In 1966 the City of Dallas acquired Elgin B. Robertson Park, which encompasses some 257 acres where Dalrock Road dead-ends into Lake Ray Hubbard. Only, the city's never done much with the prime piece of property -- too remote, for starters, and the fact it's sliced in half by I-30 doesn't do many favors either. Rowlett wants it, as the park's in its backyard, and in 2005 offered $15 million for the property, with the offer to split tax revenues with Dallas for 20 years. The city passed and looked for other takers in 2006 -- and couldn't find any.
This morning, the city council's Economic Development Committee will once more discuss just what to do with the property, the sale of which would involve calling a public referendum, since it's a park. The city figures the entirety of the park, which is hardly used by Dallas residents, is worth about $24 million -- and selling it would give the Park Department a nice infusion of cash. Only, city staff worries about parting with the northern tract, which is a nice piece of land upon which Rowlett or some outside developer will likely build a mixed-use development and hundreds of houses, stripping Dallas of at least 142 acres' worth of tax revenue that hasn't generated squadoosh in 40 years. In other words, if you haven't heard of Elgin B. Robertson Park, you will. --Robert Wilonsky
