The Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau is providing travelers with an opportunity to experience the “Big D” Easter weekend! Together with the Holiday Inn Dallas Market Center, one lucky winner will win a three-night hotel stay in Dallas.

For my friends who live outside of North Texas, this is a great opportunity for you to enter to win a chance to stay in Dallas for free.  For those in North Texas… Hello! Staycation anyone? Oh, and before I hear smack about a Holiday Inn, this isn’t just a regular one you see along I-30.  The Holiday Inn Dallas Market Center is a pretty large hotel with great amenities. It’s free too! What the heck?!

“Easter is a fantastic time to visit Dallas as the city bursts with springtime excitement,” said Phillip Jones, president and CEO of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. “LGBT travelers will especially enjoy Easter in the Park, which represents the 25 year tradition of one of Dallas’ largest and most diverse outdoor celebrations.”

Easter in the Park attracts thousands of attendees to celebrate the holiday with food, fun, music and a healthy dose of camp. Organized by the Turtle Creek Association, the 25th Annual Easter in the Park celebration will be held on Sunday, April 4, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held at Lee Park, located at Turtle Creek Boulevard and Lemmon Avenue.

Easter in the Park is a popular celebration that features beautiful scenery, priceless entertainment, a live classical music concert by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and fashionista pooches in the Pooch Parade and Costume Contest. Attendees can bring their own picnic items or enjoy the variety of foods offered by vendors. In addition, both local and national organizations will be present with booths and tents for spectators to visit.

The Easter celebration is popular in the local gay community, attracting large groups of friends dressed in colorfully coordinated outfits and elaborately decorated bonnets. Many attendees even set up tents and decorate them with fabulous Easter décor, inviting other attendees to stop by and mingle.

Easter in the Park festivities include a Pooch Parade and Costume Contest, which features more than 150 dogs and their owners vying for awards and prizes. All attendees are welcome to bring their dog, but animals must remain on a leash at all times.

Contestants can enter the parade for a small fee and compete for best-dressed dog, best large dog, best little dog and best owner/pet look-alike. The contest is preceded by an SPCA of Texas parade of adoptable dogs.

In addition, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will perform live in the park at 3 p.m. The Easter in the Park performance is a wonderful opportunity for patrons to experience the world-renowned Orchestra with a concerto of sound.

Many in the LGBT community continue the celebration at bars and clubs along the Cedar Springs strip in Oak Lawn, where prizes will be awarded for best bonnet. Other festivities include events and services at Cathedral of Hope, the largest LGBT church in the world. Admission to Easter in the Park is free, and street parking is available on a first come, first served basis.

If you are looking for a weekend getaway, the Dallas CVB has you covered. Visit www.glbtdallas.com March 1-24, 2010 to enter to win a three-night stay in Dallas on Easter weekend. Accommodations are provided by the pet-friendly Holiday Inn Dallas Market Center, conveniently located near the Oak Lawn neighborhood.

The Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau is providing three individuals with an opportunity to experience the AT&T Performing Arts Center firsthand with tickets to the opening night performance of the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra (URO) at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

The AT&T Performing Arts Center is a new multi-venue center for theatre, opera, contemporary dance, ballet, music and other events. The Center debuted in October with a week-long grand opening, leading up to an estimated 45,000 people participating in a community open house with events throughout the Dallas Arts District. The inaugural season of the AT&T Performing Arts Center includes more than 500 performances and events.

“We are extremely proud of the value the AT&T Performing Arts Center adds to the Dallas Arts District,” said Phillip Jones, president and CEO, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (Dallas CVB). “The largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation now has a performing arts center that is comparable to New York’s Lincoln Center; truly an attraction for those interested in performing arts.”

The Dallas CVB is giving three lucky winners an opportunity to experience the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra at the Wyly Theatre. The winners will each receive a pair of passes to the opening night performance on December 29, 2009. Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra is 19 incredible musicians and singers performing songs from the most decadent and glitter-crazed era of rock ‘n’ roll. URO presents the often heard but rarely performed crown jewels of classic rock, including Queen, The Who, David Bowie, The Beatles and more.

The promotion runs now through December 20. To enter the promotion and for official rules, visit the GLBT Dallas Web site at www.glbtdallas.com. To purchase individual or group tickets to the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra, or any other event at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, please visit www.attpac.org or call the box office at 214-880-0202.

