A LOOK AT THE $300 MILLION FAIR PARK RENOVATIONS COMING IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS Thanks to the passing of Prop A in November, @fairparkdallas is going to look completely different in several years. And we are showing off the renderings and telling you a bit about what to expect! ABOUT THE FAIR PARK FIRST The non profit is called Fair Park First, which oversees the revitalization and redevelopment of the 277 acres of historic land. It’s an expansive project to “re-establish Fair Park as one of Dallas’ premiere venues accessible and enjoyed by all” with ground breaking in November of 2023. PROP A Plans have been in development for years now, but with the passing of Prop A, the dream is now becoming a reality. Fair Park First will receive about $300 million through an increased hotel occupancy tax from 13% to 15%. RENOVATIONS The funds will completely transfer Fair Park, with several projects that include: • a new community park with free ongoing programming (this is privately funded and not associated with Prop A) • an overhaul of the Cotton Bowl to compete with other major stadiums in the state • restoration of icon and historic buildings • establishing Fair Park as a venue for major events • renovations of the coliseum, band shell, Music Hall, the Automobile Building and Centennial Hall. WHAT IT MEANS FOR SOUTH DALLAS There is a lot of troublesome history with Fair Park and South Dallas and its African American residents. And there are questions about how these renovations will help South Dallas (see @dallasnews for articles that dive into this), but the Plan promises to create new job opportunities for South Dallas residents, provide them with a new neighborhood park, offer youth internship opportunities and work closely with the community to give back. FAIR PARK FUN FACTS • It’s the largest concentration of Art Deco exposition buildings in the world. • It’s the only intact and unaltered pre-1950’s world fair site in the US. • Fair Park hosted the world fair in 1936 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Texas Republic. So what do y’all think? Tell us in the comments!