The request to remove the casino aspect of Sands Corp’s proposal was made shortly before the city council was scheduled to discuss a zoning change necessary for the project’s advancement.
IRVING, Texas — Just before city officials in Irving were due to assess the plans from the Dallas Mavericks’ owners to establish a casino resort near the former Texas Stadium site, a representative from Las Vegas Sands Corporation asked for the gambling element to be excluded from the project.
Mark Boekenheide, the senior vice president of global real estate development at Las Vegas Sands Corp., which has the same ownership as the Dallas Mavericks, requested the removal of the gaming aspect during a city council workshop held Thursday afternoon. This decision followed some community opposition.
As a result, development on the desired resort by Sands is also likely to be halted. A spokesperson explained to city officials that the casino is essential for funding the resort’s operational costs.
“In light of the current situation surrounding gaming legislation in the state and the various concerns raised in our meetings, Sands has requested that the Irving City Council reconsider the proposal by removing the destination resort and gaming components and instead approve the other proposed uses in the rezoning process,” Boekenheide stated during the workshop.
This week, the Irving planning and zoning commission passed two proposals – one changing a 1,001-acre area around state highways 114, 183, and Loop 12 to a high-intensity mixed-use zone, and another reclassifying two specific tracts on the northeast side of State Highway 114 from transit-oriented to mixed-use, with a close 5-4 vote.
The earlier vote was a step toward potentially enabling Las Vegas Sands Corp. to develop the resort and casino, should Texas legalize gambling. There were speculations that the venue might also incorporate a sports arena, hinting at the possibility of the Mavericks relocating to Irving.
The proposals have faced significant opposition within the Irving community. The Irving City Council meeting to discuss the zoning change was scheduled to commence at 7 p.m.
