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THIS.ALL RIGHT, SO GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER OF THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCE DOWNTOWN FOREST JUPITER BOARD OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS.
TODAY IS, UM, JULY 29, UH, 29, YES, 29, 2026, AND THE TIME IS 4:36 PM.
THE MEETING IS BEING HELD IN THE WORK SESSION ROOM AT CITY HALL, WILLIAM E.
DOLLAR MUNICIPAL BUILDING 200 NORTH 5TH STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH ITEM ONE ON THE AGENDA, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
IF YOU WANNA TAKE A MINUTE TO LOOK OVER THOSE.
AND THE MINUTES IS THE FREE PAGE THAT I HANDED OUT.
I'LL, UM, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UM, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR REVISIONS TO THE MINUTES? ANYONE? OKAY.
IF THERE ARE NO CORRECTIONS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PERSONS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA ARE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? NOBODY? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR, UM, ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU TIF BOARD MEMBERS FOR COMING IN ON THIS HOT DAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION TO THE DOWNTOWN TIF BOARD.
UM, I'LL RUN THROUGH OUR USUAL, UH, MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES, REVITALIZATION PROGRAM, ENHANCED SQUARE PROGRAMMING, PUBLIC ART, AND TIF1 AREA IMPROVEMENTS.
SO TO COMMENCE OUR MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES, UM, THIS IS THE BUCKET OF MONEY THAT GOES OVER PERSONNEL, UM, THAT INCLUDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'LL ADDRESS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE, THE GREAT PERKS OF BEING A, UH, TEXAS DOWNTOWNER IS BEING PART OF THE TEXAS DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION, WHICH HAS FOUR REGIONAL ROUND TABLES THROUGHOUT TEXAS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ALSO THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
UM, OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS, WE ATTENDED TWO REGIONAL ROUND TABLES, ONE BEING IN GEORGETOWN, TEXAS.
UM, THIS YEAR GEORGETOWN, OR IN 2025, GEORGETOWN, TEXAS WON BEST DOWNTOWN IN TEXAS.
UM, SO IT WAS VERY, UH, ENLIGHTENING TO GO SEE THEIR DOWNTOWN.
VERY INSPIRING TO SEE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT GOT THEIR RECOGNITION FOR THAT.
UM, THEY HAD A GREAT WALKING TOURS.
UH, WE DID LOTS OF INTERACTIVE, UH, SESSIONS.
WE BROKE DOWN AND TALKED ABOUT DUMPSTERS AND LIGHT FIXTURES AND EVENT PLANNING.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PARKING GARAGE PROJECT THAT'S VERY MODERN PARKING GARAGE WITH A MURAL ON THE SIDE.
UM, IT ALSO HAS COUNTERS ON THE OUTSIDE, TELLS YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY SPOTS ARE LEFT IN THERE.
SO A LOT OF GREAT INSPIRATIONAL PROJECTS TO LOOK AT.
UM, THEY DID A GREAT JOB OF INCORPORATING HISTORY INTO THEIR SIGNAGE.
THEY HAVE LOTS OF, UM, RED POPPIES AS THEIR CITY FLOWER, AND THEY'VE GOT IT ALL OVER THEIR DOWNTOWN.
WE LISTENED TO SESSIONS OF THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THE STORES IN THEIR DOWNTOWN ARE SELLING THE SAME PRODUCTS.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIVERSITY IN THEIR DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY INSPIRING SESSION TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, GEORGETOWN AND THEIR SUCCESSES.
UM, ALSO THIS YEAR, LISA WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE PLACEMAKING CONFERENCE HOSTED BY PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES.
UM, THIS IS NOT AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
IT'S ACTUALLY SOMEWHAT SPORADIC.
UM, SO WHENEVER WE DO GET THE CHANCE, WE LIKE TO SEND MEMBERS.
UM, BUT IT'S A CONFERENCE ALL BASED ON MAKING PLACES MORE INVITING AND ACTIVE.
UM, LISA S- SAT IN ON SOME REALLY FUN SESSIONS ABOUT TRANSFORMING THE DOWNTOWN, UM, ACTIVATION FLOP WHERE THEY HAD DIFFERENT, UM, CHARRETTES AND THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT FAILED IN AN EVENT AND WHAT DID NOT AND HOW TO MAKE EVENTS MORE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, ALSO DESIGNING EVENTS FOR EVERYONE AND LETTING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES INTO PLACEMAKING.
UM, SO AS THE EVENT COORDINATOR, THIS IS A GREAT, UH, CONFERENCE
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FOR HER TO GO TO AND GAIN FROM, UH, PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD THAT ARE HOSTING EVENTS IN SIMILAR CAPACITY.UM, I AL - I JUST WENT TO ALPINE.
UM, ALPINE, TEXAS IS RIGHT OUTSIDE OF BIG BEND.
UM, THEIR SESSION TALKED ABOUT A REGIONAL TOURISM DRAWS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS.
UM, ALPINE IS A CITY OF 7,000 PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE OVER 50 MURALS IN THEIR DOWNTOWN, UM, BY PARTNERING WITH A LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATION AND, UH, THE COLLEGE NEARBY.
THEY ALSO HAVE A, A SERIES OF MOSAIC LIGHT POLES, WHICH WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL, UM, AND ALL HAD A VERY WEST TEXAS FLARE TO IT.
SO IT FELT LIKE YOU WERE IN TEXACO, UM, KIND OF HALF MEXICO, HALF TEXAS.
UM, SO THESE, THESE SESSIONS ARE ALWAYS, UM, INVIGORATING, INSPIRING, AND WE ALWAYS COME BACK WITH A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT WE BUILD OFF OF.
UM, SO WITH THIS, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO, UM, AND DIVE INTO THE ARTS EVEN FURTHER HERE IN GARLAND.
UM, THIS, UH, THE MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES BUCKET IS ALSO USED FOR OUR MARKETING CAPACITY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A BILLBOARD ON FOREST LANE CURRENTLY AT STATE STREET.
UM, IT'S JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE POLICE STATION ON FOREST LANE.
UM, WE HAVE THIS BILLBOARD THROUGH THE END OF 2026.
WE'VE, UH, CHANGED IT OUT ABOUT EVERY SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS.
UM, THE MOST RECENTLY, IT HAD SOMETHING REGARDING RED, WHITE & YOU.
IT HAS JUST BEEN CHANGED TO BE A PICTURE OF THE SPLASH PAD ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, AND WE HAVE DESIGNS PLANNED THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCAL GARLAND RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT DOWNTOWN GARLAND AND THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE.
UM, WE DON'T WANNA HOST EVENTS FOR ONLY OUTSIDERS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR LOCALS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO MARKETING, ANOTHER PORTION OF OUR MARKETING EXPENSE IS, UM, WITH META AND SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.
UM, W - THIS LAST QUARTER HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT SLOWER THAN TYPICAL BECAUSE WE DID LOSE OUR COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST.
UM, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH VISIT GARLAND TO COVER OUR MEDIA.
UM, BUT WE HAVE SEEN, UM, SINCE OUR MERGER WITH THE GARLAND DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION TO MERGE THE DOWNTOWN GARLAND PAGE, WE HAVE SEEN GROWTH IN THE PAGE OVERALL.
UM, OVER THE LAST 90 DAYS, WE HAVE OVER 700,000 VIEWS IN OUR, UH, INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, UM, AS COMPARED TO THE 90 DAYS PREVIOUS TO THAT WAS 495,000.
SO WE DID HAVE A JUMP IN THAT.
UM, WE'VE REACHED, WE REACHED 22,000, UH, DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS AND ABOUT HALF OF THE VIEWERS THAT WE REACHED WERE ALREADY FOLLOWERS AND ABOUT HALF WERE NEW OR NON-FOLLOWERS.