Dallas is an affordable destination that offers much to see and do for LGBT travelers.  For information and resources for planning a trip to the “Big D”, please visit www.glbtdallas.com.

Revelers participating in the Oak Lawn Halloween Street Party

On October 24, 2009, Cedar Springs Road comes to life as thousands of Halloween fanatics participate in the annual Oak Lawn Halloween Street Party. One of the top lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) events in Dallas, this year is expected to draw an eclectic crowd.

“The Oak Lawn Halloween Street Party continues to be one of the most exciting outdoor events in our city. Both residents and visitors alike look forward to this event each year,” said Phillip Jones, president and CEO of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Festive by nature, the Street Party is a fantastic example of how Dallas’ LGBT community comes together.”

The Oak Lawn Halloween Street Party originally began as an unplanned outing by hundreds of costumed party-goers along the Cedar Springs strip. The outing gained popularity and eventually evolved into the annual event known today. Patrons, spectators and participants dress up and mingle along the strip, socializing and showing off their elaborately designed costumes.

The block-long center catwalk is the highlight of the event where an official costume show takes place. Patrons have the opportunity to strut their stuff and display their costumes as they walk down the strip. For party-goers who work up a hunger and thirst, booths line the sidewalk along the Cedar Springs strip selling a variety of food and drinks. Many of the LGBT bars in the area host costume contests of their own and feature drink specials.

The Oak Lawn Halloween Street Party begins at 8 p.m. in the 3900 block of Cedar Springs Road, between Oak Lawn Avenue and Throckmorton Street. The event wraps at 2 a.m. Traffic is cordoned off throughout the evening so that revelers can safely mingle without getting hit by a car. While the imagery will be appropriately fitting, the reality of it is just way too gruesome. Plus, get some blood on a queen’s angelically white outfit and all hell will break loose. haha

On a slightly more serious note, Dallas is truly an affordable destination that offers much to see and do for LGBT travelers. True story. We have some of the best gay bars and clubs in the nation and a great shopping scene. For information and resources for planning a trip to the “Big D”, please visit www.glbtdallas.com.

Win a trip to Dallas during Pride Weekend in September

This September, the Dallas lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community will celebrate 26 years of pride. To commemorate, the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (Dallas CVB) is inviting LGBT travelers from across the U.S. to visit www.glbtdallas.com to enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Dallas during Pride weekend, September 18-21, 2009. 

“Dallas is an affordable destination getaway that offers much to see and do for LGBT travelers, and what better time to visit our city than during Dallas Pride,” said Phillip Jones, president and CEO of the Dallas CVB. “From incredible dining, exceptional arts, unrivaled entertainment and the best shopping in the Southwest, Dallas is truly a destination that delivers.”

Roundtrip airfare is provided by American Airlines, corporate sponsor of the Dallas CVB. Accommodations will be provided by The Joule, Dallas and include breakfast at the luxurious Charlie Palmer restaurant. The winner also receives passes to Gay Day at Six Flags Over Texas, compliments of the Dallas Voice. 

Dallas Pride weekend offers several events that showcase the city’s diverse and eclectic LGBT community. The highlight of the weekend is the annual Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade.  Now in its 26th year, the parade features more than 2,200 marching participants and thousands of spectators.

In addition to the numerous Pride weekend activities, Dallas visitors discover a city with exclusive shopping destinations, a leading arts district, a thriving culinary scene and vibrant nightlife.

Entries for the sweepstakes will be accepted through July 31, 2009, and a winner will be announced shortly thereafter.  The sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the U.S. at least 21 years of age or older at the time of entry.  For official rules and to enter, please visit www.glbtdallas.com.

Last May, the Dallas City Council approved plans to build a hotel that is attached to the Dallas Convention Center. The proposed four-star hotel includes 1,000 guest rooms; food and beverage facilities; and additional meeting and parking spaces.

The Crows have spent nearly $5 million dollars on a campaign to block the building of the proposed hotel. $5 million!!! Seriously, they could have spent that on a development in a needy area of the city with a greater ROI.

Hell, they could have made quite a significant donation to the Send Armando to Grad School Foundation. (Side Note: Private and corporate donations are glady accepted to my cause.  For more information and to make a donation, please feel free to contact me.  The SAGSF is a 501(c)(nothing) organization. It will not cure AIDS or save starving kids in Africa, but it will lead to the success of one of our community’s finest.)

