IRVING — In the early hours of Friday, the Irving City Council responded to a sudden request from Las Vegas Sands Corp., passing a revised zoning ordinance that eliminated provisions for gambling linked to the company’s proposed “destination resort” near the former Texas Stadium location. This decision marked the conclusion of a public process that began in mid-January, although the Sands Corp. plans did not attract significant public interest until late February when the zoning proposal was presented to the City Council.
Over 170 individuals signed up to speak ahead of the Friday vote, with all voices either criticizing the Sands Corp. proposal or opposing its approval process. These remarks reflected a shift from earlier in the week, as many saw the company’s choice to remove gambling and nightclub elements from the zoning proposal during a Thursday workshop as a positive development. However, there were lingering worries that these components might resurface in the future.
The fate of the resort proposal remained ambiguous. Prior to the vote, Mark Boekenheide, the Sands Corp. executive in charge of the company’s global real estate operations, conveyed that while the company was not abandoning the project, the inclusion of casino gaming was critical for advancing the plan. He stated, “I cannot commit to building a four million square foot project and spend four billion dollars — the economics will not work without a casino piece.” The Sands Corp. may consider developing hotels even without the zoning amendment or the legalization of gambling.
Boekenheide indicated that the Sands Corp.’s decision stemmed in part from concerns expressed by the public during a contentious planning and zoning meeting earlier in the week, which ended in a narrow 5-4 recommendation for the City Council to approve the amendment inclusive of the gaming aspect. Additionally, he noted the unpredictability regarding the legalization of gambling in Texas, as the state legislature would need to vote on a constitutional amendment for voter consideration.
The amended zoning proposal, which excluded the gambling aspects, was approved in two separate votes, each passing 6-3. Irving council member Luis Canosa, who opposed the planning and zoning commission’s earlier backing of the amendments, attempted to introduce a ban on gaming within the zoning amendment but failed to secure a second for a full council vote.
Miriam Adelson, the billionaire whose family owns Las Vegas Sands and who purchased a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks in 2023, has invested millions in political donations to promote gambling legalization in Texas, a challenging endeavor during the current legislative session. During Boekenheide’s City Council presentation, he addressed the concerns raised and reiterated the potential benefits of the project, which is expected to generate around 9,000 full-time jobs and could require an investment of up to $4 billion, contributing millions in tax revenue for Irving.
City Council member Dennis Webb of District 8 expressed disappointment over the decision, lamenting that Irving continually misses opportunities for enhancing amenities for its residents. He emphasized the need for the citizens to clearly communicate their desires for the city while remaining open to collaboration with developers, saying, “You just cannot ask developers to come to the city of Irving and do it all your way.”
