Residents of Irving gathered to express their concerns about the proposed casino development.
The University of Dallas community is expressing significant concerns over the proposed Destination Resort Casino near their campus. With fears of increased crime and the potential disruption to family values, residents and alumni are actively opposing the casino’s development. A recent public meeting gathered local voices against the project, while civic engagement is rising, including an online petition with over 1,700 signatures. Despite some potential economic benefits touted by supporters, the future of the casino remains uncertain amidst legal restrictions on gambling in Texas.
In the heart of Irving, Texas, a new proposal has the community buzzing – and not all in a good way. Picture this: a shiny new casino named the Destination Resort Casino, potentially set to open a stone’s throw from the University of Dallas (UD) campus. The site for this ambitious project is known as PUD-6 and it gets even more interesting because it includes some land that is partially owned by the university itself.
Backtrack a few years to 2015 when UD’s previous president sold approximately 86 acres of land to VillageWalk Riverside LLC. Fast forward to today, that land has changed hands, and we now have VillageWalk Realty 2 as the current owner of a whopping 259 acres – and they’re reportedly tied to the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. For those unfamiliar, that’s a major player in the casino world, led by Miriam Adelson, who also happens to have a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks. While casino developments are always polarizing, things are complicated by current zoning restrictions which are keeping plans for the casino on hold.
The Irving City Council recently got together to discuss some trigger laws that could potentially override those zoning restrictions if gambling gets legalized in Texas. During a meeting on February 27, opinions were all over the map. One council member showed enthusiasm for the potential casino, while another raised eyebrows about the lack of community awareness regarding the project. This tension spilled over into another meeting with discussions that became quite heated, especially as community members began voicing their concerns.
On March 4, a public meeting took place that attracted around 34 residents, many of whom were UD alumni, to share their thoughts against the casino. Their main points focused on fears of increased crime and the moral implications a casino might bring. Many voiced that this development just doesn’t sit right with the family values that the University of Dallas and the wider community of Irving cherish.
In protest, there’s even an online petition titled “Stop the Rezoning of PUD-6 for Destination Resort/Casino” that has accumulated around 1,700 signatures. Meanwhile, UD’s current president has weighed in, recognizing the importance of economic development around campus but questioning the real advantages of having a casino right next door. Plus, a politics professor at UD has been encouraging students to reach out to local council representatives and advocacy groups to express their opposition.
As students rally together, one UD student is leading the charge to encourage fellow classmates to show up at a Planning and Zoning Committee Work Session on March 17. The sentiment is clear: the proposed casino could disrupt academic life at UD and could clash with the family-oriented culture prevalent in Irving.
Interestingly, after facing a wave of community pushback, Las Vegas Sands has even considered pulling the casino component out of their plans altogether. Meanwhile, the Irving Planning and Zoning Commission recently gave a nod to a mixed-use proposal focused primarily on residential and retail spaces instead of a casino. It seems the community sentiment is loud, with public comments revealing worries concerning gambling-related crime, traffic issues, and possible negative social implications of having a casino in such close proximity.
But it’s not all opposition; some community members have highlighted potential economic benefits, such as job creation and increased tax revenues. However, whether this project can even progress remains a big question mark, especially with gambling still illegal in Texas. The Texas Legislature would need to give the green light to repeal existing laws on casino gambling before any construction could even begin. Even if it’s legalized, the Sands Corporation has mentioned it could take five to seven years before the project is finalized.
The future of the Destination Resort Casino hangs in a delicate balance, reflecting a community deeply divided on what the best path forward should be. As the conversations continue in Irving, residents are urged to stay informed and engaged as they navigate this unfolding situation.
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