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.

You may recall that earlier this year, I told introduced you a new addition to the Dallas arts and culture scene—the AT&T Performing Arts Center (formally known as the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts). Well, the time has come and the Center has officially opened, bringing a new era of entertainment to Dallas.

The $354 million Center kicked off its grand opening weekend in October with a week-long celebration that included indoor and outdoor festivities, concerts and forums, tours of the facilities, and much more. Opening festivities revolved around the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre and Sammons Park. Capping off the weekend was a spectacular fireworks show that lit up the downtown Dallas skyline (you can checkout a video from the fireworks show below).

The Winspear Opera House is designed in a horseshoe shaped configuration that is encased in a lipstick red outer shell that adds dramatic color to the downtown Dallas skyline. Seating an audience size of 2,200, the opera house was designed to provide the best acoustical environment for a number of different types of performances. The public commons area of the opera house is lined with 60-foot high glass walls that allows passersby to see what’s going on inside. In addition, the facility has a huge canopy that extends from the building into the surrounding park to provide patrons with shaded green space in Sammons Park.

Adjacent is the 12-story Wyly Theatre that is truly the only type of facility of its kind in the world. The “multi-function” stacked theater was designed to provide versatile space to allow performing arts companies to truly customize an experience for their audience. The space literally transforms itself to fit the needs of classical, experimental and any other performances in between for an audience size of 575. The lower level of the building is encased by glass walls where the upper portion is clad in pre-fabricated aluminum panels with random repetitions of vertical venetians, creating a textured effect.

Despite its grand opening, additional work is left to be done in order to complete the entire complex. The Annette Strauss Artist Square is an outdoor performance venue to be located directly against the east side of the Winspear Opera House, capable of hosting an audience of 5,000. Next door to the Wyly Theatre is City Performance Hall, another performance venue capable of seating an audience of up to 575. Both venues are expected to open at a later date.

The Center provides state-of-the-art performance spaces for five resident companies: The Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center, Texas Ballet Theater, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico. TITAS, the Dallas presenter of the world’s most highly acclaimed touring music and dance companies, will also present its season at the Center. In addition, the Center will present the Lexus Broadway Series, JAZZ ROOTS, the Brinker International Forum, concerts, lectures, films and many other programs.

The opening of the Center without a doubt has brought international attention to Dallas and its 19-block urban arts district, the largest in the United States. This only underscores Dallas’ placement on the map as a destination for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travelers. For more information on the AT&T Performing Arts Center, check out their Web site at www.attpac.org.

Continuing the 11th season of OUT TAKES Dallas, the lesbian and gay film festival, “The Big Gay Musical” will be screening on November 12, 2009 at The Magnolia Theater in Dallas.  Opening for the film will be the short film “Ogles with Goggles”.  Festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a mixer at the nearby retail shop, The Gardens.  Screenings begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. followed by a questions and answers session with Daniel Robinson.

“The Musical has gotten rave reviews from film festivals across the country and OUT TAKES Dallas is excited to be screening the film right here in Dallas,” said Phillip Archer, managing director of OUT TAKES Dallas. “After our board of directors finished watching the film for the first time, we all knew without a doubt that it will be something our community would enjoy viewing.”

“The Big Gay Musical” opens when Paul (Robinson) and Eddie’s (Joey Dudding) off-Broadway musical “Adam and Steve: Just the Way God Made ‘Em” which just so happened to mirror their lives. Paul is fed up with his horrible dating experiences and decides to take a walk on the wild side and live a life of sin, having hook-ups and one night stands like the chorus boys he shares a dressing room with. Meanwhile, Eddie tries to discover himself as he struggles with how his sexuality and faith seem to be conflicting.

OUT TAKES Dallas will be hosting an online promotion where one lucky winner and their guest will receive two priority seating passes to “The Big Gay Musical” screening along with a bar/concession voucher at the theater. Participants may enter by visiting the OUT TAKES Dallas Facebook page (www.facebook.com/outtakesdallas), becoming a fan and posting a comment to the wall saying why they want to see the film. Co-sponsored by The Magnolia Theater, the promotion will begin on October 29 and run through November 9, 2009.

OUT TAKES Dallas continues its 11th season by screening a new film on the second Thursday of each month, known as “Gay Movie Night”.  Films are screened at The Magnolia Theater at West Village in Dallas. This season is sponsored by The UPS Store on Cedar Springs, the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce and Dallas Voice. For detailed film synopses and more information, visit www.outtakesdallas.org.

Founded in 1999, OUT TAKES Dallas is the largest volunteer- operated nonprofit lesbian and gay film festival in the nation.  Recognized locally and nationally, OUT TAKES Dallas continues to provide quality programming that educates and enriches diverse communities about lesbians and gays through the art of film.   Since its inception OUT TAKES Dallas has donated more than $60,000 to local charities and looks forward to continuing to support the community in the future. 

Amid much controversy, the OUT TAKES Dallas Lesbian and Gay Film Festival has announced that it will be screening Pornography on Saturday, October 10, at the Inwood Theater in Dallas.

“I admit it. After all these years, of suggesting otherwise, I am telling the world that OUT TAKES Dallas Lesbian and Gay Film Festival will, indeed, be screening Pornography for Season 11 on October 10,” revealed Managing Director Phillip Archer.

Pornography is the high‐tech thriller by first‐time filmmaker David Kittredge. As it sweeps the indie film circuit, awards and reviews are stacking up.

LA Weekly called the film, “(a) … crazily ambitious debut thriller… intelligent and well‐acted… marks Kittredge as filmmaker with a strong mind and a gift for drawing full‐bodied performances from his actors. That’s especially true of (Matthew) Montgomery… .”

