Good evening:
City Council members last week took a significant step toward leaving Dallas City Hall, voting 9-6 to reject a building-repair plan that could have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the coming years.
The vote fell along the same lines as a March vote that, at the time, appeared to set the City on a path to leaving the nearly 50-year-old I.M. Pei-designed structure. That was before the Dallas Mavericks announced they would take their talents to Far North Dallas after their American Airlines Center lease ends in 2031, crushing dreams of a new arena that could have been anchored at or near the current City Hall site.
It was also before the Dallas Stars got “engaged” to the City of Plano, where they are expected to build a new arena at the Willow Bend mall site.
Still, Dallas is pushing ahead with the City Hall question, as proponents say it is necessary for economic development and broader Downtown connectivity, even without the prospect of a new arena.
And because one City Council meeting per week apparently doesn’t offer enough drama, the City has, of late, made it a habit to hold two meetings on some Wednesdays. This Wednesday, we’re looking at another double-header.
Mayor Eric L. Johnson has called a special 8 a.m. meeting to vote on two items authorizing City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to negotiate and enter into pre-acquisition agreements for potential relocation sites for City Hall and, separately, 911 and emergency operations. The City Hall voting item notes that the relocation options are “in the Dallas Central Business District.”
Those votes would also allocate a total of $3 million in pandemic relief dollars for due diligence of the finalist sites.
Read on for more on that and much more going on at City Hall this week.
How They Voted: Motion to Deny a Proposed City Hall Repair Plan
Yes | No |
|---|---|
Mayor Eric L. Johnson | Cara Mendelsohn |
Jesse Moreno | Bill Roth |
Maxie Johnson | Laura Cadena |
Chad West | Paul E. Ridley |
Lorie Blair | Paula Blackmon |
Gay Donnell Willis | Adam Bazaldua |
Zarin D. Gracey | |
Kathy Stewart | |
Jaime Resendez |
Last Week’s Poll: Should Dallas go "strong mayor?"
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yes 61%
🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ No 24%
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Unsure 15%
📖 Table of Contents
🗞️ Highlights From Last Week: Meetings, Memos, and Media of Interest
Thanks-Giving Square, the Downtown park designed by architect Philip Johnson and believed to be the subject of the City’s first public-private partnership, could be at risk of closure because City Council members have apparently decided not to honor the remaining 22 years of a 75-year contract, Dallas Morning News columnist Robert Wilonsky reports. A City Council committee is expected to discuss the matter in closed session on Thursday. Click the image above to read the column. (The Thanks-Giving Foundation is a GoldHam Group client.)
White Rock Lake Trail is expected to be closed between E. Lawther Drive and Winsted Drive from this week through September for construction work intended to prevent future sinkholes like the one that formed earlier this year, according to this memo. E. Lawther will be closed to vehicles between Garland Road and Winfrey Point to allow for a safe trail detour, the memo says.
Additional shared motorized scooters have been deployed, with expanded operating hours and additional routes to the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival at Fair Park through the end of the tournament, according to this memo.
Sales tax collections are $6.4 million below budget through the first seven months of the current fiscal year, according to this memo.
Dallas City Council members voted on Wednesday, June 10, to:
Approve Item 2, an agreement to accept up to $24.6 million in reimbursements through NCTCOG's 2026 FIFA World Cup Grant Program, covering personnel, equipment, and vehicle costs tied to World Cup security and preparedness.
Approve Item 6, a 10-year business personal property tax abatement for Amarumayu, LLC, U.S. subsidiary of Peruvian beverage giant Aje Group, which plans a $69.5 million beverage manufacturing facility in the Inland Port in southern Dallas — its first major U.S. investment. The deal requires 150+ jobs averaging $51,000, a $23.31-per-hour wage floor, and 25% Dallas-resident hiring; the City forgoes an estimated $1.38 million over 10 years.
Approve Item 16, authorizing up to a $1.4 million settlement in a long-running lawsuit from Corsicana, Navarro County, and Navarro College, which sued Dallas over damages from the relocation of a Home Depot distribution center from Corsicana to Dallas.
Appoint Council Member Jaime Resendez as Mayor Pro Tem and Council Member Maxie Johnson as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem. They replace Jesse Moreno and Gay Donnell Willis, respectively.
Approved a sweeping update to PD 595, the South Dallas/Fair Park Special Purpose District — roughly 3,336 acres. Read more from The Dallas Morning News.
Approved Z3, a proposed 185-foot residential tower on Newton Avenue in Oak Lawn, replacing a 1967 garden-style complex, with height granted via a mixed-income housing bonus.
Here’s the complete city manager memo packet for Friday, June 12, 2026.