UM, SIMILAR TO FACEBOOK, UM, WE REACHED 71,000 ACCOUNTS.
UM, THE GREATEST INTERACTION IS COMING FROM MULTI-POST PHOTOS, AND WE PRETTY OBVIOUSLY DO NOT NE- NEED TO BE DOING VIDEOS OVER ONE MINUTE SINCE WE ONLY HAD 10 VIEWS OF THOSE VIDEOS.
UM, SO THIS, THIS DATA IS REALLY GREAT IN HOW WE PLAN OUR MARKETING AND, UM, OUTREACH MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THE MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES BUCKET OF OUR BUDGET ALSO COVERS OUR PROMOTIONAL ITEMS. UM, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE GIVE AWAY AT EVENTS OR, UM, PROMOTIONAL HAPPENINGS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT DOWNTOWN GARLAND AFTER THE EVENT IS OVER.
UM, THESE RANGE IN A VARIETY OF THINGS, UM, STICKERS, FANS, THE COOLING TOWELS HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR AT OUR SUMMER EVENTS.
UM, WE EVEN DUNK THEM IN THE WATER AT THE TABLE AND HAND THEM TO THEM WET SO THEY CAN A- ACTIVELY PUT THEM ON RIGHT AWAY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO RECENTLY GOTTEN INTO PINS, UM, WHICH HAS BECOME QUITE A TREND HERE IN GARLAND.
UM, WE HAVE PINS THAT PEOPLE CAN COLLECT THROUGH DIFFERENT EVENTS, AND THEN, UH, COMING UP, WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR FALL CRAWL EVENT WHERE WE WILL HAVE A F - AN EVENT WHERE YOU CAN COLLECT UP TO 14 PINS AT ONE EVENT.
SO IF PIN NERDS COME TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, THIS, THIS, UH, MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES ALSO COVERS THE BUCKET OF MONEY THAT FUNDS THE DOWNTOWN LOGO SIGN, WHICH WE'LL BE BRINGING TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND IN OCTOBER 2026.
UM, THIS SIGN WILL BE EIGHT FOOT BY 12 FOOT AND IT'LL BE 3D SO PEOPLE CAN CLIMB AND INTERACT WITH IT.
SO THE FIRST PIECE SAYS GARLAND AND THEN SETBACK THREE FEET WILL BE THE PORTION THAT SAYS DOWNTOWN AND THE FRAME.
IT'S DESIGNED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN INTERACT WITH IT, CRAWL INTO IT, BE IN THE CENTER OF DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND THEN ALSO THIS LITTLE, THE TINY TRIANGLE OVER THE N AND THE D IS, UM, A NICE SMOOTH SERVICE THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY APPLY VINYL STICKERS OR SUCH AND CHANGE THINGS OUT SEASONALLY.
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UM, MAYBE PUT, UM, ST.PATRICK'S DAY CLOVERS ON IT AND CHANGE IT OUT AND NOT CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE SIGN.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BRING THE DOWNTOWN LOGO SIGN TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE FOR MANAGED DISTRICT SERVICES.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION, NANCY.
WHERE'S THIS SIGN GONNA BE LOCATED? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS PROPOSED.
UM, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON, UH, MANAGEMENT TO APPROVE THE CURRENT LOCATION.
UM, ONE OF THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS IS ON THE SQUARE ITSELF.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, 5TH AND WALNUT TO TRY TO ACTIVATE THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, THE SIGN IS DESIGNED TO BE MOBILE OR PERMANENT, UM, SO WE CAN PULL IT OUT FOR EVENTS, MOVE IT AROUND IN THE STREET WHEN THE STREETS ARE CLOSED, AND THEN WE CAN GO, UM, AND ATTACH IT BACK TO A CERTAIN LOCATION.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF A FLEXIBLE SIGN.
UM, SO AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE PLANNING TO USE IT DURING EVENTS AND THEN, UM, ONCE WE DETERMINE THE PERFECT LOCATION, WE'LL INSTALL IT PERMANENTLY.
ARE, SO ARE WE GOING TO GET ANOTHER COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST? YES, WE ARE.
WE JUST EXTENDED AN OFFER TODAY AND SHE WAS HIRED OR SHE ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
UM, SO BY THE NEXT MEETING WE WILL HAVE MS. ANNE MURAGHI BE OUR NEW DOWNTOWN COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM B, THE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.
AND NANCY'S GONNA BRIEF US ON THAT.
WELL, THE, UM, DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2019.
UM, WE'VE HAD 14 PROJECTS COMPLETED IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
UM, PROPERTY OWNERS OR TENANTS CAN APPLY.
IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE FACADE, INTERIOR, EXTERIOR, SIGNAGE AND AWNING REPAIRS.
UM, AND IT IS RE - A REVIEW BOARD THAT, UH, LOOKS AT EACH APPLICATION AND, UM, SCORES.
AND THAT IS CONCLUDED OF FOUR STAFF MEMBERS, PLANNING, BUILDING INSPECTIONS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN OUR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION CONSULTANT IS A, UM, OUTSIDE CONSULTANT THAT'S HIRED BY THE CITY.
UH, WE MEET THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
UM, THE PROGRAM WAS, UH, THE CI - DOWNTOWN GARLAND WAS REGISTERED AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IN 2017.
AND SO IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND DESIGNATIONS, UM, WE IMPLEMENTED RESOLUTION 10358 TO ESTABLISH THE FACADE PROGRAM, SO EXTERIOR ONLY REPAIRS.
UM, IN 2019, THE PROGRAM OPENED.
2020, THE FIRST PROJECT WAS COMPLETED.
AND THEN AFTER, UM, TWO YEARS OF RUNNING IN 2021, THEY REALIZED THAT REALLY TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND TO, UM, BRING PROPERTIES UP TO STANDARD THAT WE NEED, UM, WE HAD TO INCLUDE INTERIOR INTO THE PROJECT.
SO RESOLUTION 10468 WAS ESTABLISHED TO MODIFY THE FACADE PROGRAM AND MAKE IT AN INTERIOR PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, IN 2024, THE TIF WAS EXTENDED THROUGH 2020, 2044, WHICH IS THE FUNDING MECHANISM, UM, OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING IN APRIL, UM, WE BROUGHT SOME PROPOSED CHANGES HERE TO THE BOARD, UH, WHICH YOU GUYS WERE ALL IN SUPPORT OF.
UM, SO WE TOOK THAT TO COUNCIL ON JUNE 15TH.
WE WENT TO WORK SESSION AND PRESENTED, UM, DISCUSSED WITH COUNCIL THE CHANGES.
UM, THERE WAS ONE ITEM THEY WANTED US TO REMOVE.
SO THEY DID APPROVE, UM, 150,000 REIMBURSEMENT CAP TO THE PROGRAM.
UM, THEY ALSO APPROVED THAT PROJECTS WILL REQUIRE 25% OF THE WORK TO BE ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
UM, THE ONLY ELEMENT THEY WERE NOT IN SUPPORT OF WAS, UM, ALLOWING NONPROFITS TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, THEY SAID THAT AT THIS TIME WE NEED TO FINISH OUR BUILDINGS AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE EXTRA BANDWIDTH, WE CAN ADD THAT INTO THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT SO JULY 21, LAST WEEK, WE WENT TO COUNCIL AND THEY ADOPTED A NEW RESOLUTION, UM, TO MODIFY THE GRANT PROGRAM WITH A CAP OF 150,000 AND REQUIRE 25% TO BE ON THE EXTERIOR.
AND IF A BUSINESS NEEDS FURTHER FUNDING THAN THAT, IF THEY HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S OVER 300,000, THERE'S ALWAYS OTHER FUNDING MECHANISMS AVAILABLE THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT WE REALLY WANT TO BRING TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND AND WE NEED THAT, UM, BIGGER BUCKET.
