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This Morning, a Quick Trip to Irving

By Robert Wilonsky in News You Can Actually Use, Actually

Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 11:00AM

The new Irving Convention Center, which is not being built on a five-acre deck park

To Irving we go this morning, as the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau asked us, via e-mail, to pretty please check out the new Web site for its convention center opening "in late 2010." Hunh. Not bad. Not bad at all. Better than this, anyhow. But you know me -- a sucker for conceptual renderings.

After taking the virtual tour, you can then check out this Texas Observer piece about the changing face of Irving -- though, I know, you thought the headline "White Man's Burden" was reserved exclusively for stories by and/or about Jim. The short version of the long story: The city's 35 percent Hispanic; the city council's all-Anglo. And "only one African-American has ever served on the Irving City Council." Of course, U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis has noticed this too.

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8 comment(s) / Post a Comment

Tom says:

Irving is 30 minutes from Arlington? Maybe at rush hour, but on a good day, you can get from Texas Stadium to Cowboys Stadium in about half that time.

"The Cowboys have decamped to Arlington—30 minutes to the southwest—where they’ll play in a new stadium this fall."

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 11:33AM

Human Being says:

Drove by this the other day on the way to the airport and assumed it was another mega-church going up. Looks like it will be a nice building (and another competitor for the DCC).

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 12:02PM

John says:

It will be interesting to see what happens. Really, it seems like there are two Irvings right now, you have Las Colinas almost exclusively holding the wealth, tax base, power and economy while the rest of Irving wants a piece of the pie. While I can't blame them for wanting it I think them trying to eat it is going to end up disastrously for them.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 12:26PM

dallasm says:

Good for Irving for working to build up their city, but l think I could have thought of new way to do it other than ANOTHER convention center. How many does the metroplex need? Is there really a market for this many in such a small area? Dallas's is by far the largest, but Ft. Worth and Arlington have their own convention centers as well. I think Grand Prairie even has one.

How about rebuilding the city as America's first 'Green City'? Build out an extensive trolley system, encourage density, and urban farming, etc. That seems in vogue right now. Or pick something else, I think they should try to be more creative. Seems to me like Irving has a bit of a lack of imagination.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 12:30PM

Suburban Idiot says:

"Seems to me like Irving has a bit of a lack of imagination."

Sort of endemic to municipalities.

Which is why we had to build a convention center hotel because everybody else has one.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 1:25PM

dallasm says:

@SI

Don't get me wrong, I not in anyway against the public investment in Irving. If they think they can and want to compete in the crowded Convention Center market, well good luck to them.

That said, I think they are making a mistake. It seems like they are trying to be a 'Me-Too' city. They have lost Texas Stadium and probably won't be able to build a tourism center that rivals the History (Ft. Worth), Entertainment (Arlington), or Fine Arts (Dallas) of it's neighbors. I think they would be better off redeveloping themselves to as a 21st Century support for those centers.

Otherwise, they will just become the 'New Jersey' of DFW. Nothing but highways, rail lines, and airports.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 3:05PM

Ace McGill says:

Hello kids,

These things are used for all kinds of corporate meetings and events. Considering the corporate base in Las Colinas I'm sure it will get used. Do you still drive past your new local theater to go to an older one farther away?

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 4:35PM

Scott says:

DallasM, Irving is poised to be well positioned in the green future you envision. Currently however I don't think it makes sense.

If we enter a future where public transit becomes much more popular, where trolleys and vastly greater density take hold, as they seem inexorably heading then Irving will be between Dallas and Ft. Worth, the airport and so will enjoy their central location. Further, it seems the suburbs on the fringes would be hurt the most, though the 35-Denton corridor is filling up fast as well.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 9:00PM