Tennell Atkins

September 25 Could Be the Day of Reckoning for ForwardDallas Land Use Plan

By April Towery / September 4, 2024 /

Is the phrase “Day of Reckoning” too much for a ForwardDallas headline, an astute CandysDirt.com editor asked herself. The Collins Dictionary defines the expression as “a day or time in the future when people will be forced to deal with an unpleasant situation which they have avoided until now.” Yep, that tracks.  That day of…

Dallas Is Spending Almost $4 Million on Economic Development Consulting Fees With HR&A Advisors

By April Towery / March 1, 2024 /

The Dallas City Council recently tacked on $1.58 million to an existing contract with HR&A Advisors for consulting work related to the city’s Economic Development Policy. The action extended HR&A’s contract one more year to June 30, 2025, increasing the total amount from $2.3 million to $3.9 million.  The contract almost sailed through with no discussion…

Meeting on Dallas City Manager Search Starts With Council Members’ Vows For Transparency, Ends With Closed-Session Discussions

By April Towery / February 27, 2024 /

The process of hiring a search firm to identify qualified city manager candidates ought to be a simple one. The Dallas City Council did it just seven years ago when T.C. Broadnax was brought on board.  Now that Broadnax announced his resignation last week, effective June 3, it’s clear that elected officials want to be…

Bazaldua: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Remodel is Good For Tourism, But What’s The Actual Benefit For South Dallas? 

By April Towery / February 10, 2024 /

The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center project is moving from concept to reality, and while elected officials are supportive of the plans, the District 7 councilman urged tourism officials to stop touting the benefits to South Dallas and Fair Park residents — because, he said, there aren’t any. During a Feb. 5 briefing of the…

Dallas Leaders Challenge Economic Development Department to ‘Hustle’ in Recruiting New Business

By April Towery / January 30, 2024 /

The Dallas Economic Development Policy identifies ambitious goals toward streamlined incentives and more diverse housing options — and one year after the policy was implemented, city leaders say they’re ready to see some big results.  Economic Development Director Robin Bentley and Assistant Director Heather Lepeska shared an update on the 10-year policy at a council…