An Irving resident has leveled serious allegations against the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, accusing it of engaging in a covert scheme to sell the former Texas Stadium site to Las Vegas Sands Corp.
The accusations were brought forth in a pre-suit discovery petition filed by Ada Pimentel in Dallas County Court on Wednesday.
This legal move seeks to obtain oral and videotaped depositions from a representative of the chamber, according to attorney Cliff Riley.
Pimentel’s petition raises allegations of misuse of public funds, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and breach of contract, claiming that the chamber is involved in dubious negotiations that put the interests of Irving’s citizens at risk.
In Texas, such pre-suit discovery filings are typically used as a means for parties to gather evidence and information before pursuing a formal lawsuit.
Beth Bowman, President and CEO of the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, responded to the allegations, deeming the filing “baseless and factually erroneous.”
Las Vegas Sands Corp. has yet to comment publicly on the claims made in the legal document.
The filing from Pimentel lacks direct evidence of any agreement to sell the city-owned property but does reference a “possible secretive sale.”
Key points in the petition suggest that the accusations stem from letters sent by both the Irving city government and the Chamber of Commerce to the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
These letters aimed to prevent specific records from being released to the public and were in response to an open records request filed by Daniel Denny, a member of Irving’s planning and zoning commission.
Denny’s request sought to uncover communications and emails between the city, the chamber, and Village Walk RE 2, a firm linked with Sands Corp., especially regarding PUD-6.
PUD-6 is a planned district incorporating the former Texas Stadium site, heightening suspicions about the intentions behind the chamber’s interactions with Sands Corp.
Pimentel’s filing criticized the Chamber of Commerce and Sands Corp., claiming that “through backroom, clandestine negotiations,” the two groups are undermining the public’s interest in major real estate dealings.
The petition alleges that the chamber has failed to disclose negotiations with Sands Corp. and has misled city representatives about these dealings.
This legal action continues the ongoing debate over Sands Corp.’s aspirations to construct a casino on over 200 acres of land it recently acquired near the former site of Texas Stadium.
Earlier this year, the Irving City Council approved a rezoning request from Sands Corp. for a 182-acre tract but removed the casino gaming language amidst significant public opposition.
Notably, Sands’ president and chief operating officer, Patrick Dumont, also serves as the governor of the Dallas Mavericks, following a high-profile acquisition of the franchise valued at an astonishing $3.5 billion.
During the run-up to the critical city council vote, Irving residents received numerous text messages from advocacy groups on both sides of the casino proposal, indicating a highly charged and divisive atmosphere.
Pimentel had expressed her concerns regarding the Sands project at a March 17 planning and zoning meeting, visibly opposing the initiative by donning a red button emblazoned with the name of the Texas Anti-Predatory Gaming Alliance.
This group is among several organizations that oppose the proposed casino development and is itself part of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, which campaigns against what it sees as harmful gaming policies.
As the matter unfolds, the Texas Anti-Predatory Gambling Alliance is being directed by Cheryl Bean, a former Republican candidate who ran for Texas House District 97 last year.
The issue of casino development is expected to play a pivotal role in the upcoming Irving City Council elections, with three seats up for grabs on the May 3 ballot.
According to a statement made by the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, the chamber acknowledges that an affiliate of Sands Corp. is interested in the possibility of acquiring certain land and operating businesses within the city.
However, the correspondence does not specify the land in question, while Pimentel’s petition strongly suggests that it is likely the Texas Stadium site.
The petition argues that the Sands Corp. sees the Texas Stadium property as a vital asset, stating, “it is an almost inescapable conclusion that the only land owned by the City of Irving that the Sands Corporation would have interest in acquiring is Irving’s ‘Crown Jewel,’ the Texas Stadium Site.”
This site’s proximity to land already controlled by Sands Corp., which is in the process of seeking zoning changes for its casino project, further amplifies concerns about potential backdoor dealings.
Pimentel and her legal team assert that the chamber is working to favor Sands Corp. while diminishing competitive opportunities for other bidders on the Texas Stadium lot, possibly threatening city protocols focused on transparency and good governance.
The chamber, in its response, contends that releasing any related documents could expose confidential financial bidding information, thereby risking substantial harm to both the chamber and the city of Irving.
The conversation about the potential for a casino in Irving, along with questions surrounding the transparency in dealings between the chamber and Sands Corp., continues to elevate tensions within the community, laying the groundwork for a crucial electoral season.
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