UM, BUT FOR THIS PROGRAM, THIS IS, UM, 150,000 IS, UM, VERY SUITABLE.
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WE'VE COMPLETED, 13 OF THOSE WERE WITHIN THIS, UM, CAP.SO 2026, WE HAVE TWO PENDING PROJECTS.
UM, LOLA'S TAPA'S JUST OPENED FOR BUSINESS IN JUNE.
UM, SO THEY STILL HAVE TO SUBMIT ALL THEIR REIMBURSEMENT PAPERWORK TO CLOSE OUT THEIR PROJECT.
AND THEN WE DID JUST APPROVE IN JUNE OF 20...
I'M SORRY, IN MAY OF 2026, UM, OLLIE'S PLAYHOUSE.
UM, IT IS GONNA BE LOCATED AT 605 WEST STATE STREET, WHICH IS, UM, ADJACENT TO, UH, TAVERN ON THE SQUARE IN BETWEEN, UM, INGLESIA CRISTIANO DE FE, THE CHURCH AND TAVERN ON THE SQUARE.
IT WILL BE AN INDOOR PLAYGROUND.
UM, THEY ALSO DO BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND, UM, MOMMY AND ME TYPE EVENTS WHERE THEY HAVE PEOPLE COME IN AND DO KIND OF, UM, MOMMY MINGLE DAYS AND MEET OTHER MOTHERS.
UM, YOU CAN'T DROP YOUR KIDS OFF.
YOU STAY WITH THE KID THE ENTIRE TIME.
THEY WILL ALSO SELL SNACKS AND DRINKS AND SUCH AND, UM, R- REALLY SERVE AS LIKE A HOSPICE PLACE FOR, UM, I'M SORRY, NOT HOSPICE, BUT A, UM, NICE CONVENIENT PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO COME OUT OF THE SUN OR SHA - OR WEATHER AND, UM, HANG OUT IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LOLA'S TAPAS.
THEY OPENED, UM, IN LATE JUNE 2026.
UM, THE MENU IS INSPIRED FROM, UH, SPANISH TAPAS FROM SPAIN.
THEY SERVE BREAKFAST, UH, LUNCH, DINNER.
THEY HAVE AN ESPRESSO MACHINE IN THERE.
UM, THEY, I, THEY JUST GOT THEIR TABC PERMIT YESTERDAY, SO I'M SORRY THIS STILL SAYS BYOB, BUT IT'S NO LONGER BYOB.
THEY NOW HAVE THEIR TABC PERMIT.
UM, THEY'RE OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AND EVERY FRIDAY EVENING THEY DO A LIVE PERFORMANCE OF SOME SORT, WHETHER IT'S, UH, FLAMINGO DANCING OR SPANISH GUITAR.
SO IT'S A, A VERY LIVELY, BEAUTIFUL PLACE, UM, AND THE RENOVATION JUST CAME OUT SO AMAZING.
IT WAS, UM, BEFORE CRUMBLY CONCRETE BUILDING AND NOW IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
SO I'D ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO AND, UM, SHARE SOME TAPAS WITH SOME FRIENDS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM UPDATE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR NANCY ABOUT THAT? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM 3C, ENHANCED SQUARE PROGRAMMING, AND SHE'S GONNA PROVIDE US THE LATEST UPDATES ON THAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE HAD A BUSY, BUSY SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER SEASON.
UM, WE KICKED OFF OUR SPRING WITH YOU AIN'T HEARD NOTHING YET, WHICH IS EVERY THURSDAY IN APRIL AND MAY.
UM, WE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, WE HAD RAINY NIGHTS TO MOVE THE SHOW INDOORS, TO KEEP THE SHOW GOING ON.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH DEAD WAX AND LOCKWOOD, UM, THIS YEAR.
AND WE ALSO HAD, UH, UM, THE, THE THURSDAY CLOSEST TO CINCO DE MAYO, WE HAD A LIVE SALSA INSTRUCTOR COME OUT WITH A BAND.
AND IF YOU NOTICE THIS CUTE LITTLE COUPLE ON THE FAR RIGHT
WE ALSO HAD A, UM, A LOT OF LOCAL GARLAND ARTISTS.
UM, ROSIE AND JENNY LAMPS ARE BOTH GARLAND RESIDENTS AND, UM, WERE GREAT PERFORMERS.
SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO SHOWCASE, UH, LOCAL TALENT THAT HASN'T QUITE GOTTEN HUGE AND, UM, CAN COME TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
WE ALSO HOSTED THE ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, MAY 16TH.
UM, THIS WAS THE HIGHEST ATTENDED ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL.
UM, LAST YEAR THE EVENT HAD ABOUT 4,000 PEOPLE, AND THIS YEAR WE HAD OVER 16,000 COME OUT.
SO WE WERE BLOWN AWAY WITH THE ATTENDANCE.
UM, WE HAD UBE FEST ON THE SQUARE, ALL SORTS OF VENDORS DOING PURPLE CONCOCTIONS OF DIFFERENT SORTS.
UM, WE HAD PERFORMERS OF ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ASIAN ETHNICITIES.
UM, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, UM, REALLY SHOWCASING THE DIVERSITY OF GARLAND AND, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THAT UNIQUENESS THAT WE HAVE.
WE ALSO HOSTED THE PICKLE PARTY HERE ON, UH, THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH.
UM, THAT WAS LISA'S BRAINCHILD.
UM, IT, WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS WILL BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT.
PEOPLE WERE SO EXCITED AND PEOPLE CAME DRESSED IN COSTUME, UM, WITH THEIR PICKLE SHIRTS AND THEIR PICKLE EVERYTHING.
UM, SO EVERYONE WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE AN EVENT LIKE THIS HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
WE HAD A PICKLE MAKING CLASS, UH, VENDORS SELLING PICKLED
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GOODS, INCLUDING SOMEONE WHO HAD PICKLE FLAVORED EGG ROLLS AND MAC AND CHEESE.UM, THERE WAS A P - A STILT WALKER WALKING AROUND IN A GIANT PICKLE COSTUME THAT SAID, "I'M KIND OF A BIG DEAL."
UM, SO INTRINSIC HAD A PICKLE, UH, MARGARITA.
LOCKWOOD HAD A PICKLE, UM, MARTINI.
STATE MAINE HAD SPECIAL PICKLE BEERS IN STOCK AND REALLY KIND OF HELPED PLAY INTO THE PICKLE THEME.
WE HAD PANELS FROM THE, UH, MUSEUM TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PICKLE MAKING IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
SO IT WAS A GREAT EVENT THAT, UM, PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKING FOR US TO RECREATE.
UH, JUNETEENTH WAS HO- HOSTED ON SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH.
UM, THIS EVENT HAD RECORD ATTENDANCE AS WELL.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDED A PROCESSION.
SO THE, UM, THERE WAS A MOSAIC INSTALLED RIGHT HERE AT THE GARLAND CULTURAL ARTS CENTER ALONG THE RETAINING WALL ON 5TH STREET.
UM, SO WE DID A RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE MURAL, AND THEN PEOPLE HAD A, A PROCESSION FROM THE MURAL, UH, THE MOSAIC TO DOWNTOWN TO THE EVENT WITH A LIVE BAND AND UMBRELLAS.
AND IT REALLY FELT LIKE A NEW ORLEANS JAZZ PARTY, UH, WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND CELEBRATING ANOTHER, UM, DIVERSE EVENT HERE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, RED WHITE AND YOU THIS YEAR WAS JUST EXTRA SPECTACULAR.
UM, WE HAD OUR, IT WAS OUR HIGHEST ATTENDED EVENT IN HISTORY.
WE HAD OVER 26,000 PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, THE EVENT WAS FROM 5:00 TO 10:00 PM.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AT FIVE O'CLOCK, IT WAS HOT AS HECK.
