Dallas, TX
Dallas to pay engineering firm another $16 million to shore up new convention center plan
![Dallas to pay engineering firm another $16 million to shore up new convention center plan](https://dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/A9e9TE7W69VkYKImKlW2cfL4wr4=/1200x630/smart/filters:no_upscale()/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/dmn/INPMZQC2KZGN7EW7AMDQQJ3NKU.jpg)
Dallas officers have agreed to pay $16 million to an engineering and design agency to flesh out plans for a brand new conference heart and all the pieces round it.
Although the Dallas Metropolis Council in February accepted tearing down the downtown Kay Bailey Hutchison Middle and constructing a brand new facility for as much as $2 billion, the plan at present isn’t far more than an idea, Rosa Fleming, the town’s director for conference and occasion providers, instructed council members Wednesday.
She stated WSP Inc will want almost $15 million to supervise figuring out how lifelike the brand new conference heart mission could possibly be, together with working with the Texas Division of Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad to clear the development of a part of the deliberate 2.5 million sq. foot construction over a close-by railyard and Interstate 30.
One other virtually $1.2 million can be added tothe contract they’ve had with the town since Jan. 2021 for transportation and land use planning in addition to serving to coordinate public conferences associated to redeveloping the realm across the facility.
“Now it’s actually digging into the grasp planning, no design, no building, simply the grasp planning,” Fleming stated.
Figuring out the feasibility of the mission could possibly be completed by December and a revised price ticket for constructing the brand new conference heart might include it.
The design and building part would come after that.
Town plans to cowl the prices for the brand new conference heart in addition to surrounding initiatives with lodge tax income. Development for the brand new heart is at present deliberate to start in 2024 and be full in 2028.
The Metropolis Council’s approval of extra money to WSP Inc means Dallas has dedicated round $21 million to the agency since final 12 months to steer revamping the conference heart space. The group was employed to plan a 10-year redevelopment for the conference heart on South Griffin Avenue and the encompassing space from the Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station to the Dallas Farmers Market.
The conference heart is a key a part of the plan. The deliberate footprint of the brand new conference heart would primarily rotate 90 levels from the present constructing so the doorway runs parallel with the west aspect of Lamar Avenue/Botham Jean Boulevard. Present plans name for the conference heart area and The Black Academy of Arts and Letters constructing to not be demolished, however questions stay about how present close by landmarks like Pioneer Cemetery and Pioneer Plaza will slot in.
It was WSP that pushed the concept of constructing a brand new conference heart over different choices the corporate introduced to repair or add onto the ability. The rebuild was the most costly choice, however WSP stated it will spark extra growth downtown, enhance tourism-related income, and usher in billions in spending and new property taxes from the realm.
In line with WSP and metropolis workers, tearing down the present conference heart might open up 29 to 40 acres of land within the space. They envision a brand new mixed-use leisure district connecting downtown to the Cedars neighborhood.
The conference heart started because the 350,000-square-foot Dallas Memorial Auditorium within the Nineteen Fifties and has undergone expansions and renovations 5 instances since. The plan to utterly redevelop the house has been within the works since 2015.
The conference heart has $500 million to $700 million in upkeep wants, in response to metropolis officers, largely resulting from neglect. The wants embrace a brand new roof, escalators and reconstruction of different components of the constructing to permit for contemporary upgrades.
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Dallas, TX
Dallas Cowboys Work Out Multiple Free Agents
![Dallas Cowboys Work Out Multiple Free Agents](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2416776/ufl-player-jonathan-garvin.jpg)
The Dallas Cowboys were one of the most quiet teams during the free agency, much to the chagrin of fans. Cap room could be a big issue as to why owner Jerry Jones did not make any significant moves to improve the team’s roster. However, it appears the team is not done searching for potential playmakers, as the team has brought in multiple free agents for workouts.
Read more: Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy Reportedly ‘Fed Up’ With Jerry Jones
According to the team’s website, the Cowboys brought in four former UFL (United Football League) players for a workout at The Star on Tuesday.
Defensive end Jonathan Garvin, defensive end Wyatt Ray, defensive end Derick Roberson, and running back/fullback John Lovett all arrived to showcase their skillset to coaches ahead of training camp.
Scott Rovak/UFL/Getty Images
Garvin was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2020 and played three seasons with the team, racking up 32 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He was cut by the team in 2023, leading to his signing with the Birmingham Stallions. In his first season in the UFL, he recorded 20 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Ray was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but would be waived during rookie training camp. He spent time with the Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, and Denver Broncos before landing with the San Antonio Brahmas in 2024. During his first season with the team, he logged 24 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
Roberson was signed by the Titans in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, spending three seasons with the team. During his three-year stint, he secured 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He would be drafted in the XFL Supplemental Draft to the Houston Roughnecks in 2023 but was eventually released in Dec. 2023. He would land with the DC Defenders in 2024, finishing the season with 32 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Lovett was initially signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent but was cut during rookie training camp. He would eventually land with the UFL San Antonio Brahmas, where he ran for 423 yards (fifth in the league) and scored five touchdowns (second in the league).
Though the Cowboys already have Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, it wouldn’t be terrible to add some depth players at the pass rush position. The team also brought back running back Ezekiel Elliott, but there is no true fullback on the current roster, making Lovett a good option should he make the 53-man roster.
The Cowboys are doing their due diligence, as are the rest of the 31 teams in the NFL. The UFL had its first inaugural season, leading many former NFL players to suit up in hopes of returning to the NFL.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Dallas, TX
Irving-native Odyssey Sims returns to Dallas Wings on hardship contract
Veteran guard Odyssey Sims signed a hardship contract with the Dallas Wings, the team announced Tuesday.
