Related
Dallas, TX
South Dallas’ proposed ‘Winners Tower’ loses at city planning hearing
A proposed 25-story high rise in South Dallas was denied by the city planning commission Thursday, a significant roadblock for the project.
Winners Tower, at 1709 Martin Luther King Blvd on the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd and Colonial Avenue, is planned to include a hotel, condos, retail and parking. The project was proposed by Raphael Adebayo, the pastor at Winners Assembly Christian Church and the property’s current owner.
The sign of Winners Plaza is seen past Dallas Pastor Raphael Adebayo as he gives a tour of the complex, on Thursday, July 3, 2025 in Dallas. He is after the zoning commission for permission to redevelop his church into a 25-story luxury tower with a 150-160 room hotel, 60 condos and ground floor retail.
Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer
The tower needs a significant zoning change to the land parcel, which includes the church and surrounding retail strip, to move forward.
The commission heard public comment, including from associates of Adebayo, but they ultimately passed a motion to deny the zoning change request with prejudice.
The tower’s proponents voiced support for what they perceived as a radical new vision for the underserved South Dallas community. They cited job creation and innovation as reasons for the board to approve the project.
“When we talk about the revitalization of the South Dallas community, we wanna do things from ground up,” said Christopher Walker, the community engagement manager of Abounding Propserity, a non-profit that is currently a tenant of the land in question.
“As a tenant, and as someone who’s seen the spirit of Winners Assembly by being connected to Pastor Raphael and the staff, I’ve seen their passion and the purity they have to create these opportunities for those folks of this area,” he continued.
“This is an opportunity to create something new, to be innovative, and to create something different that’s needed.”
The two available renderings of Winners Tower, which is the 25-story high-rise being proposed at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Colonial Avenue.
Winners Development Corporation
However, board member Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan, who initially motioned to deny the proposal, cited a lack of community engagement from the applicants. She challenged the idea the project was actually for South Dallas residents.
“There are services that you offer that are beneficial to the community. But this project does not serve this community. This project serves other communities,” Wheeler-Reagan said during the hearing.
Concerns were raised about the height of the building, the price of the condos inside and how it fit in — or didn’t — with the historic character of the neighborhood.
“I cannot support this proposal, not because I’m not against growth, but because I believe growth must be rooted in respect, accountability and community,” according to board member Darrell Herbert, who seconded the motion.
“This structure is out of scale and out of step with the neighborhood’s historic character. It threatens to overshadow, not just physically, but symbolically, the homes, families and culture that define South Dallas,” he continued.
The initial plan for the project was 25 stories, but the applicants were willing to bring it down to 15 to quell concerns over the height of the building. City staff recommended granting a zoning change that would have allowed a multi-use project to move forward but that limited the tower to about five stories.
The applicants cited a 13-story apartment building less than a half-mile away as precedent for approving such a project, but Winners Tower would be a first-of-its-kind undertaking in the surrounding area because of its size and scoop.
Still, the applicants argued that it was in line with certain plans for the area.
“The proposed height will not be out of character with the evolving skyline of the area and will create a visual gateway to the MLK corridor,” said Esther Adebayo, daughter of Raphael Adebayo, and a representative of the project at the hearing.
“We believe that this project supports multiple goals of the South Dallas Fair Park Economic Development Plan [of] 2001 and the Forward Dallas comprehensive plan,” she added.
The proposal has an estimated cost of around $250 million, and Adebayo has previously announced his plans to get funding partly from EB-5 visa holders, who must invest a minimum of $800,000 in the U.S. and create 10 jobs. He has been buying up land since 2007, and Winners Assembly opened 21 years ago.
At the hearing, Adebayo and others tied to him said that several retailers and prospective tenants were already on board with the project.
Related
Adebayo spoke at the hearing, but could not be reached for additional comment following the denial.
The applicants can still appeal, including an appeal to City Council. The Council would need a three-fourths supermajority to overturn the planning commission’s denial and approve the rezoning.
Despite heightened security around World Cup matches at Dallas Stadium, Arlington police say eight people have now been arrested for attempting to enter games without tickets.
The latest arrests occurred Saturday during the Argentina vs. Jordan match. NBC 5 Investigates found similar incidents have happened multiple times during the tournament.