AND SO PEOPLE REALLY STARTED COMING IN AROUND 6:30, 7:00.
UM, SO BETWEEN 7:00 AND 10:00 PM TO HAVE THAT MANY VISITORS IS, UH, IS FANTASTIC.
WE HAD, UM, SHUTTLES RUNNING FROM A LEVON BAPTIST, SO WE HAD ALTERNATE SATELLITE PARKING SPOTS.
SAME GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL WAS A LOCATION AND YOU COULD TAKE A SHUTTLE BUS TO GET TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE CONSIDER.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO PARK AT THE DART STATIONS, UH, FOREST OR JUST ONE DOWN THIS WAY AND TAKE ONE DART STOP IN.
IT'S JUST A BLOCK FROM THE DART STATION.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
WE HAD A, A FIREWORKS SHOW AND, UM, PROJECTIONS ONTO SOME OF THE BI - BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN, SO.
UM, THIS PAST SATURDAY, JULY 25TH, WE CELEBRATED THE DAY OF THE COWBOY AS THE COWBOY HAT CAPITAL OF TEXAS.
UM, WE THOUGH IT APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A COWBOY EVENT ON THE NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY.
UM, SO THIS YEAR WE HAD DAVID ADAM BURNS SINGING LIVE MUSIC.
THERE WAS A MECHANICAL BULL YOU COULD RIDE.
THERE WAS A ROPING STEER YOU COULD ROPE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD TINY CERAMIC HATS THAT WERE ABLE TO, UH, GUESTS COULD PAINT AND PERSONALIZE AND TAKE HOME AS A SOUVENIR.
UM, WE HAD SILHOUETTES, UM, BEING COMPLETED, A LADY HAND CUTTING PEOPLE'S SILHOUETTES ON SITE, UM, HUNTING GAMES, TARGET PRACTICE, AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT VENDORS IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO SOME OF OUR UPCOMING PROGRAMMING, WE HAVE, UH, MUSIC MADE HERE NEXT FRIDAY AT 7:00 PM.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE HEARTBURN, WHICH IS A TALKING HEADS COVER BAND.
ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, IT'S JIMMY WALLACE AND THE MIGHTY, UM, WILL BE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR URBAN MARKET PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS EVERY MONTH EXCEPT FOR JANUARY.
UM, SO IN THE MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST, THEY DO, UM, HOST A NIGHT MARKET JUST DUE TO THE HEAT.
SO IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON ATTENDING IN AUGUST, IT'LL BE AUGUST 8TH FROM 5:00 TO 10:00 PM.
AND LOOKING AHEAD, UM, TO OUR UPCOMING EVENTS, UM, WE WILL BE HOSTING A SILENT DISCO ON THE SQUARE ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH.
UM, THIS IS A REPEAT OF AN EVENT THAT WE DID OVER SPRING BREAK THAT WAS JUST, UH, RAVED ABOUT.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET, BUT GREAT IDEA.
UM, WE'RE ALSO REPEATING THE FALL CRAWL EVENT, WHICH HAPPENS DURING FALL FEST AND DURING THE GARLAND GUZZLER.
UM, SO WITH THAT, THERE'S 12 DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO BE STOPS.
YOU GO AROUND AND YOU SAMPLE, UM, THE BEVERAGES AT THE DIFFERENT STOPS AND YOU COLLECT PINS.
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AND THEN IF YOU DO ALL OF THE STOPS, YOU CAN GET ANOTHER PIN FOR THAT.AND THEN IF YOU DO THE GARLAND GUZZLER, YOU CAN DO ANO - YOU CAN GET ANOTHER PIN FOR THAT.
SO BY THE END OF THE DAY, YOU COULD HAVE A LANYARD WITH 14 PINS AND 12 SAMPLES OF BEVERAGES IN YOUR BELLY.
SO PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD.
UM, THE FALL CRAWL ITSELF WILL BE FROM 3:00 TO 6:00, AND THE FALL FEST IS FROM 5:00 TO 10:00.
AND THE FALL CRAWL WAS REALLY, UM, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, BUT ALSO A RESPONSE TO OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, WHEN THEY MENTIONED THAT WHEN WE HAVE THESE GREAT BIG EVENTS, THEY'RE BUSY ALL EVENING, BUT IN THE MORNINGS, THEY'RE KIND OF SLOW BECAUSE OF OUR LANE CLOSURES, UM, IN PREPARATION FOR EVENTS.
SO WE PUT TOGETHER THE FALL CRAWL TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME OUT A LITTLE BIT EARLY, COME LINGER BEFORE THE EVENT ACTUALLY STARTS, AND, UH, SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES, BRING ATTENTION TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR DOWNTOWN.
SO THESE CRAWLS ALLOW US TO EXPAND PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF DOWNTOWN, INVITE THEM TO WALK DOWN TO LOLA'S.
IT'S NOT THAT FAR, UM, BUT IT'S ANOTHER GREAT WAY OF GETTING PEOPLE TO, UM, OPEN UP THEIR PERCEPTION OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, ANOTHER, UH, UPCOMING EXHIBIT THAT WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HOST IS ALABRIGAS.
UM, WE ARE HAVING 12, UH, SPIRIT ANIMAL SCULPTURES MADE FROM, UM, ARTISANS IN MEXICO.
THEY'LL BE DELIVERED IN OCTOBER AND THEY WILL BE OUTSIDE ON THE, IN DOWNTOWN, UM, THROUGH MARCH.
UM, WE WILL HAVE, UH, A LATERIA CARD THAT WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND VISIT MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, SOME OF THE STOPS IN THE LATERIA CARD ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO TO AN EVENT IN THE PLAZA THEATER OR GO TO, UM, A DIFFERENT COFFEE SHOP.
UM, SO IT IS, IT'S, UH, ALMOST LIKE A BINGO CARD WHEN YOU FILL IT OUT, YOU COULD BE ENTERED TO WIN A RAFFLE CA - UH, RAFFLE BASKET.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO RAFFLE OFF SOME OF THE ART FROM THESE ALABRIAS ARTISTS.
SO WE'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLAN TO COME AND SEE THE SCULPTURES IN, UH, MANY DIFFERENT LIGHTS SINCE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THEM OCTOBER THROUGH MARCH.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITY TO BE CREATIVE AND PLAYFUL WITH THEM.
THEY WILL BE INSTALLED DURING OUR DIA DE LOS MUERTOS EVENT.
THEY WILL BE AROUND FOR CHRISTMAS AND SPRING BREAK NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN BRAINSTORMING DIFFERENT WAYS TO KIND OF DOLL UP THE DISPLAYS AND, UM, GET PEOPLE TO COME BACK OVER AND OVER.
UM, WE ALSO WILL BE HOSTING DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH.
UM, THIS WAS, UM, I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR SEVENTH YEAR, MAYBE EIGHTH YEAR, HOSTING THIS EVENT.
UM, LAST YEAR, THE ATTENDANCE WAS RECORD BREAKING AS WELL.
UM, WE HAD OVER 16,000 PEOPLE COME OUT FOR THE EVENT LAST YEAR, WHEREAS THE BOOK YEAR BEFORE THAT, IT WAS ABOUT FIVE.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A REALLY BIG TURNOUT.
UM, PART OF THE FESTIVAL, WE HAVE A KATERINE CONTEST AND, UM, PEOPLE ENTER TO DRESS UP AS, UM, THIS WOMAN IS DRESSED HERE.
AND THEN WE DO OFFER CASH PRIZES FOR THE TOP THREE.
UM, IT'S VOTING, THE CROWD IS VOTING LIVE AT THE EVENT, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO WALK PAST THEM WITH THEIR NUMBERS, AND THEN LATER YOU GO VOTE ON YOUR PHONE, AND THEN IT'S ANNOUNCED AT THE END OF THE EVENT.
