•  Privatizing the Dallas Convention Center May Happen Soon. The Dallas City Council is expected to vote on the issue sometime in August or September. Dallas City Manager TC Broadnax proposed privatizing the Center to achieve greater operating efficiencies and coordination over meetings and events held at the center. HANTX has supported the proposal.

• Airbnb Regulation Under Review in Arlington and Irving: Arlington and perhaps Irving are looking at implementing local regulations of Airbnb operations as citizen complaints related to noise and neighborhood disruptions have increased in both cities. HANTX is tracking the issue in both cities.

• City of Dallas to Look at Placing Solid Waste Recycling Regulations on Hotels. The Dallas City Council approved new solid waste recycling regulations on apartments earlier this year. They take effect in 2020. As part of that approval, the Council asked City sanitation staff to review whether new regulations should also be place on hotels and commercial properties in Dallas. That review is expected to occur during the last half of this year, with a report to Council expected sometime in early 2019. The hotel association has participated the last few years on a City of Dallas solid waste recycling task force promoting current voluntary solid waste recycling done at hotel properties.

• City of Irving undertaking hotel tax audit. The city is in the process of auditing local hotels on hotel taxes.

• Irving Entertainment District/Convention Center Hotel.  The Toyota Music Factory along with numerous restaurants opened as part of the Irving Entertainment District earlier this year to good reviews. The Convention Center Hotel should open in early 2019.

• Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District Making an Impact. The DTPID continues to perform above expectations in bringing more overnight visitors to Dallas. According to recent studies, hotel occupancy in Dallas has increased almost ten percent -- and is now averaging close to 70 percent -- since the DTPID became operational in 2012. The success of the DTPID has led Arlington and Fort Worth to begin the process to establish tourism public improvement districts in those cities.

• Zoning Overlay Ordinance Related to Noise in Uptown Dallas Goes Nowhere. The Dallas Planning Commission and a Dallas City Council Committee both voted against moving forward to place a noise special use permit zone over Uptown to address noise issues in the area. Although directed at the Uptown area, as proposed the ordinance could also have been used in other parts of the city. HANTX raised concerns about the practicality of the proposal during the months long review of the idea. 

• Elections Coming in November. State and national races will be on the November 6 ballot. Business organizations across Texas and North Texas have been urging employers to become more active in encouraging employees to become more informed on issues and register and vote. If you would like more information on this effort, please contact Association offices.