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Sheffie Kadane

When we broke the news Wednesday about Angela Hunt’s memo to Mayor Tom Leppert, she was still in the process of gathering signatures -- despite having the five needed to force a council briefing on the Dallas County Appraisal District’s new commercial valuations. She ended up with most of the council members’ signatures, but Mitchell Rasansky, Sheffie Kadane and Dave Neumann did not sign.

Hunt tells Unfair Park that she gave all council members the opportunity to sign the memo, but Hunt wouldn’t comment on why Rasansky, Kadane and Neumann wouldn’t give their support for a briefing. Rasansky would not give a statement on the record regarding the memo, and Dave Neumann refused to return phone calls.

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Because, notes the Friend of Unfair Park who sent this along, we've got lots of available land, falling unemployment rates and, dang it, because you're smart and beautiful. And, look, if Forbes said it, it must be true: Dallas-Fort Worth, we're officially "Recession-Proof"! --Robert Wilonsky

This probably won't come as a surprise to anyone who tries get around the city by bicycle, but, yup, Dallas sucks for you. That's according to the June issue of, d'uh, Bicycling, which ranks the best and worst cities for cyclists. Says the list, which ain't up yet, Dallas joins Memphis and Miami as bad cities in which to get 'round via two wheels -- 'cause they're "devoid of bike lanes and ruled by cars," no shit. Not that the city ain't trying to do better. It's just, ya know, a little familiar. --Robert Wilonsky

The big news of the a.m.: The city's $50-million budget shortfall, as noted yesterday at City Hall by Dallas Chief Financial Officer Dave Cook. This morning, newest KERA-FM (90.1) correspondent B.J. Austin lays out the deficiencies: everything from a precipitous drop in sales tax revenue and property tax growth to a decrease in expected red-light camera revenue.

And over on Back Talk Lake Highlands, Jeff Siegel takes it even further with a little number-crunching with city and state docs. Way he figures it, "Maybe there's a bump coming in the last seven months of the year that will make up the deficit. But if not, someone downtown needs to start worrying about this." One thought: We could always finance and run a convention center hotel. I hear from the mayor those things make lots of money, like an ATM with room service. --Robert Wilonsky

Nancy Brinker

Much big news in recent days for Dallas-based Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Founder Nancy Brinker last week found herself perched at No. 45 on Time's list of "The World's Most Influential People." ("What a difference she has made!" exclaims Cokie Roberts, who penned the appreciation.) And today, Komen CEO Hala Moddelmog will be in D.C., testifying before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions during a hearing titled "Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century"; joining her are the likes of Elizabeth Edwards and Lance Armstrong.

And, just days after Cynthia Nixon was named a Komen Ambassador, she's engaged in a little fund-raising for the breast-cancer survivors and activists network: Nixon's auctioning off two tickets to the Sex and the City premiere in London, which takes place on Monday. And you get to meet Miranda, for those so inclined, among other perks -- including airfare and limos, so there ya go. And bidding's low, low, low at the moment: a mere $1,525 after a dozen bids. I know at least four women and one guy (not me, swear) who'd pay twice that. So hop to. --Robert Wilonsky

This is what the old Parkland and Woodlawn looks like from the Unfair Park HQ windows ...

Couple months back, Merten got a sneak peek at Crow Holdings' new nest at the intersection of Maple and Oak Lawn avenues. Said CEO Harlan Crow, Mayor Tom's nemesis when it comes to the proposed convention center hotel for which we'll be footing the bill, of the college campus-like property: "This could be my favorite project." Ours too, assuming we'll get a coffee shop and an "old, greasy spoon" across the street from Unfair Park HQ. Only thing we didn't include in March was a photo of the sprawling development as Crow envisions it upon completion, some time in the coming year. Well, we have it now -- and it's after the jump. --Robert Wilonsky

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You know who's all for the city getting into the hotel business? Ron Natinsky.

Shortly after posting Sam's item about yesterday's closed-door meeting of the city council's Economic Development Committee, during which the council members decided it was in the taxpayers' best interest to run a hotel, we noticed this. Turns out, yesterday afternoon the committee filed with the City Secretary's Office notice of a "special called meeting" for this very Friday, to be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in Room 6ES of Dallas City Hall. And the subject of the meeting is, of course, "Convention Center Hotel -- Developer and Site Selection, Financing, and Project Status." Assistant City Manager A.C. Gonzalez and Frank Poe, Convention & Events Services Director at. the Dallas Convention Center, will address the committee.

Though there will be a closed Executive Session, the meeting is open to the public, for those Friends who've wondered, gee, why can't we vote on this thing. Because I am certain there'll be somebody there happy to answer that question for you. In the words of Miracle Max ... --Robert Wilonsky

Update: Wuh-oh: Looks like Friday's get-together has been canceled.

