From the Mailbag: What Happened to City's Plan to Privatize Dallas Farmers Market?

By Robert Wilonsky Wed., Mar. 9 2011 at 5:56 PM

Fingers crossed, we'll get to this asked-and-answered more than once a month. But not a week goes by that four, five e-mails don't pop up in the in-box wondering what in the wide, wide world of sports became of City Manager Mary Suhm's plan to take the downtown Dallas Farmers Market private? Matter of fact, when we debuted this sorta-feature, Friend of Unfair Park AmyS asked: "What is the city's current status on the attempt to privatize the Dallas Farmers Market. Have any candidates come forward to present a plan?"

Last we looked, there had been but one contestant in the sweepstakes -- restaurateur Janet Cobb, whose name came up way back when we broke news of this proposal last summer -- and after extending the deadline several times, Suhm just called it quits. Or did she? I sent Suhm a very lengthy e-mail asking where the plan stands at present, whether Cobb would indeed take over the market and if there was a deadline in place for privatizing, given the fact the market doesn't make money and there's yet another round of budget cuts a-comin'. She responded thusly:

No decision. No specific time line yet. Working on all possibilities.

So there ya go. Fudge, anyone?

We Recommend

Oak Cliff Townie

So just to break even the Market needs $20,000 more a week ?

What is the actual budget for the Farmers Market ?

What services are there that need to be cut ?

It certainly cant be sanitation how can you cut something that doesn't exist.

The place is beyond overcrowded with to much going on in a confined space. It might be great on a Wednesday at 10 am but that's Wednesday at 10 am Not Saturday or Sunday . Add to the Mix vendors who's personal hygiene and appearance leaves a lot to be desired. Who wants to eat what some of those folks might have touched ?

We have a lot of urban planners who are itching to make things WALKABLE how about giving them shot at this area before we bulldoze it ?

Chevytexas

Oh, I dunno, for the same reason we don't bulldoze Oak Cliff, or sell it to make up our school district losses. Would you tear down your own house? Guess you might.

elbueno

No one's talking about bulldozing it, except the cynical citizenry.

Wylie H.

That's Queen Suhm for you. Sigh..... The City deserves so much better, but no one is in a position to make her accountable for the consequences of her reign of mediocrity....

The damage she's doing to this City is incalculable.

Raydan2647

The council determines her job every Spring.

Robert in LH

Their proposal was ludicrous. Currently losing about $800,000 to $1 million per year for the past 15 years. Wanted the private contractor to keep services at same level while absorbing losses and building to a profitable operation. No private contractor would do that. My comment at the first presentation was that "we" (meaning any contractor) would reduce services and employees to match cash flow, not the other way around. The commercial portion could be sold to the commercial vendors and keep one shed for the little guys. But the FM is dead. Why are we paying for this?

Anonymous

Would it be that awful if the city gave up on the FM altogether? Sell the land to HEB and call it a day.

Gabe

I'm curious as to why Rorschach is in charge of answering questions...

elbueno

Watchmen!

Robert Wilonsky

That's DC's The Question. Swear.

MushMouth1

Reminds me of the old IRS records logo

Who Ray

Maybe Suhm should try to syndicate the Farmer's Market with the Love Field Concessions.......winner take all!!! So typical of the city, great fanfare followed by silence.......stay after them......they will not come forward voluntarily.