UM, ALSO LIVE PERFORMANCES BY GASD STUDENTS AND DIFFERENT CULTURAL GROUPS HERE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
SO ANOTHER GREAT CULTURAL OFFERING TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIVERSITY OF GARLAND.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE ON ENHANCED SQUARE PROGRAMMING.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? HOW DID THE SQUARE AND, I GUESS, CONGESTION HOLD UP TO 26,000 PEOPLE? YEAH.
UM, WE, IT, YEAH, IT WAS A LOT.
26,000 IS A LOT OF PEOPLE, FOR SURE.
UM, THERE'S, WE DEFINITELY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A LOT OF PROPER PLANNING.
UM, SO THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED PLANNING 4TH OF JULY FOR NEXT YEAR, THE TRAFFIC MITIGATION PLANS, THE, UM, EMERGENCY RE - UH, DISASTER PREPARED PLANS, UM, AND RESPONSES IF THERE WAS ANY KIND OF AN INCIDENT.
UM, SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY THOUGHT OUT.
WE HAVE A MONTHLY MEETINGS LEADING UP TO IT AND PLANNING FOR IT.
UM, THE SQUARE OVERALL, WE HAVE CLEANING SERVICES OUT THE NIGHT OF TO BE COLLECTING TRASH.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE EXTRA PORTABLE RESTROOMS FOR THE EVENTS.
UM, BUT OVERALL, UM, THE, SOME OF THE LANDSCAPING BEDS DO GET DAMAGED DURING THESE EVENTS WITH THESE LARGE CROWDS, UH, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE...
[00:30:01]
TO, UM, REPAIR AND MEND AFTER EVENTS.IS THERE A LIMIT TO HOW MANY WE CAN HOLD?
AND SO IF YOU COME TO ONE OF OUR EVENTS, YOU USUALLY DON'T SEE VENDORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.
YOU JUST SEE THEM ON ONE TO KEEP TRAFFIC FLOWS OPEN.
UM, BUT THAT IS WHY THEY'VE, UM, ENCOURAGED US TO PROGRAM ALL OF THE STREETS IN DOWNTOWN AND NOT JUST HAVE EVERYTHING ON THE SQUARE, BUT TO EXPAND EVEN FURTHER OUT.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LIMIT IS, BUT I'M SURE WE'LL PUSH IT ONE DAY.
SO THE NEXT ITEM IS, UM, 3D PUBLIC ART.
UM, SO I BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON ALABRIAS, UM, BUT TO TELL YOU A BIT MORE ABOUT IT, UM, THESE ARE FANTASY CREATURES, UM, ROOTED IN FOLK ART TRADITIONS FROM MEXICO CITY.
THEY ORIGINATE FROM THE VISIONARY WORK OF ARTIST PEDRO LINARES, AND THEY BLEND, UH, DIFFERENT ANIMAL PIECES.
SO THE BEAR ON THE LEFT, UM, HAS WINGS.
THE TAIL IS NOT QUITE THE TAIL OF A BEAR.
THE LEGS ARE NOT QUITE BEAR LEGS.
SO THEY PIECE TOGETHER DIFFERENT PARTS OF ANIMALS AND THEN PAINT THEM VERY BEAUTIFULLY.
UM, IMAGINATIVE CREATURES THAT SYMBOLIZE DREAMS, SPIRIT GUIDES AND CREATE, AND CREATIVITY.
THEY'RE CREATED THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL PAPER ART, CARTONERIA.
IT'S, UM, HIGHLY SKILLED PAPER MACHE, A TECHNIQUE THAT'S, UH, DEEPLY ROOTED IN MEXICAN CULTURE.
UM, AND THEN THE, THESE ARE PAPER SCULPTURES, BUT THEY'RE TREATED WITH A, A LACQUER ON TOP TO MAKE THEM, UM, WEAR OUTSIDE PROOF WEARABLE.
UM, THEY DO HAVE STEEL FRAMES WITHIN THEM AND STEEL BASE PLATES THAT THEY SIT ON.
UM, SO WE WILL BE BRINGING 12 TO DOWNTOWN.
FOUR OF THEM ARE LARGE, UM, LIKE 15 TO 20 FEET TALL AND FIVE TO 10 FEET WIDE.
AND THEN EIGHT OF THEM ARE KIND OF SMALLER SCALE, LIKE HUMANS OR SOME ARE SMALLER THAN THAT.
UM, AND WE, WHEN VISITORS COME TO THE VISITOR CENTER, THEY CAN GET A LITTLE GUIDEBOOK THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE ARTISTS THAT DESIGN THEM, THE LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE IN.
UM, WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH THE LIBRARY TO HOST, UM, SOME MORE INFORMATION IN THE LIBRARY ABOUT THE SPIRIT ANIMALS.
UM, SO IF YOU WANNA DIVE INTO MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ARTIST OR THE INSPIRATION THAT THEY HAD FOR DIFFERENT PIECES, THE LIBRARY IS A GOOD STOP TO GO SEE.
UM, BUT THEY WILL BE, UM, ALL 12 OF THEM ARE RIGHT AROUND THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.
UM, SIX OF THEM ON THE SQUARE, THREE WILL BE UNDER THE BIG HAT, TWO AT CITY HALL, AND THEN ONE AT 506 ART.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE EXHIBIT IN THE LIBRARY.
SO WE INVITE YOU TO COME OUT AND SEE THE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE SHOULD MAKE PINS IN EACH ONE OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, THAT HAS BEEN A HOT DEBATE IN THE OFFICE.
AT LEAST SOME KIND OF SCAVENGER HUNT TYPE.
WELL, AND SO THE, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE LATERIA CARD, I DON'T THINK I BROUGHT A SAMPLE OF IT, UM, BUT IF YOU'VE SEEN THE TRADITIONAL LATERIA CARD, IT'D BE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT, BUT THESE ARE ALL CUSTOM GARLAND-MADE SYMBOLS.
UM, SO ON THE CARD, THERE'S ONE FOR THE PLAZA THEATER.
WHEN YOU GET THE CARD, IT WILL BE KIND OF GRAY, LIKE JUST BLACK AND WHITE PRINTED.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GO AND COMPLETE THE TASK OR THE THING, THEN YOU GET A STICKER THAT YOU PUT ON YOUR BOARD.
SO IF YOU COMPLETE THE FULL BOARD, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL, ALMOST FRAMEABLE, REALLY FRAMEABLE, UM, UNIQUE GARLAND PIECE.
SO WE'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME, UM, AND PARTICIPATE AND DO THE LATERIA CARD AND ENTER INTO THE RAFFLE PRIZE.
UM, ANOTHER ART HAPPENING HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, WE REFRESHED 506 ART THIS PAST SPRING AND, UM, ONE OF THE AREAS IN 506 JUST FELT A LITTLE STAGNANT.
WE WANTED TO ADD ANOTHER ELEMENT TO IT.
UM, SO WE WORKED WITH, UM, TRACY CLAYBROOK AND CULLEN LASSITER, AND THEY INSTALLED A KIND OF UNIQUE, FUN, UM, UH, TOUCH ON A HOPSCOTCH BOARD.
THEY'RE PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE STONES IN
[00:35:01]
WATER, AND YOU CAN JUMP FROM STONE TO STONE TO GET ACROSS THE WATER PATCH.SO JUST ANOTHER LITTLE FUN DRAW TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ENJOY 506 ART.
AND THEN THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE FLATS MOSAIC.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 20 FEET LONG AND TWO FEET TALL.
YOU REALLY NEED TO GO LOOK AT IT AND, UM, JUST SOME OF THE LITTLE DETAIL WORK THEY DID WITH, LIKE, PEOPLE'S HAIR OR THE FIELDS OR...
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S IMMACULATE.
I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AND, UM, REALLY LOOK AT IT CLOSELY.
