Vaquero, Vanquished: Say Adios to One of Dallas's Two "Urban Rodeos"

View Larger Map

Earlier this year, 'round about the time it started getting hot, two folks living in our Northwest Dallas neighborhood hipped us to Tierra Caliente Rodeo -- for two different reasons. One person thought the so-called "urban rodeo" and taqueria at 9615 Overlake Drive, near the old European Crossroads strip mall on Northwest Highway and Webb Chapel Extension, had potential to be a real hot spot -- tacos and toreadors with a real live soundtrack. "An awesome spectacle," said our friend, and, if nothing else, D agreed back in July. To which the other tipster countered that, nope, the joint was a dangerous nuisance and she was gonna get it adiosed.

Guess who won. Because this morning, the city council's Quality of Life Committee is going to take up the subject of Urban Rodeos and Revisions to Chapter 42A, which deals with special events. Right now, there are only two such urban rodeos in the city: Tierra Caliente and Rio Rodeo at 704 S. Walton Walker Blvd. Both have city-issued permits, but only one's going to keep theirs: Rio Rodeo, for which the city hasn't received a single complaint. But according to this morning's briefing, the city's received "thirty-five 311/911 calls ... for Tierra Caliente Rodeo," and the eatery "has been denied future permits due to a total of 35 various complaints." Those complaints, incidentally, have to do with "noise Issues, zoning complaints, building permits for temporary structures, animal safety, inspections at events and traffic and parking problems." --Robert Wilonsky