On May 9, I am asking you to make it out and vote. Vote for everything that is on the ballot. Stand up and raise your voice. While there are many offices and issues on the ballot, there is one that I am asking you to help out on—Proposition 1. Please vote NO on Prop 1 so Dallas can have the rights to proceed with plans to better our city and draw thousands upon thousands of people to our great city. Below are some questions and answers most frequently asked about the hotel:

Why does Dallas need a convention center hotel?

Many rightfully ask why Dallas needs a convention center hotel. The answer is simple. In today’s competitive market, a city must have an attached convention center hotel to compete nationally with the nation’s largest conventions—each attracting anywhere between 22,000 to 50,000 visitors at one time. Until last year, Dallas was the only city in the top 22 U.S. convention markets without a convention center hotel announced, under construction or completed.

Some people even ask what other cities in Texas have convention center hotels—you know, just to put things into retrospect. The answer is all of them! Every large city in Texas has an attached convention center hotel; cities such as Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. It’s true that Dallas/Fort Worth is the No. 1 visitor destination in Texas, but without the hotel we won’t be in the top convention destinations in the nation.

What happens if we don’t build the hotel?

Okay, so next people ask what will happen if Prop 1 passes. Well first of all, it means that Dallas will never be able to raise the topic again. If Prop 1 passes, it will prevent the City of Dallas from financing, owning or providing incentives for private entities to build a hotel on their own. In addition, if we don’t build this hotel, Dallas will continue to lose out on approximately $800 million in direct spending and $2.6 billion in annual economic impact. Granted, Dallas does have a relatively strong economy right now; but, just imagine how it would be if we were booking large conventions right now!

According to the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau, 13 conventions have been booked and 24 are in negotiations. These events alone represent a combined total of more than $1.4 billion in economic impact. That’s a pretty good chump of change for local business owners. Oh, and I forgot to mention: These bookings are contingent on the construction of the hotel. If Prop 1 passes and the hotel isn’t built, then away goes those 392,000 room nights. Area hotels sure could use those bookings.

How is all of this supposed to be financed?

Okay, okay… So there’s another great question. Money is all of our minds. The proposed project will be financed through tax-exempt revenue bonds, which are often used because cities can borrow money at a much cheaper rate than private entities. The nearly $500 million project will be repaid with the revenues from guests staying at the hotel… not city taxpayers. From the day the hotel opens, it is projected to have a positive cash flow. In the event it does not, there is also a reserve fund to protect taxpayers. It’s also important to note that this financing method is common and is how cities like Baltimore, Denver, Houston, and Phoenix financed their convention center hotels. It’s also how other city projects like American Airlines Center was built.

Taxes are not likely to go down, so there’s no point in arguing that case. However, it is important to note that for Dallas to remain a competitor in the industry, an important industry mind you, we must build the hotel. Public services will not be cut as part of this proposal. So those stories about getting rid of cops, street maintenance cuts and whatever is wrong. Different budgets, different goals—period.

Do we really want to be in the hotel business?

Humm… Yes and no. Yes, we want a hotel if it’s attached to the convention center. See above for reasons why. No, the city does not want to operate it. Omni Hotels has been selected as the professional operator of the convention center hotel. Did you know Dallas already has a similar partnership out at D/FW International Airport? Yessir! The hotel over yonder is co-owned by Dallas and Fort Worth and operated by Hyatt. Omni Hotels is also the selected operator of the convention center hotel in Fort Worth.

Why now? Why do we need to build the hotel now?

Well, it would have been nice if we had the hotel years ago. The past is the past and we’re now looking at May 9^th. The time to build is now while everything is affordable (in retrospect). Construction and material costs as low right now because of the economy, so it’s an opportune time to get the hotel built.

Now what?

As with any business proposition, there is always a risk. We need to think about the benefits though. Dallas is our city and we need to be proud of it. So let’s not hamper the great things that are in the works. Let’s get out and vote NO on Proposition 1 and let’s build us a future. Vote NO on Proposition 1 and let’s build us a hotel!

For more information and facts on why voting NO on Propositions 1 and 2 is important, please visit www.votenodallas.com.