On a Sunday morning in April 2010, the walls of Texas Stadium were imploded and collapsed, ending an era in Irving. But, to the west on State Highway 114 was the sign of what might become for the city of Irving. The Las Colinas Entertainment Center is proposed to bring millions of visitors to Las Colinas and attract main events to the city. The construction of the venue has not had a teddy bear hug to welcome it, and the marvel is also a topic of debate for the three men running for Place 3 on the Irving City Council. On May 14, Irving voters will cast their ballots in support for Dennis Webb, Kensley Stewart or David Gutierrez.
Allan Meagher – the current holder of the Place 3 seat – has decided not to seek re-election.
Interestingly enough, Dennis Webb, an Irving pastor and one of the leading developers of Bear Creek, knows what it takes to rally a community together and bring economic vitality into play. Webb has not dismissed the notion of the Las Colinas Entertainment Center coming to be, but he knows that keen oversight is imperative.
“I want to insure the city has in place a system that provides specific oversight of each project. I will work to develop solutions to the inadequacies discovered in the Entertainment Center Project. Ensuring oversight is provided by project-specific managers and not general city management is the key,” Webb told the North Dallas Gazette last week.
His determination to lead the charge for change in Irving is why the North Dallas Gazette is putting its support behind Dennis Webb for the Place 3 seat on Irving city council. Webb is a longtime Irving resident, and he knows what Irving can become.
Since the city is at odds about the financing of the venue, ensuring oversight as Webb has suggested will alleviate the need for taxpayer dollars to pay for the venue. He is adamant that funding should come from private donors. It is estimated that $50 million of the venue’s construction will come from investors, with hotel occupancy taxes as a secondary funding source.
Irving has seen a drop in crime recently. Webb, a 28-year firefighter, has a vested interest in public safety, and he has a strong reason to plead the case of public safety as a councilman. The efforts of the city police department have resulted in a continuous drop in major crimes each year beginning in 2006.
The city of Irving is headed in the right direction. With individuals such as Webb on the board, a new day can become a truth in Irving. He is a man of God, and believes that all is possible with patience, prayer and cohesiveness.
