In the last week we have been sent a treasure trove of information from citizens who are “spilling the tea” and telling us they are tired of the Shady Shit happening all around Frisco. The note with this little tidbit read “my discussion with a builder rep out at The Preserve.” The builder rep talks about how some lots were held back then the rest of the lots were distributed to the builders which is what he has to sell. The builder rep says that the lots on the Golf Ridge and the Hilltop were part of a VIP Program. Upon more questions the builder rep says the VIP program was put on Jeff and the owner of the development. He says some of those lots still remain for example “JEFF HAS A LOT AND THE DEVELOPER THEMSELVES HAVE SOME LOTS.” He goes on to say “kind of like hold this lot for me because my family may want to build on it, maybe hold for a client.” Then the rep notes the development is owned by multiple billionaire families from Dallas and they reserve the right to hold some of those back, so in summation these will be held but they may fall out so stay close to the builders.”
Now we are pretty sure that Mayor Cheney said at every single debate or forum that he owns two pieces of property his personal home and one rental property. That appears to be true by tax records but if they are holding a lot for him isn’t that just semantics and slightly dishonest if he plans to build a personal home there next to his new friends the “BILLIONAIRE” families from Dallas.
Now you may ask who our source and we will just say another Frisco Whistle Blower! Thanks for tea friend! We have sent the rest on to a source in the local tv news since we learned Mitchel at the DMN omitted this from his Cheney story.
In real estate you will always hear buzz words which are words or phrases often used to impress or persuade the person reading it to act now. Location, location, location is a common mantra used in real estate and the truth is location can be key to the value of some real estate. When I was a kid we lived on the outskirts of the countryside overlooking a scenic vista of hills and vineyards. One evening I saw my dad outside sitting on the deck smoking a cigar and I went outside and asked, “why do you always sit out here?” In his deep Sean Connery voice he said, “Son, one day this will be yours if you want it. You will grow grapes that make wine on this land and that will feed your family. At night after working, you will sit here like I do watching the sunset. As you gaze across this valley and those vineyards you will realize this view is spectacular and that will remind you how damn lucky you are.” My brother still runs those vineyards today and when we get to go visit I enjoy sitting on that deck like my dad did and enjoying the view.
So, what constitutes a view? Well, depending on who you ask that varies and can mean different things. One might like a view of a lake or ocean, mountains, or city skylines. There is no doubt that a view will cost you more to buy but it is for your enjoyment or future investment. If you asked Jerry Jones what he likes about his office at The Star I am pretty sure he will say it is the view of the new training facility and practice fields. If you asked Jerry what he likes about his view from his suite at AT&T stadium we are pretty sure you will get a different answer. What if you found out that your tax dollars were paying for a room with a view?
Before we answer that, let’s discuss The Development Corporation Act of 1979 which gives cities the ability to finance new and expand business enterprises in their local communities through Economic Development Corporations (EDCs). Based on the Texas Comptrollers website, “Type A EDCs are typically created to fund industrial development projects such as business infrastructure, manufacturing, and research and development. The Type B sales tax may be used for any project eligible under Type A rules and several other project types, including quality-of-life improvements like parks, museums, sports facilities, and affordable housing. Type B corporations may pay for land, buildings, equipment, facilities, targeted infrastructure, and improvements. One of the best things EDCs can do is increase tax revenues, add additional jobs to a community and supply opportunities for residents, and promote sustainable growth. The Frisco EDC website says, “Frisco is Innovation Focused” and it says Frisco’s public-private partnerships exemplify why the city excels on every level of economic development and is highly competitive with major markets across the country and around the globe. Its mission is the creation of jobs, increasing economic opportunities, and improving the quality of life for all Frisco residents and their families.
Simply put you must spend tax dollars to make money which brings important things to a city. As a resident, I am okay with the concept to a point, but I was shocked when a reader sent us a link to a CBS 11 news article from 2015 that mentions city leaders were enjoying the lap of luxury in a season-long suite at AT&T stadium. The article asks if city officials are taking advantage of the Cowboy’s relationship for personal enjoyment and how it is a slap in the face to taxpayers. The article quotes Frisco resident Bret Sanders who said, “This is our money that they’re spending, and it doesn’t seem like they have any regard for how they are spending it.” Then Frisco EDC President, Jim Gandy said, “It is our job to promote Frisco,” and “It was used for business prospects and allies that we work with on a regular basis.” The article mentions it was sold as a recruiting tool but how was the suite a recruiting tool for businesses when AT&T Stadium is in Arlington?
What do you think the Frisco EDC would pay for a room with a view? The answer is 160,000.00! The suite benefits per the license agreement states the licensee shall receive 18 admission tickets for the seats in the suite. It also allows them to purchase 8 standing room tickets in the suite and it came with 5 parking passes for a preferred parking lot. The license agreement also states that the licensee will be provided with $1500 “hospitality allowance” towards food and beverage. Yes, “We The Taxpayers” paid $160,000 for a suite for 8 games which means we spent $20,000 a game to wine and dine, I mean recruit business. With the city contributing $130 Million to the construction of the new Dallas Cowboys headquarters in Frisco couldn’t Jerry have thrown in a suite.