IT IS, IT PAYS HOMAGE TO THE FLATS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH USED TO BE HERE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND, AND IS IN THE LOCATION WHERE THE CURRENT ARTS CENTER IS.
UM, SO THIS WAS INSTALLED IN, UM, MAY AND JUNE OF THIS SUMMER, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE OPENING CELEBRATION BEING AT THE KICKING OFF OF JUNETEENTH.
UM, ALSO IN FRONT OF THE MOSAIC, THERE ARE SOME, UM, SIGNAGE KIND OF EXPLAINING THE HISTORY OF IT, SOME OF THE MAPS OF THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOME OF THE HISTORIC PHOTOS.
UM, WE WERE ALSO VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME ACTUAL GARLAND RESIDENTS WHO USED TO LIVE IN THE FLATS NEIGHBORHOOD COME AND HELP PIECE TOGETHER THIS MOSAIC AND COME TO THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE INSTALL.
SO IT WAS A VERY TOUCHING MOMENT, UM, HERE IN GARLAND.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PUBLIC ART UPDATE.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR NANCY ABOUT - SO YOU SAID FOR THE ALABRIGAS, THEY'RE GONNA BE PASSING OUT LITTLE BROCHURES? YEAH.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE VISITOR CENTER, UM, YOU CAN GET A, A GUIDE.
UM, IT'LL BE LIKE A LITTLE CARD TELLING YOU THE NAMES OF THE ARTISTS, THE NAMES OF THE PIECES AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU WANNA ADD ON TO THAT, YOU CAN COMPLETE THE LATERIA CARD, WHICH IS HAPPENING DURING THE TIME OF THE ALABRIAS INSTALL.
UM, SO SOME OF THE CARDS ON THE ALABRIAS, UM, OR I'M SORRY, ON THE LATERIA CARD, UM, ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME TO DIA DE LOS MUERTOS EVENT OR TO GO SEE THE ALTARS IN THE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER OR TO GO TO THE PLAZA THEATER, REALLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO DOWNTOWN MULTIPLE TIMES.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MOSAIC.
UH, YOU PROBABLY TOLD US BEFORE, BUT WHO DID WE GET TO DO IT? OH, UM, REGINALD ADAMS. HE IS A, I BELIEVE HE'S FROM FLORIDA, UH, BUT HE'S A RENOWNED, UH, MOSAIC ARTIST, UM, WHO'S DONE SIMILAR PROJECTS TO THIS, BRINGING RECOGNITION TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS BEEN DISPLACED AND FORGOTTEN.
UM, BUT HE ALSO PERFORMED A KIND OF A RITUAL CEREMONY WITH A BELL RINGING AT THE EVENT.
AND WHAT ABOUT ANY FUTURE MOSAIC PLANS? THERE, ONLY THE TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION IS IN HERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE FOR PUBLIC ART? WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR, OUR BIG ART DAY EVENT, OR I'M SORRY, ART MADE HERE EVENT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT SOME OTHER WALLS THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE MURALED OR MOSAICKED.
UM, SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE IN THE MI - IN MIND, UM, AND SOME THINGS THAT WE'LL BE EXECUTING LATER ON THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UM, ITEM 3E, TIF1 AREA IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SO AS, AS BRIEFED ON IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE DOWNTOWN INFRASTRUCTURE IS, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY IS WELL UNDERWAY NOW.
UM, IT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN MARCH AND THEN THE FIRST, UM, KICKOFF MEETING I BELIEVE WAS LATER ON IN MAY.
UM, IT IS, IT IS GONNA BE AN 18TH MONTH LONG STUDY LOOKING AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIF1 DISTRICT AND A LITTLE BIT BEYOND.
UM, IT'S EVALUATING CAPACITY OF WATER, WASTEWATER AND STORM WATER.
UM, IT'S ALSO, UM, HELPING US UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH, UH, MORE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WE CAN HAVE IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
IF WE PUT IN, UM, A MULTIFAMILY, UH, YOU KNOW, APARTMENT COMPLEX AND EVERYBODY FLUSHED ALL AT ONE TIME, COULD WE HANDLE THAT? UM, SO IT'S JUST KIND OF EVALUATING OUR CURRENT STATUS AND THEN LOOKING AT PROJECTIONS OF WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO HOLD IT AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW TO IMPROVE IN AREAS THAT'S NEEDED.
UH, IT IS A, A ONE-TIME COST, UM, SO
[00:40:01]
WE, UH, PAY IT IN INCREMENTS OVER THE, THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.UM, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST TO GUIDE, UH, FUTURE INVESTMENTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE TIF1 DISTRICT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO MAKING HEADWAY ON OUR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
IF YOU GUYS DRIVE DOWN 66, UM, BETWEEN, UH, IS IT CENTERVILLE, I BELIEVE? YEAH.
IF YOU'VE NOTICED THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE MEDIANS, THAT'S THE FIRST OF THE CORRIDOR, UM, PROJECTS THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED.
UM, THAT ONE OFF 66 WAS ACTUALLY, UH, A GRANT FUNDED PROJECT THROUGH, UM, KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL AND THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT WE GOT WHEN WE WON OUR, UM, UH, GOVERNOR'S ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN 2024.
UM, THE NEXT ROUND OF PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED AT, UH, FOREST AND JUPITER.
AND SO WITH THAT, THE TIF DID CONTRIBUTE SINCE THAT'S WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES.
WE CONTRIBUTE $150,000 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THESE, UH, FUN EMBELLISHMENTS AND ART, UM, ARTISTIC WAYFINDING AND, UM, NAMEPLATES WITHIN DOWNTOWN, I'M SORRY, LEADING TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, IMPROVEMENTS WILL INCLUDE LANDSCAPING, HARDSCAPING, AND ARTISTIC SIGNAGE.
AND JUST TO SUM IT ALL UP, UM, WE'VE HAD JUST OVERWHELMING RESPONSES, UH, FOR BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN.
AT THE MOMENT, WE ONLY HAVE ONE BUILDING THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR RENT, AND HE'S ACTUALLY NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW, SO THEN WE WILL SOON HAVE ZERO VACANCIES IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF NEW BUSINESSES OPENING.
UH, LOLA'S TAPA'S WAS THE MOST RECENT, AND THEN WE ARE EXPECTING THE AL ICE HOUSE TO OPEN LATER THIS FALL.
UM, A SOCIAL PILATES STUDIO IS OPENING THIS WEEKEND.
AND THAT CONCLUDES, UH, TIF AREA UP IMPROVEMENTS.
FOR THE ALI PLAYHOUSE, WHEN WILL THAT OPEN? I'M SORRY? THE ALI PLAYHOUSE, WHEN WILL IT OPEN? UM, THEY HAVEN'T ANNOUNCED A DATE YET.
THEY JUST GOT THEIR, UH, THEIR FUNDING AND THEY STARTED ON CONSTRUCTION.
THEY ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION TO BE ABOUT FOUR TO SIX MONTHS.
UM, SO I THINK WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO THAT, THEY'LL ANNOUNCE, UH, A DATE.
AND THE QUESTION WOULD BE FOR ME IS, HAVE WE CONSIDERED, LIKE, A 1K OR A 5K TYPE OF WALK RUN IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND? UM, WE USED TO HOST, UH, WALKS IN DOWNTOWN, UM, BUT WE HAVE, WHENEVER GROUPS COME TO US LOOKING TO HOST EVENTS LIKE THAT IN DOWNTOWN, WE REFERENCE THEM TO OUR, OUR PARKS AND TRAILS.
UM, DOWNTOWN GARLAND IS NOT REALLY DESIGNED FOR 5KS, WHEREAS WE HAVE THESE TWO GREAT GREEN BELTS IN TOWN THAT CAN HOST, UM, THESE TYPES OF EVENTS EQ - VERY WELL.