Pornography is just one of the featured films in a three‐day festival running from October 8‐10 at the Inwood Theater in Dallas. The festival is bringing to Dallas some of the freshest, most thought‐provoking gay films being created today.

“This is our best festival yet,” raves Archer. “We have some of the most exciting work coming out of the industry this year. It is our privilege to not only bring these films to Dallas but also some of the filmmakers and artists. In conjunction with the screenings, we have planned several receptions, mixers, and Q&A sessions to give the audience a chance to get to know the people behind the films.”

Scheduled to appear at Season 11 “Wanna Watch?” are Cathy DeBuono, Jill Bennett, Cynthia Davies, Ann Hagemann, Thom Fitzgerald, Steven Jay Crabtree, and local filmmaker Robert Camina.

“The Dallas Film Commission congratulates OUT TAKES Dallas Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on its 11th year,” said Janis Burklund, director of the Dallas Film Commission. “We welcome the opportunity for the film industry to showcase its work to Dallas residents and visitors alike. Dallas is building a reputation both nationally and internationally as a destination for filmmakers as well as home to a growing base of local production. This film festival can and will showcase the city and our local talent.”

Season 11 of OUT TAKES Dallas begins on October 8 with a three-day-long film festival. The season will continue by screening a new film on the second Thursday of each month at The Magnolia Theater in Dallas. For more information on OUT TAKES Dallas and for a schedule of film screenings, please visit www.outtakesdallas.org.

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.

Rendering of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts

The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is slated to open in October 2009 as a new multi-venue center for music, opera, theatre and dance.  As the new signature centerpiece of an already impressive Arts District, the city of Dallas will continue to shine with the largest urban arts district in the nation, spanning 19 city blocks.

Featuring five multi-state-of-the-art facilities, woven together by an urban park, will be a dynamic cultural destination that will be unparalleled in the world.  The Center will consist of:

• Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House  – Engineered specifically for opera and musical theatre, the Opera House seats 2,300 with stages that support dance performances, such as ballet
• Dee and Charles Wyle Theatre – A 12-level building that features a one-of-a-kind space that literally transforms to fit the needs of classical and experimental performances for audiences of approximately 600
• Annette Strauss Artist Square – The redesigned outdoor venue named after a former mayor of Dallas that accommodates audiences of up to 5,000
• Sammons Park – The largest park in downtown Dallas that collectively unifies the entire Center with a lush greenery and picturesque reflecting pools
• City Performance Hall – A 750-seat hall that will provide production space for Dallas’ smaller organizations (scheduled to open in 2011)

Today I had the opportunity to sit down with about 20 other young professionals to speak candidly with the representatives of the DCPA about marketing efforts to the 21-34 age group. It was truly a unique opportunity to learn more about this amazing project and to hear perspectives from others close in age.  Here are some interesting points that I walked away hearing:

• Eliminate Anxieties – Educate young adults about the performing arts and what they can expect as patrons of events at any of the Center’s facilities
• Price Point of Tickets – To get a group together for an opera or stage performance, ticket prices will have to range from $20 to $30
• Small Group Packages – It is imperative that ticket packages are offered with discounted rates for groups of 4 or 6 people
• Entertainment Packages – Increase commerce by developing ticket packages that include dinner at area restaurants, such as those at One Arts Plaza
• Customized Subscription Packages – Allow individuals to purchase tickets to performances that span genres

I would have to say that ticket pricing and small group packages are indeed something that must be taken into consideration. In close relation, standard ticket prices for the King Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art is $35.  While many of my friends, including myself, would love to go see the exhibit before it leaves on May 17, the fact is we perceive the price point too high.  I’d value the exhibit at $15—nothing more.  For a performance, $20 would be the idea price point.

What do you think? Let me know by posting a comment or contacting me directly.  If you are between the ages of 21 to 34 and are interested in participating in future focus groups, contact me and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Savor an international array of fine wines and scrumptious cuisine Tuesday, March 3 at 2 p.m. CT with Savor Dallas’ virtual food and wine tasting live on Facebook. Organized in-part by SRJ Marketing Communications, Savor Dallas co-founder Jim White and five of Texas’ top chefs will host members of the press and fans on Facebook with a discussion on highlights of the premiere wine and food celebration in the Southwest.

Facebook friends and fans will be able to join the conversation with these experts and interact with them about what they see as the food trends for today and what Dallas is doing to contribute to culinary excellence worldwide.

Savor Dallas has been recognized for its creative use of social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook, to keep its fans in the know. With more than 1,000 active fans on Facebook, Savor Dallas has become one of the highest traffic culinary and wine pages on the popular social networking Web site.

“Today it’s all about listening to our publics and establishing meaningful relationships with them,” said Steven R. Jolly, principal of Dallas-based SRJ Marketing Communications. “Social media has an exponential value to digital public relations and is a great way to inspire two-way conversations with consumers, clients and other target markets.”

For wine enthusiasts like Brent Watters of Arlington, Texas, the virtual food and wine tasting is a great way to learn a little more about what he and his friends can expect this weekend.

“I’ve never heard of Savor Dallas until I noticed all my friends becoming fans of the Facebook page,” said Watters. “Tuesday’s interactive event will definitely be a great way for people like me to ask questions and get a better grasp as to the kinds of wines and foods I’ll get to sample this weekend.”

Savor Dallas happens on Friday, March 6, 2009 and continues through Saturday, March 7, 2009. Scheduled in several beautiful locations in downtown Dallas, the international experience of wine, food, spirits and the arts is expected to draw 4,000 people from Dallas/Fort Worth, throughout Texas, and 14 other states across the country.

Join me and take part in the discussion on Tuesday, March 3 at 2 p.m. Simply log into Facebook and visit the Savor Dallas page.