dallas Summer Musicals, the Wind Symphony, WRR and all the other organizations that call Fair Park home. No wonder groups like the Dallas Opera and the Museum of Nature and Science are planning on leaving - if the City doesn't believe in Fair Park, who will?

Fair Park should not be held responsible for the City of Dallas’ inability to hire a competent accounting staff. Where did the $100 million go? And why does Fair Park, one of the City's greatest artistic and cultural assets, have to be punished so severely for your budget shortfall?

And to think there was talk of the City of Dallas taking over DISD! Between the two of you, almost $300 million has gone astray in the last nine months alone. Who is running Dallas anyway? A bunch of crickets? Because I definitely hear a lot of chirping.

I’m assuming the Michael Hinojosa’s of City Hall will still be gainfully employed despite the budget shortfall. Just like DISD teachers (and, ultimately, DISD students) who took the fall for DISD’s accounting shortfall last year, I’m sure the same will be true of the City of Dallas. Just fire all the competent workers and creative minds that work for the City, and keep the dumba$$es in charge.

Stupid City...