UM, OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES ALSO, UM, WOULD PREFER THAT WE DIDN'T HOST 5KS AND EVENTS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ON THE PLANS AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE WILL, UM, NOT BE HOSTING.
'CAUSE WE'D HAVE TO BLOCK OFF.
THERE'S A LOT OF LANE CLOSURES RELATED TO IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WASTE RELATED TO IT, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HOSTS.
USUALLY IT'S A THIRD PARTY AND, UM, COUNCIL HAS VOTED TO ONLY HAVE CITY PRODUCED EVENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.
UM, SO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HOLDING OURSELVES TO THAT, UM, WE DO, WHENEVER A, A PARTY APPROACHES US ABOUT HOSTING A 5K OR A RUN OF SOME SORT, WE, UM, DIRECT THEM TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, OUR CRATE TRAIL SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WHAT, WHAT'S THE STATUS ON SOME OF THE OTHER S - I GUESS, SMALLER OR LESS, UH, PROMINENT PROPERTIES THAT WE PUT OUT RFPS FOR, UH, A WHILE BACK? AND I MEAN, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME MOVEMENT ON THE, UH, OLD FIRE STATION, OBVIOUSLY THE ALLIES HOUSE, BUT THE OTHER SMALLER PROPERTIES ON THE, LIKE - YEAH, SO IN 2023 OR TWO, MAYBE, THERE WAS AN RFP THAT INCLUDED FIVE CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES, UM, THAT WENT OUT TRYING TO GET, UH, DEVELOPERS ATTRACTED TO DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, OF THAT, UM, 519 STATE WAS BOUGHT AND WAS NOW BEING TURNED INTO, UH, THE ALLIES HOUSE.
UM, THE BOY SCOUT BUILDING OR REALLY THE GARLAND FIRE STATION ONE, UM, IS RIGHT NOW THE, UH, COUNCIL IS EVALUATING PROPOSALS.
UM, SO IN, MAYBE THAT WAS MAY,
[00:45:01]
WE BROUGHT FOUR PROPOSALS TO COUNCIL.UM, OF THAT, THEY NARROWED IT DOWN TO THEIR TOP TWO.
THOSE TWO, UM, DEVELOPERS WERE ASKED TO BRING FURTHER, UM, DETAIL TO THEIR PROPOSALS AND REALLY IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR FULL REQUEST WOULD BE FROM THE CITY AS FAR AS, AS AN INCENTIVE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT THAT ON THE AUGUST AGENDA.
UM, WE'RE NOT SURE WHICH ONE YET, BUT SOMETIME IN AUGUST, WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING THOSE TWO PROPOSALS BACK SO THAT COUNCIL CAN VOTE ON WHICH CONCEPT THEY LIKE THE BEST OR IS MOST FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
UM, THERE IS ANOTHER PARCEL THAT'S AT THE CORNER OF GLENBROOK AND AVENUE A, UM, WHICH I THINK THEY'VE BEEN ENTERTAINING SOME DISCUSSIONS, BUT NO ONE HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH ANYTHING.
AND SIMILARLY, UM, BY THE LIBRARY, THERE'S TWO PARCELS, THE WOMEN'S BUILDING AND THEN THE BUILDING RIGHT BEHIND THAT.
UM, THEY'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPERS LOOKING AT THE PARCEL.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY NEGOTIATIONS AT THIS TIME, UM, BUT THOSE PARCELS ARE STILL, UM, AVAILABLE AND WE'RE STILL SEEKING A GOOD, A GOOD PARTNER FOR THOSE.
UM, WH- WH- WHY IS IT THAT THE RFPS HAD A DEADLINE AND THEN CLOSED, AND IF WE STILL DIDN'T FIND ANYONE, WHY DON'T WE JUST KEEP THE RFP INDEFINITELY? UM, UM, THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME, SO I'M NOT SURE WHY THERE WAS A, UM, A DATE ON IT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TAKING UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS.
UM, IF DEVELOPERS DO CONTRACT, CONTACT US AND ASK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES IN GARLAND, WE ALWAYS POINT THEM TO THOSE PARCELS AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT IT.
OH, AND THERE'S ONE MORE PARCEL BEHIND FORTUNATE SUN, THAT GRASSY FIELD UP BETWEEN FI - UH, 5TH AND A, UM, WHICH WE'VE BEEN KIND OF SOMEWHAT NEGOTIATING WITH THE DEVELOPER ON THAT PARCEL AS WELL.
IS, IS THAT THE PARCEL THAT WE WERE HOPING TO TURN INTO LIKE A BOUTIQUE HOTEL OR SOMETHING? UM, UH, UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE PROPOSALS WAS A BOUTIQUE HOTEL.
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE LOCATIONS.
UM, BUT THE BOUTIQUE HOTEL THAT THEY'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH NOW IS LOOKING TO DEVELOP OVER AT THE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER.
UM, SO TAKE OVER, UM, SOME OF THE PARKING SPACES THERE AND DISPLACE THE PARKING INTO THE FLOODPLAIN, WHICH IS JUST BEHIND THE ART CENTER.
UM, SO IF, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, THEN, UM, THAT WILL BE ABOUT A HUNDRED BED HOTEL ROOM, UM, THAT WILL ALSO HAVE A HIGH-END RESTAURANT THAT WOULD SERVICE BOTH THE ATRIUM AND ATTENDEES TO THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER AND THEN, UM, UH, VISITORS TO THE HOTEL AS WELL.
THERE'S CERTAINLY ENOUGH TRAFFIC HERE WITH 76,000 PEOPLE COMING TO THE, THE ART CENTER.
WHEN WE BOOK, WHEN WE BOOK TALENT AND HAVE TO HELP THEM FIND, UM, PLACES, JUST ACCOMMODATIONS, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD, OH, JUST WALK OVER THERE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DRIVE UP TO GEORGE BUSH, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
ROY ROGERS SPENT THE NIGHT IN MY GUEST ROOM BECAUSE WHEN THEY, HE DID HIS 1938 FILM PREVIEW, THERE WERE NO HOTELS ANYWHERE.
I STILL GET PEOPLE STOPPING AND SAY, "DID YOU KNOWWHERE ROY ROGERS SPENT THE NIGHTROOM?" I SAID, "AS FAR AS I KNOW, HE DIDN'T BRING TRIGGER."
I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT THE DILBECK OVER ON, UH, AVENUE E, AND IT'S JUST THE HISTORY OF THIS PLACE IS JUST KIND OF INSANE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GET INTO IT.
WELL, AND THAT THERE'S SO MUCH - THE HOTEL.
THAT THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY THAT HASN'T BEEN DESTROYED.
THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE HISTORY THAT THEY'VE JUST KNOCKED DOWN AND THE FACT THAT WE ACTIVELY PRESERVE AND PROTECT IS JUST SO BEAUTIFUL TO ME, BUT SURE IS.
WHICH IS ALL THANKS TO OUR REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.
WELL, AND IT, IT MAKES FISCAL SENSE, IT MAKES HISTORICAL SENSE.
IT HAS BUILT A COMMUNITY THAT IS JUST EXTRAORDINARY.
AND I'M AN ARTIST AND ART HISTORIAN BY TRADE AND I LOOK AT THIS PLACE AND I GO, "OH MY GOD, LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE." SO I, YOU ALL ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR MAINTAINING THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY IN A WAY THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN.
DALLAS COULD TAKE LESSONS FROM US.
AND SO IT'S JUST SURPRISING OUTSIDE OF DALLAS YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, WELL, DALLAS YOU DON'T SEE IT NOW.
[00:50:01]
I LIKE THAT.AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR, OUR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ALTERNATE LOCATIONS, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME BUSINESSES MOVE IN FROM BISHOP ARTS AND FROM CARROLLTON AND THEY'VE ALL JUST, JUST COMMENDED US ON HOW QUAINT AND WALKABLE DOWNTOWN IS.
