Dallas voters "narrowly approved" a $230M arena
Saturday by 1,642 votes, "one of the closest margins in city
history," according to Todd Gillman of the DALLAS MORNING
NEWS. By approving the deal, Dallas agreed to keep big-
league sports for another 30 years and to "raise hotel and
car-rental taxes to do it." Mayor Ron Kirk called the arena
victory "an absolutely thrilling moment," but Sharon Boyd,
treasurer of the "It's A Bad Deal!" anti-arena campaign,
"initially refused to concede," and later said that she "may
seek a recount." The "Yes! For Dallas" pro-arena campaign,
outspent Boyd's group by "more than" 20 to 1, with "heavy
backing" from Mavs Owner Ross Perot Jr. and Stars Owner Tom
Hicks. Under the deal, the two teams have agreed to pay
$105M towards the arena's cost, cover cost overruns, and pay
the city $3.4M in annual rent (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/18).
Foundation work on the arena "could begin" late this fall or
early next year (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/18).
TURNOUT: In Ft. Worth, Mede Nix wrote that "almost" 21%
of 490,000 registered voters turned out for the arena vote
"on a sunny day." Although some had expected a record
turnout, "it fell well short" (FT. WORTH STAR TELEGRAM,
1/18). The MORNING NEWS' Gillman added that the arena
proposal lost by "only" six percentage points in the four
northernmost City Council districts, which includes voters
who "have tended to vote more conservatively" than other
residents. That "strong showing," combined with
"overwhelming support" from the five southern Dallas
districts with "predominantly black populations, resulted in
a win." Dr. Dan Weiser, a Dallas demographer: "The African-
American vote won the arena election. ... Whites and
Hispanics voted against it" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/19).
