Stan Aten

3/23/9 Dallas Convention Center & Proposed Hotel

When discussing the Dallas Convention Center and the proposed hotel, the citizens of Dallas need to be aware that the convention and tourism business is changing.

While big conventions do bring in lots of people, the big conventions are few and far between these days. The number of people attending big conventions is shrinking. Technology has replaced travel in many business situations.

The Mayor and convention center hotel proponents do not discuss some of the following points that limit our convention business in Dallas:

1		American Airlines has a near monopoly at DFW airport. As a result travelers who fly to Dallas pay higher air fares than to other cities.

2		Dallas does not have a direct rail connection from our airport to our convention center and won't until 2013.

3		Dallas has among the highest hotel and motel taxes in the country, until the city pays off the American Airlines Center.

4		Last year, Dallas citizens paid about $3 million from the General Fund to subsidize the convention center. Since the early 90's, all alcohol and beverage taxes collected by the city of Dallas have been diverted to pay for the last convention center expansion. This expansion was supposed to pay for itself but did not.

5		Finally, there is very little to do near the convention center. It is surrounded by parking lots instead of restaurants, night clubs, and shopping.

None of these problems will go away even if a hotel is built adjacent to the convention center.

Dallas City Hall has a poor record when it comes to negotiating business agreements. The American Airlines Center is a classic example of Dallas taxpayers being raped for the benefit of private business.

You have to vote "NO" to allow the city to fund a hotel.

The "NO" forces claim it is a radical notion to oppose a taxpayer funded hotel. I think the radical notion would be for developers to stop expecting a subsidy to make a profit.

How many more tax breaks and subsidies can the average homeowner or business afford?

Stan Aten
Dallas homeowner and tax payer