Brian Harkin

Anne Raymond and Harlan Crow of Crow Holdings

In response to yesterday’s big announcement that the city will be getting into the hotel business, Harlan Crow fired off his third missive to Mayor Tom -- which we've gotten our hands on to share with the Friends of Unfair Park. This time, Crow and two of his top officials, Anne Raymond and Gina Norris, say a review of the study by HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment Facilities Consulting shows “taxpayers will lose over $200 million in the first 10 years of operation.” HVS was hired by the city to do a feasibility study for the convention center hotel, and its study was released at the April 7 meeting of the Economic Development Committee.

“That the Economic Development Committee would unanimously recommend buying an overpriced parking lot to build and own a hotel that no sophisticated private investor would build shows a complete disregard for the economic realities that will be irresponsibly imposed on the taxpayers,” the letter says.

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Is this the Lego hotel of which you speak, Angela Hunt?

As we pointed out earlier, the city council’s Economic Development Committee met in executive session this afternoon regarding the convention center hotel. After more than two hours behind closed doors, the committee -- sans Mitchell Rasansky -- actually recommended public ownership of the hotel. And, despite developers offering the use of other properties, the $42-million Chavez property will indeed be the spot upon which your new hotel will be built, pending a council vote on May 14.

Yes, it will be all yours. Which means if this hotel can’t make it in a downtown with a 60-percent occupancy rate, then Dallas taxpayers are on the hook for any losses.

So, then, why should we own the hotel?

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Developer Larry Hamilton, founder and CEO of Hamilton Properties Corporation, is one of many landowners facing a fight with the Dallas Central Appraisal District regarding its new appraisals of downtown properties. Hamilton recently purchased a parking lot at 1114 Wood Street as a potential site for his convention center hotel proposal and is partnering on an aloft hotel project at 1033 Young Street. Both parcels were previously valued at $30 per square foot -- then jumped to $100 per square foot.

“We’ll have to argue it,” Hamilton tells Unfair Park. “Obviously, the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction.”

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White Rock Lake Foundation

The proposed lights around White Rock Lake

Last week in the paper version of Unfair Park, Glenna broke down the fight over lights around White Rock Lake, an idea instigated by the White Rock Lake Foundation. Today comes word, via Back Talk Lakewood, that council member Sheffie Kadane wants to hear from ya, Dallas, concerning the security lights, which will run about $400,000. So Kadane will be holding a get-together on May 22, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Winfrey Point -- during which "contractors will bring generators to power up the contentious lights so all in attendance can see what we’re dealing with," notes Christina Hughes-Babb. Sounds ... illuminating. --Robert Wilonsky

Jay Burress

See, sooner or later everything in Dallas winds up in Arlington -- even the folks who sell Dallas to tourists and convention-goers; "trading up," I think it's called. Notes the The Startelegram today, Jay Burress -- currently the senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau -- is heading due west to take the CEO gig for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau. Burress is replacing the interim CEO, Fort Worth's Doug Harman.

The 43-year-old Burress, who started at the DCVB 20 years ago as a project coordinator and moved through 11 different convention sales and tourism marketing positions there, tells Unfair Park today he officially take over June 2. And among the first orders of business will be finding out where Tom Hicks is with his $600-million Glorypark project. "I've seen the plans," says Burress, "and it'll be fantastic, if we can get it underway." But, of course, prepping for the Super Bowl at Jerryworld will keep him especially busy between now and February 6, 2011.

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Via The New York Times' DealBook blog comes word -- or, perhaps in this instance, The Word -- that Dallas Theological Seminary student Chris Wyatt's GodTube is flush with dough-re-mi courtesy a NYC hedge fund. Reports PaidContent.org, New York-based GLG Partners has blessed the site with $30 million, which is on top of $2.5 million raised courtesy private investors -- "including Norm Miller of Interstate Batteries," says the site. Only, nobody's saying nothing about the influx of cash, except GodTube, which released this non-denominational statement: “We have enjoyed substantial growth over the last several months and we are excited about taking out business to the next level, but we do not have any formal announcements to make at this time.” --Robert Wilonsky

As expected, the new appraisals from the Dallas County Appraisal District on 13 parcels owned by Chavez Properties was a small sample of a massive increase in appraised values downtown. A random sampling of downtown appraisals, conducted using DCAD’s Web site, shows a consistent revaluing of parcels from $30 and $40 per square foot to $100 per square foot. Its site now includes a “How do I protest?” box where landowners can find out how to fight the new appraisals. We’re thinking DCAD better get ready for an onslaught of complaints.

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A preview of what Brett Landes has planned in the former Hard Rock location on McKinney Avenue

Developer Brett Landes of the Landes Group has unveiled his development plans for the 0.85-acre plot at Routh and McKinney that was home to the Hard Rock Café and, before that, the McKinney Avenue Baptist Church. Up from the ashes will rise McKinney Avenue Tower, a 16-story, 141-unit “gen-y” apartment complex with a four-story, egg-shaped abutment made entirely of glass filling the wedged Routh Street-McKinney Avenue corner.

Housed within the egg will be a leasing office, a fitness center and a rooftop pool with submersed stool seating so water revelers can ogle the street life below. Add to that a huge computerized LED display screen that will feature digitized renderings of works from local artists -- a little Victory in the vicarage if you will. This $40-million Hard Rock replacement should open sometime in 2009.

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