AND THEN JUST THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE STAFF PROVIDES.
UM, THEY CAN TEXT US AND CALL US AND WE'RE AVAILABLE, WHEREAS YOU TRY TO BOOK A MEETING WITH DALLAS PLANNERS TAKES A LONG TIME, SO.
HOW LONG IS IT SCHEDULED TO LAST? UH, 18 MONTHS.
AND IT KICKED OFF, UM, I B - I BELIEVE IT WAS APRIL OR MAY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, SO WE SHOULD, ABOUT ANOTHER FULL YEAR AND A COUPLE MONTHS OF IT.
IS THIS GONNA EXTEND TO FOREST AND JUPITER OR JUST DOWNTOWN? UM, IT'S, IT'S STUDYING THE DOWNTOWN AND THE FLOODWAYS THAT LEAD TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO IT DOES GO UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, LIKE NORTH OF DALLAS COLLEGE AND IN THAT AREA, BUT, UM, THIS IS MAINLY AROUND, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AREA FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY.
IS, UH, IS THE IDEA THAT, UH, THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURES, THE CONDITION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OR VICE VERSA? I THINK IT'S MORE JUST TO WHAT IS DOWN THERE, WHERE ARE WE AT RIGHT NOW TO JUST GET A GOOD HANDLE ON THINGS TO GUIDE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
UM, SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ALL AWARE THAT WE HAVE A HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AND THEREFORE HISTORIC, UM, UNDERGROUNDS.
UM,
IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND, UM, TO THE RIGHT CAPACITY.
AND BEFORE ANYTHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENS.
GIVEN - WE WOULD HATE TO HAVE A FLOOD OR SOMETHING HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
GIVEN ALL OF THE FLOODING IN SO MANY TEXAS COMMUNITIES, 317 GRAND IS A STEAL.
I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH IT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AREN'T WASHED AWAY OR SOMETHING.
UM, WHAT'S THE, UH, W- W - UH, IS THERE AN UPDATE ON THAT, UM, SPACE JUST NORTH OF, UH, DOWNTOWN THAT WAS, UH, A WAREHOUSE, UH, SORT OF, UH, ENVISIONED TO BE A, AN ARTIST INCUBATOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT? YEAH.
THE, UM, THE CITY CLOSED ON THAT PROPERTY, I BELIEVE, EARLIER THIS MONTH OR LAST MONTH.
UM, BUT IN JANUARY, THE, UH, CULTURAL ARTS CENTER WILL START RENOVATIONS.
SO ALL STAFF HAS TO VACATE AND ALL PERFORMANCES IN 2027 WILL HAVE TO BE RELOCATED.
UM, SO THE WAREHOUSE ON NORTH 5TH STREET IS, UM, GONNA BE THE OFFICES, GONNA BE THE NEW OFFICES.
UM, SO EVEN WHEN RENOVATIONS ARE COMPLETED, MOST OF THE STAFF WILL NOT MOVE BACK INTO THAT BUILDING BECAUSE THE RENOVATIONS ARE GONNA EXPAND THE DRESSING ROOMS AND THE MEETING SPACES AND THE CONCESSION STANDS.
AND SO ALL THE OFFICE SPACES THAT WERE IN THE ART CENTER WILL BE RELOCATED, UM, TO ALLOW FOR THE ARTS CENTER TO DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I BELIEVE, UM, MS. AMY ROSENTHAL HAS LOTS OF FUN IDEAS FOR HOW TO ACTIVATE THAT AREA.
UM, SHE'S TRYING TO TURN A PORTION OF THAT WAREHOUSE INTO A SMALL THEATER TO KIND OF MAKE UP FOR THE CLOSURES.
UM, BUT YEAH, I BELIEVE SHE'S TRYING TO GET READY FOR THAT TO OPEN, UM, BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTS.
OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA, UM, MOVE TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE, UM, ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? THEY DO A GOOD JOB KEEPING US INFORMED.
WELL, OUR NEXT MEETING IS OCTOBER 28TH, SO THAT WILL BE RIGHT ON THE HEELS OF, UM, DIA DE LOS MUERTOS.
I DIDN'T EVEN PUT THE SCREEN ON THE SQUARE SERIES IN HERE.
WE HAVE A THURSDAY MOVIE, UM, SERIES.
I'M SORRY I DID NOT INCLUDE IT IN OUR PRESENTATION, BUT EVERY THURSDAY IN OCTOBER, WE WILL BE SCREENING A MOVIE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, OUR FIRST ONE IS TWILIGHT.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE DOING FUN THINGS LIKE HOCUS POCUS, CORPS BRIDE, AND SIXTH SENSE.
UM, AND THE, THE SIXTH SENSE IS ALSO ON THE SAME NIGHT
[00:55:01]
THAT, UM, GOOD SAMARITANS IS LEADING A GHOST HUNT IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.SO IF YOU WANNA GET A LITTLE CREEPY, COME OUT TO THAT ONE IN OCTOBER.
JUST FOR THE I THINK IF WE RUN OUT OF PAPER, IT'D BE GOOD TO HAVE, LIKE, A QR CODE.
UH, IF THEY WANNA, LIKE, LOOK AT THE HISTORY, I CAN LESS PAPER.
WE'RE, UM, WORKING ACTUALLY WITH SOMEONE FOR EACH SCULPTURE.
WE WANNA HAVE ALMOST LIKE A MUSEUM STYLE PANEL.
IT WILL HAVE THE NAME OF THE SCULPTURE, THE NAME OF THE ARTIST, AND THEN A QR CODE THAT LINKS BACK TO OUR WEBSITE PAGE WHERE WE'LL HAVE INTERVIEWS WITH THE ARTISTS AND A LOT OF INFORMATION ON IT.
SO IF SOMEONE COMES TO VISIT AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW AND THE VISITOR CENTER IS CLOSED, THEY CAN STILL SCAN THE QR CODE AND, UH, ENGAGE OR SIMILAR IF WE RUN OUT OF PRINTINGS.
UM, IT'LL ALSO BE A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO JUST DIVE INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES.
UM, THEY ARE ALL, UM, FROM MEXICO AND WILL BE COMING FOR THE INSTALL, UM, AND TO TOUCH UP THE PIECES AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE INSTALLED CORRECTLY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO PLAN, UM, SOME GOOD MEDIA ATTENTION AT THAT TIME TO MAKE SURE WE GET GOOD COVERAGE AND, UM, REALLY HOPE THAT THIS, THIS, UH, INSTALL DOES WHAT WE'RE WANTING IT TO DO, WHICH IS BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COME TO DOWNTOWN FOR MULTIPLE VISITS AND JUST TO GIVE DOWNTOWN GARLAND A- AN- ANOTHER, UH, A TRY.
IS THE, IT CAME FROM TEXAS FILM FESTIVAL NOT DOING ONE THIS YEAR? UM, I BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING ONE, AND THEN I BELIEVE THAT, UM, IT CAME FROM TEXAS AS PARTNERING WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER TO ALSO HOST A STAR TREK EVENT.
UM, SO THIS IS THE 60TH YEAR OF STAR TREK.
SO IF YOU GUYS ARE TREK FANS, THE, UH, CULTURAL ARTS CENTER IS DOING SOMETHING.
LISA'S ALSO PUTTING TOGETHER A DRINK CHALLENGE, ENCOURAGING OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES TO RECREATE, UM, KLINGON BLOODWINE AND -
UM, ROMULAN ALE IS THE REALLY FAMOUS ONE.
UM, APPARENTLY THERE'S A LOT OF DRINKS IN STAR TREK, SO WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES TO PLAY INTO THAT AND JUST ADD ANOTHER - IT'S FUN.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED, 5:33.