So who enjoyed the “Lap of Luxury” on the tax payers dime? Well game 1 against the New York Giants included Dan Bollner and his wife (FEDC Board Member), County Commissioner Hugh Coleman and his wife, Steve Bahl (Gearbox CEO/CFO) and his wife, Jim Gandy (FEDC Staff) and his wife, Dave Quinn (FEDC Staff), Gary Carley (FEDC Staff) and his wife, Tim Nelligan (The Hartford) and his wife and two guests. It shows they enjoyed Texas Barbecue, peach blackberry cobbler, Deja Blue bottled water, soda and Unsweetened Iced Tea.
Game 2 against the Atlanta Falcons included Jim Gandy (FEDC staff) and his wife, John Bonnot (FEDC staff) and his wife, City Councilmen Bob Allen canceled but his guest Geneva attended and brought a plus one, Marla Roe (Visit Frisco) and her husband, Steve Ewing (Edge Realty) and his wife, George Galloway (Next Realty Mid Atlantic) and his wife, Amanda Kronk (SWA) and her husband, and Bennett Bark (Retail Connection) and his wife. There are some special notes that Kevin Case with Thomas Land Development was sent 8 tickets and 2 parking passes for him to share with his clients. While enjoying the game they dined on the Tex Mex Combo and the same drinks as in game 1.
Game 3 against New England Patriots included Bob Allen (City Council) and his wife, Victor Almeida (President Interceramic – Prospect) and a guest, Jesse Pruitt (Somervell Commercial Realty), Chris Grottenthaler (True Health Diag) and his wife, John Harkey (CEO of CRO – Prospect), James Snell (EVP of CRO – Prospect and two guests, Jim Gandy (FEDC staff) and his wife, and David Quinn (FEDC staff) and his wife. They dined on the Gridiron packaged.
Game 4 against the Seattle Seahawks included Jim Gandy & Dave Quinn (both FEDC staff) and their spouses, Bryan Dodson (FEDC staff) and his guest, Ed & Melina Cimler (Adaptive Biotechnologis), Zenobia Adi (WorldLink), Barjis Ghadially (WorldLink) and his wife, Bill and Brenda Sims (UNT), and J. Casey Wehr (CEO – PVP Live) and his wife. The enjoyed the fine Texas BBQ and peach blackberry cobbler and drinks like game 1.
Game 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles included Jim Gandy (FEDC staff) and his wife, Marla Roe (Visit Frisco) and her spouse, Project Turtle had 8 tickets, but no names listed, Rick Fletcher (FEDC staff) and his wife, Jason Young (Visit Frisco Board Member) and his wife, and Councilman Jeff Cheney and his wife. They duplicated the game 2 Tex-Mex package for eats and treats.
Game 6 against the Carolina Panthers included Jim Gandy (FEDC staff) and his wife, Mark Thompson (Foundry Club) and his wife, 10 people from the Japan-American Society, and Taylor McQuestion, Shawn McQuestion, Caden McQuestion, and Quinn McQuestion (all listed with Schneider Optical). They dined on assorted cheeses, veggie crudité, party mix, popcorn, artichoke ranch dip and seven-layer dip, sirloin beef sliders, apple pie, and beverages.
Game 7 included Harry Whalen (FEDC staff) and his guest, Paul Sheldon (FEDC Board) and his guest, Maureen Gutierrez (CVB Sales Manager) and her guest, Anne Keough, MPS and Andre Mathews with the Catholic Diocese, Terry Young (Dir of Mktg with Catalyst Corp Federal CU) and his wife Mike Williams (Pres & CEO Summit Conferences) and a guest, Jim Breitenfeld and Dan Spika (Brokers with Henry S Miller) and a guest, Carlo Morando (Mktg Mgr with Ace Hardware) and two guests. The Texas BBQ and peach blackberry cobbler were up for eats and treats this time.
Game 8 against the Washington Redskins included Jim Gandy (FEDC staff) and a guest, Harry Whalen (FEDC staff) and guest, Jim Riggert (NGKF – Prospect) plus 3 guests, and Moon Management (4 tickets) and Scott Lark (Prospect no company name)
Do you agree with the city spending $160,000 for a room with a view? How much is too much? Based on what Jim Gandy, President of Frisco EDC said in the article this was to recruit prospects or to retain important businesses that are considering leaving our city. It appears we courted a lot of commercial real estate folks and some non-profits. We also wined and dined Chris Grottenthaler the founder of True Health Diagnostics who was later one of the 21 charged in connection with multistate healthcare kickback fraud. I have no issue spending $160,000 a year ($20,000 a game) for a suite on America’s Team if we are recruiting the likes of Amazon, Costco, Cigna, XTO Energy, Home Depot, Target, or any other Fortune 500 company. That is not what happened here, I mean Jim Gandy, President of the Frisco EDC, and his wife enjoyed almost every game. When you’re spending tax dollars and you are “working” as you call it then why are you bringing your spouse? Why are we inviting county commissioners, do they pay sales tax in Frisco? Why are we inviting non-profits and churches when they are exempt from franchise and sales taxes? When it comes to citizens’ tax dollars I question a lot of what this city does when it comes to spending and incentives. These are glaring red flags that citizens should be up and arms about but residents have given in to they have no say in our city. I guess this is Frisco Innovation Focused at work.