Police said all eight people arrested have been charged with criminal trespass.
On Saturday, Arlington police arrested 32-year-old New Zealand national Catalina Gambadoro, 26-year-old Argentine national Alejo Melgar and 18-year-old Kareem Kakour, who has an Indiana address.
According to police, the three were apprehended quickly and did not make it inside the stadium. However, police said at least four people arrested this month were able to gain access to the venue before being caught.
NBC 5 Investigates obtained police reports detailing arrests made on June 22 during the Argentina vs. Austria match.
According to the reports:
• Gerardo Nielsen, 46, of Cordoba, Spain, and Juan Ignacio Campoamor, 35, of Hollywood, Florida, unlawfully entered AT&T Stadium property without effective consent. Police said both had noticed that entry without a ticket was prohibited and pushed through a hole in a fence to gain access.
• Leandro Ayala, 46, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, allegedly jumped a fence to gain access to AT&T Stadium without purchasing a ticket. Police said he entered the property without the owner’s effective consent despite notice that entry without a ticket was prohibited.
• Federico Llach, 45, of Plano, allegedly crossed ticketed barriers and trespassed into AT&T Stadium.
Earlier in the tournament, on June 14, police arrested Ryan King, 39, during the Japan vs. Netherlands match. According to a police report, King attempted to climb a security fence and enter the stadium before it opened to the public.
Officers quickly located and arrested him. The report states that officers determined he intended to watch the match without purchasing a ticket.
Security measures at the stadium include vehicle barriers, metal fencing around the perimeter, and a heavy police presence at entry checkpoints.
After the initial arrests, Arlington police said they were reviewing security procedures. It remains unclear whether any security changes have been implemented following the additional arrests.
Watch Live: Coverage of the Norway vs. Ivory Coast World Cup match
Norway’s Erling Haaland making a name for himself
FOX 4’s Tisia Muzinga has her own fans
Ivory Coast fans known for spreading joy
Norway loads team bus, heads to Dallas Stadium
Today’s World Cup match is an elimination match
Ivory Coast bus is on the move
Match day forecast calls for triple-digit heat index
Dallas, TX
Preston Hollow residents oppose proposed $800 million mixed-use development in Dallas, survey reveals
It’s called a blue card survey. But some residents in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas believe it could be their ace in the hole and their fight against the proposed development.
The 2019 tornado left a trail of destruction in North Dallas, including Victor Toledo’s home. He said been able to rebuild along with others in his neighborhood.
But he says one area is still an eyesore.
“It’s become a very desirable neighborhood, other than that one corner, that one corner is still stuck six years ago with the old office buildings,” said Toledo.
That “one corner” he’s referring to is the southwest side of Preston Road in Royal Lane.
It’s where developers want to build an $800 million 19-story resort hotel, apartment building, and mixed-use development.
There are signs all around Preston Hollow opposing the project.
A recently completed survey of residences within 500 yards of it reveals just how strong the opposition is.
City of Dallas survey:
- 258 opposed
- 7 in favor
- 18 no response
Margaret Chabris hopes the city’s planning and zoning commission, which meets again on Aug. 6, will take the results of the survey seriously.
“It does have an impact because this is what the city wanted to know, and this is the chance that residents and property owners right here can voice their opinion; it should have a considerable impact.”
But some residents, like Toledo, believe the benefits of the development outweigh concerns about traffic and construction.
“It’ll be great for the neighborhood to have that kind of amenity,” Toledo said. “To have hotel options, new restaurants. Now it’s a vacant old building that wasn’t being used much.”
-
Los Angeles, Ca1 hour agoLos Angeles County man convicted of sex trafficking, abusing woman he was dating
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoDetroit Tigers tee off on New York Yankees with 5 homers in win
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoPopular brewery shutters San Francisco location amid industry woes
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoEight arrested after repeated attempts to enter World Cup matches without tickets
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoReports: Heat add potent bench scorer in Tim Hardaway Jr.
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoBoston Pops gearing up for major July 4th celebration: ‘You only turn 250 once’ – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoColorado wildfires destroy more than 100 structures, force more evacuations
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoWill Katie Wilson’s endorsements help or hurt Seattle’s position in Olympia?