A hardship exception is a replacement contract eligible to any team with two players out due to injury, illness, or other conditions. Sims replaces Morgan Bertsch, who previously signed following forward Maddy Siegrist’s injury last week (finger) but was released on Monday.
The Irving-native rejoins her hometown team, as the Wings look to breathe new life into their losing season. Sims, 31, played for the Wings in three previous stints, including when the team was formerly in Tulsa.
Dallas sits at the bottom of the league on an 11-game losing streak, without a win since May 26.
Sims played 28 games with the Wings last season. She joined the team via a hardship exception, before signing a rest-of-season contract on June 28, 2023. She averaged 12.0 minutes, 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.
She began playing in Dallas in 2016 after the Tulsa Shock moved their franchise and became the Wings at the end of 2015. She appeared in 34 games, averaging 14 points and nearly four assists.
The 5-8 guard brings a decorated 11-year professional career to the losing team.
Since being drafted second overall in the 2014 WNBA draft, Sims has averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. She was a member of the 2014 All-Rookie team while on the Tulsa Shock, was named a 2019 All-Star and made All-WNBA Second Team while on the Minnesota Lynx.
She also brings much-needed winning experience in her home state.
At Irving MacArthur, Sims led her team to the state semifinals her senior year. She was rated the top point guard in the class of 2010 and had her jersey retired. At Baylor, she was a member of the 2012 national championship team, finishing the season with a perfect 40-0 record.
The veteran was also a part of the Los Angeles Sparks’ 2017 and the Connecticut Sun’s 2022 WNBA finalist teams.
Sims will make her debut on Thursday, as the Wings look to reverse their luck against Minnesota.
Find more WNBA coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Dallas, TX
How bad is traffic in Dallas? One study says its only getting worse
![How bad is traffic in Dallas? One study says its only getting worse](https://dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DK5FJ6YOHVB4NNSIHQ26UPJFIY.jpg?auth=c5cd8bd82000f50cec96d5cace35b6cc35e5756fdc3ea3122d7c0e50e0445ad5&height=467&width=830&smart=true&quality=40)
Dallas roads are getting more congested, according to a new traffic study.
Transportation data and analytics company INRIX studied hundreds of cities around the world and found that post-COVID, traffic patterns are still adjusting, with a new midday rush hour and different peak travel times.
Traffic in Dallas has increased 12% compared to before the pandemic, according to the company’s 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard. The report ranked Dallas as the 17th most congested city in the country.
Long-distance commuting has surged across the country after the pandemic, according to a study by Stanford University researchers. On average, people who work in Dallas have added 35 miles per trip to their commutes. “Super commuting” more than 75 miles to work has increased 29% post-pandemic, the study found.
Bob Pishue, the traffic scorecard’s author and a transportation data analyst at INRIX, said Dallas doesn’t have as much traffic as other large metros, despite its large size. Toll roads and public-private partnerships give the city more ways to address transportation issues to alleviate traffic.
“Texas is always looking at interesting ways to finance and deliver infrastructure, and that is not that common in other states or areas,” Pishue said. “Dallas isn’t afraid to build.”
While the city isn’t at the top of the country’s most congested cities, Dallas drivers still face busy roads every day.
“If you’re sitting in it, it sucks,” Pishue said. “[But] for its size, it does pretty well in terms of traffic congestion and delay.”
The average driver in Dallas lost 38 hours due to congestion in 2023, a six-hour increase from 2022, costing $658 in wasted time. This was slightly below the national average of 42 hours. The value of time lost in traffic was based on the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s 2016 guidance, which puts one hour in traffic at $17.45 after adjusting for inflation. The value takes into account a population’s average hourly income, demographics, mode of transportation, purpose of travel, distance and other factors.
Dallas’ US-80 Eastbound from I-635 to FM 548 in Forney was the 11th most congested corridor in the country, with drivers losing 66 hours due to traffic on that corridor alone. Its peak congestion is reported around 5 p.m., the study found. The Texas Department of Transportation is in the process of expanding that route from two to three lanes in each direction as the Kaufman County city ranks among the fastest growing in the country.
I-30 Westbound from St. Francis Avenue to I-345 is the city’s second busiest corridor, with an average delay of 34 hours annually for Dallas drivers. Third was North Walton Walker Blvd.
The company has published an annual report on traffic patterns for more than 15 years. The scorecard looks at nearly 1,000 cities across 37 countries to see how traffic is changing and uses anonymized data from trucking fleets, delivery vehicles, passenger vehicles, mobile apps and more.
The pandemic changed traffic patterns, but congestion is ramping back up as people return to offices. Still, Pishue sees a “new normal” on the roads. Dallas is one of many American cities experiencing a new mid-day traffic rush as work schedules are more flexible and many people work from home.
INRIX found a 23% increase in mid-day trips in the U.S. compared to before the pandemic. Almost as many trips are made nationwide at noon as at 5 p.m., the report said. Work hours and changes to the traditional workday have also affected traffic patterns. Across the country, the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each saw a higher volume of trips than 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Another change has occurred in downtown trips. In Dallas, Pishue said the downtown holds only about 2% of the region’s jobs, and the pandemic deemphasized, to different degrees, downtown areas across the country as economic centers. But in 2023, the city’s downtown trip volume was up 3% and the average speed for drivers downtown was 16 mph.
The scorecard put New York City as the most congested city in the world, followed by Mexico City and London. According to the report, traffic congestion shows economic growth but also means lost time and money for commuters.
The report helps cities identify problems in transportation systems and address issues relating to traffic patterns, Pishue said.
“Those that do it best, at least right now, are looking at these post-COVID travel patterns and adjusting,” Pishue said. “That’s what it’s about, is being able to adjust more frequently.”
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