Recently, there has been much talk surrounding the potential construction of a casino in close proximity to the University of Dallas. According to speculation, in just a short, five-minute walk from campus, students and residents could soon be facing the “Destination Resort Casino,” the largest gambling complex in the world, no doubt visible from the Mall.
But how realistic is this development? While gambling remains illegal under the Texas state constitution (Chapter 47 of the Texas Penal Code), recent political developments within Irving’s City Council indicate that the idea of a casino is not so far-fetched.
The land in question, formally known as PUD-6, is partially owned by UD. However, back in 2015, former president of the university Thomas W. Keefe sold around 86 acres of UD’s parcel to VillageWalk Riverside LLC, who then sold their acres to VillageWalk Realty 2, who now owns around 259 acres.
VillageWalk Realty 2 is a real estate entity that works with Las Vegas Sands, a casino company. Their owner, Miriam Adelson, also happens to hold the majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks. Consequently, it is believed that the casino could serve as the new Maverick’s stadium, though this topic warrants separate discussion.
Currently, Adelson faces zoning restrictions that prevent construction. As a result, the debate has gained prominence in current City Council work sessions, wherein pro-casino council members are advocating for a trigger law. Under this proposed law, construction would automatically bypass zoning restrictions, should gambling be legalized in the state of Texas.
On Thursday, Feb. 27th, the idea of the construction of a casino was introduced to the City Council, which elicited mixed opinions.
District 7 Councilman Kyle Taylor said, “It will be transformational. It will change our city. Is it going to have some challenges? Yes. Is it going to have some rewards? Yes.”
Furthermore, as mentioned in an article by Kellen McGovern Jones of The Dallas Express, Kyle Taylor also said, “I haven’t had a single Irving resident tell me this is a bad project. Period.”
In contrast, District 4 Councilman Luis Canosa voiced a concern over whether residents were sufficiently informed. To this, Mayor Rick Stopfer dismissed Canosa as “off base,” and District 6 Councilman and UD Trustee Al Zapanta said, “You’ve [Canosa] shown you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
This optimistically pro-casino sentiment raised more than a few eyebrows. On Tuesday, March 4th, approximately 34 residents, including UD alumni, attended the Planning and Zoning Commission Work Session. They objected to Taylor’s claim and vocalized their concerns, namely that a casino would breed crime and overall debauchery. After all, the phrase “whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is meant to signify an environment of unfettered indulgence, one that these residents felt is entirely contrary to the values of both the University of Dallas and the general family-first character of Irving. The close proximity of a casino to both St. Albert Priory and Cisterican Abbey further underscores how such an establishment could disrupt Irving’s cultural identity.
For these reasons and others, residents, faculty and students have begun to fight back. One resident has launched an online petition on Change.org titled Stop the Rezoning of PUD-6 for “Destination Resort/Casino.” This petition has amassed some 1,700 signatures as of Mar. 10.
Dr. Jonathan Sanford, president of the university, said,“My own position is that I would love to see economic development around the campus, but I’m deeply appreciative of the state of Texas’s law with respect to gambling. And I haven’t heard the case for why having casino gambling within such close proximity to University of Dallas and Cistercian and Highlands and Holy Trinity Seminary and neighborhoods, why that would be a good thing, and most of the evidence seems to suggest it’s not a particularly good thing.”
Dr. Matthew Berry, assistant professor of politics, has been quite candid in his efforts to prevent casino construction, encouraging UD students to make their voices heard.
“Email your local city council representative and tell them that you oppose the casino,” said Berry. “Volunteer with Students for Irving to get the word out because the monied interests lobbying for the casino are rich, they are powerful and they have a significant head-start.”
John Paul Malloy, sophomore computer science major, has taken to GroupMe to rally support for the upcoming Planning and Zoning Committee Work Session on Mar 17, where a public hearing will allow attendees to voice their opinions, and the Planning and Zoning commission members will decide whether to approve, reject, or postpone the rezoning proposal. If not postponed, the proposal will advance to Irving City Council for deliberation on Mar. 20, where they would determine the status of the trigger law.
“A casino would not only negatively affect academic life at UD but also undermine the flourishing, family-oriented culture that Irving is famed for,” said Malloy.
Malloy encourages those who oppose the construction of a casino, as well as individuals seeking part-time work, to reach out to him at jmalloy@udallas.edu.
Since there seems to be a disparity between the opinion of the City Council and that of Irving residents, faculty, such as Berry, and students, such as Malloy, encourage the UD community to take action and make their voices heard.