Trinity Tollway & Convention Ctr Hotel

[tamtagon]

Thought it would be interesting to see the how forum members felt about these two big deals....

[eirin]

I don't mind them building a hotel, but it better not suck. And as it is right now, I can't see what is so great about this hotel, considering the amount of money being spent. The tollway is pointless, and irresponsible to build.

[NThomas]

Would it be wrong to say I wish the CCH would be taller (yes, that is cause I think the something is lacking in other places... ;))

[warlock55]

Good poll. I doubt option #2 is going to be very popular.

[UrbanHope]

Wherever they end up putting the tollway, it's needed. The OC exits are needed.
At least there would be an option other than the beatings that are Loop 12 (through West Dallas/Irving) and I-35 to go from Oak Cliff to Irving and the Airport. A lot of people that live over here work in Las Colinas/Grapevine,etc.

[Tnekster]

I don't mind them building a hotel, but it better not suck. And as it is right now, I can't see what is so great about this hotel, considering the amount of money being spent.

I expect it will be very nice. The convention center hotels in Houston, Austin and SA are all nice. I don't think any of them make some grand architectural statement and niether will this one. It will probably be a good thing for the convention business and a better deal for those that attend those conventions and happen to have a room close by. As far as doing anything for downtown.....personally I think it will be a big zero. This hotel will do nothing to improve downtown, except add a new building to the south side of the district and give us all something new to look at.

[Mballar]

I'm for a reliever route that's not within the TR levees. I'm for a CCH deal similar to Ft. Worth's.

[lakewoodhobo]

To be honest, I didn't vote on the tollway issue because I was indifferent. But I eventually realized it was a stupid idea and now, after all the drama this year, I'm at least glad I didn't vote FOR it. The convention hotel is a totally different issue, and even though the two are linked by the mayor's claims and his overall credibility, I supported him on this one.

[tamtagon]

It will probably be a good thing for the convention business and a better deal for those that attend those conventions and happen to have a room close by. As far as doing anything for downtown.....personally I think it will be a big zero. This hotel will do nothing to improve downtown, except add a new building to the south side of the district and give us all something new to look at.

I agree the hotel will make very little direct impact on the downtown atmosphere, but I think the hotel indirectly carries potential to enact a huge improvement to the downtown environment. In addition to its role as a really nice dormitory for Convention Planners, primaries and VIPs, the hotel must function as the high profile catalyst to consolidate tourist-based retail just inside that highway choked nook of downtown. The West End will become a much more functional space for area residents if Dallas sight-seers shopped for souvenirs and Texans Kitch at shops next to the convention center. Business folk attending events at the convention center will find it exceptionally easy to pick up a trinket for the kids back home, too.

If the plan to relocate the college football hall of fame actually happens, then that's all the better. Since the convention center takes up such a huge amount of real estate for non-area resident use, it only makes sense to consolidate tourist businesses there. With such focal point for recreational and business tourist, venerable Metroplex Tex-Mex and Bar-B-Q restaurants could easily operate facilities constructed and scaled for extremes in anticipated crowd size; expansive dining rooms & patios could be moth-balled without financial loss when the convention center is idle while the traditional street front restaurant welcomes whoever....

It's an expensive game of Convention & Trade Show Industry leap-frog.....

The hotel will put the city as a Conv & Trade Show destination back into the game in a major way, and as always, innovation is required to remain an industry leader. I think Dallas is already working out the next step to improve the attractiveness of the city as a destination through the tiring drama over the Trinity River Park.

Reunion Arena will be gone soon, and while I thought an adaptive reuse of the building was a much better way to proceed, I'm still entirely convinced an direct link between the convention center and the Trinity Overlook will be the big ticket public-private masterplan riding on the "look what it will do for downtown" train.

[Hannibal Lecter]

I agree the hotel will make very little direct impact on the downtown atmosphere, but I think the hotel indirectly carries potential to enact a huge improvement to the downtown environment.There are already multiple hotels downtown, with thousands of rooms. Two of the existing hotels have more rooms than the proposed facility. Some (Sheraton, Hyatt, Fairmont) are associated with larger, better known operators. Some are more convenient to the West End.

There's no logical reason to expect one more facility to have some magical effect that none of the others have. To have that expectation brings to mind the colloquial definition of insanity -- doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.

[mjblazin]

Would a $200/night hotel really be a hub for vacationers? The discussion of change in convention business is behind us. Vacationers and business travelers would seem to have so many better options. While I'd expect my firm to qualify for some negotiated discounts, the CCH would have to offer almost a 40% discount to get under our daily lodging cap for Dallas.