🔢 Number of Interest
$50.9 Million
Current projected budget shortfall for the fiscal year that begins October 1. The city manager will present a balanced budget proposal in August.
🤝 Meetings of Interest: June 15 - 19, 2026
Monday, June 15
🎭 Dallas City Council Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Briefing: Hospitality & Nightlife Task Force Recommendations
Restaurants, bars, and commercial amusement and event venues that host live music and dancing will be required to follow a new eight-step process to secure a two-year “Entertainment License” under this proposal from City staff and the Nightlife Task Force. The license comes with a host of requirements tied to safety, crowd control, first aid, and sound. The proposal follows an uproar last year after Code officers cracked down on restaurants and bars for charging cover fees for live music.
11.31 MB • PDF File
City officials say they have stepped up enforcement against illegal street feedings, including those that occur regularly in Downtown. City Council members earlier this year rejected ordinance enhancements, with some suggesting existing laws could be used to crack down on feedings that create health and safety hazards and often leave behind significant trash. Read more.
🚋 Dallas City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 1 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Briefing: Love Field Expansion Airport Program (LEAP) Update
An estimated $2.54 billion overhaul of Dallas Love Field includes a new terminal headhouse, expanded concourse, new parking garage and rental car facility, and more. The project is expected to be completed by 2033. Funding will come from airport capital funds, revenue bonds, passenger facilities charges, rental car charges, and associated grants.
10.35 MB • PDF File
Committee members may also again discuss the potential redesign of two bridges connecting Oak Cliff and Downtown. The Houston and Jefferson viaducts will likely need to be adjusted to accommodate the new convention center's location.
Tuesday, June 16
🚌 Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Committee-of-the-Whole, 10:30 a.m., and Board Meeting, 6 p.m., Board Room, DART HQ, 1401 Pacific Ave., Dallas, TX 75202
Action Item: Approval of Interlocal Agreements for FIFA World Cup
Board members will consider enhanced FIFA security and transit agreements between DART and Dallas ISD, Dallas College, and the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). Security costs in the agreements are being covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). NCTCOG is covering the bulk of the costs for Sunday service on the Trinity Railway Express (TRE).
613.88 KB • PDF File
Wednesday, June 17
🗣️Special Called Dallas City Council Meeting, 8 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Mayor Eric L. Johnson has called this special meeting for council members to vote on two items authorizing City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to negotiate and enter pre-acquisition agreements on potential sites for City Hall and, separately, 911 and emergency operations.
🚚 Dallas City Council Briefing and Budget Workshop, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Briefing: 2026 Dallas Community Perceptions Survey
Residents most often named infrastructure maintenance (46%), police (39%), homelessness programs (28%), and drinking water (27%) as top priorities, according to this annual City perceptions survey. City officials interpret overall survey results as positive, saying Dallas residents largely believe the City is headed in the right direction.
2.00 MB • PDF File
City leaders are projecting a nearly $51 million general fund shortfall for the fiscal year that begins October 1. That means the city manager and her team will spend the summer weighing some of the toughest budget decisions in years. Read the briefing.
Thursday, June 18
✄ Special Called Dallas City Council Committee on Government Efficiency, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
This agenda includes an overview of stipends and partnerships across all City departments. Translation: we could get another preview of which partners are likely to lose substantial public funding in next year’s budget.
Committee members will also go into closed session to discuss issues tied to the previously noted 75-year contract with Thanks-Giving Square, which could be at risk of closure.
🏞️ Dallas Park and Recreation Board, 10 a.m., 6FN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Briefing: Response Strategy for Non-Permitted Green Space Use
Parks officials report a rise in non-permitted “takeovers” of green space for large gatherings, often organized on social media. The department’s response is a four-phase plan: intelligence-sharing with police, a public-awareness push on reservation policies, pre-event outreach to organizers, and a tiered on-site enforcement ladder running from Park Rangers up to police, with mobile surveillance units deployed at camera-less parks when a large event is flagged.
1.43 MB • PDF File
🗣️ Quote of Interest
They got it done in an unbelievably quick fashion, coordinated communication between the developer and us. Fantastic governmental process.
A note to readers: Meetings of Interest is an independent newsletter curated and authored by The GoldHam Group Managing Partner Scott Goldstein and edited by GoldHam Managing Partners Sam Goldstein and Vana Hammond. The content, perspectives, or commentary presented herein reflect the views of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the views, policies, or positions of any other organization, institution, or individual, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Any affiliations are for identification purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
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Have a great week.
Best,
Scott Goldstein
Managing Partner
The GoldHam Group
Sam Goldstein, Scott Goldstein, and Vana Hammond are co-founders of The GoldHam Group, a southern Dallas-based boutique communications, events, and public affairs firm.