Ah! Spring! Spring is the most popular of the four seasons for obvious reasons. It means warmer weather, more hours in the day, and more sunshine. The buds are starting to show, early flowers are beginning to bloom, and the birds are singing a new tune. Spring is a sign of new beginnings, it symbolizes life and how good always triumphs over evil, light over darkness, and life over death. Hibernation has ended! It seems that many people in Frisco are starting to open their eyes, and many are expressing their concerns for the first time over what appears to be some questionable negotiations, developments, and deals throughout the years. The spring awakening always seems to be heightened when an election is on the horizon.
One of the most important aspects of Spring is baseball otherwise referred to as America’s National Pastime. Dr. Gerald Early, a Washington University Professor once said, “There are three things that America will be known for 2000 years from now: the Constitution, jazz music, and baseball. They’re the three most beautifully designed things this culture ever produced.” From an immigrant’s perspective, he is right on point. I remember the first game I went to after moving to America. The sound from the crack of the bat, watching a player slide into home, eating a famous hotdog and relish, and trying to catch the foul balls that came our way. Back in the day if you caught one of those balls you could turn them in for a ten-cent snow cone.
In 1958, Damn Yankees hit the widescreen and it is one of the best musical sport romantic comedy films of its time. It was about a frustrated fan of the hopeless Washington Senators who made a pack with the Devil to help the baseball team win the league pennant. One of the most famous quotes from the movie was “One long ball hitter, that’s what we need! Honest to God, I’d sell my soul for one long ball hitter!” Mmh? Something about this story is hitting close to home. Has someone in Frisco soul their soul to the devil?
Frisco has gone through many changes over the years and with each one a little bit of Frisco’s history seems to be erased. The most obvious was in 2020 when the council considered renaming Rockhill Parkway. Established in 1854, Rock Hill was one of the oldest communities in Collin County and earned its name from the white rock escarpment on which it was built. By 1898, it had a thriving community featuring two schools, four churches a grist mill, a cotton gin, a blacksmith, a drugstore and a grocery store. In 1902, St. Louis and San Francisco railroad bypassed the town and within months most of the businesses, townspeople and churches had relocated. By the mid-1930s, only one African American Baptist church remained. In the 1960s the black school closed and in 1973 the general store was razed leaving Rock Hill and its rich history a distant memory to many. One of the last connections to its history was the street named Rockhill Parkway.
On June 23, 2020, a letter was sent to residents informing them of the road name change and they could respond with any input by July 14, 2020. Renaming Rockhill Parkway to PGA Parkway hit a nerve with many locals who felt like the council was erasing what little history was left of the old town. While doing research we came across an article in the Frisco Enterprise that reported in July 2020 that Assistant City Manager Ben Brezina acknowledged the name change had been a topic of conversation for at least 8 to 10 months. John Lettellier of Development Services for Frisco said moving forward with the proposal happened in just the last 6 to 8 weeks. The article also noted The Heritage Association of Frisco learned about the proposed change by way of a community member who received the notice and, they had never been approached by the city for its historical background. Lastly the most interesting thing in the article was a statement posted on the Facebook page by then councilman Tim Nelson that the item was proposed by a member of the council and consensus was to move forward. Hmmm… I wonder who proposed the name change?
Here is where it gets interesting, in our research we found that many who supported the name change were big businesses with big money and investments in Frisco:
Kyle Wilks – President of Wilks Development (who is behind Firefly Park in Frisco)
Edmund Garahan – CEO of Carbon Companies (building Luxury hotel near PGA)
Triad Frisco Partners (developer of 1310 urban living units, 8 retail buildings, 1 convenience store with gas pumps, 5 parking garages on the southwest corner of Dallas Parkway and Rockhill Parkway)
David Fogel – Manager of Rockhill Legacy (Development at Rockhill & Legacy)
Blake Nelson – Managing Partner (7-Eleven located Rockhill Parkway & Preston)
Darrell Crall – COO of PGA (letter specifically notes they feel strongly there is a long-term value to the PGA branded and the roadway would showcase to millions the PGA Frisco partnership and evolution of Frisco)
Michael Smith – TRT Holdings, Inc. (Part of Omni Stillwater Woods Golf Resort)
Fehmi Karahan – Fields Development (July 17, 2020 letter writes that the city has made an extraordinary financial commitment to the new PGA project and should use all available means to support the success of that project. We strongly urge you and the city council to support the full renaming of Rockhill from Teel to Coit)
Clay Roby – PGA Frisco / Stillwater Capital / The Link (the renaming will further establish Frisco as Sports City USA and appropriately showcase the HQ of the PGA of America)
On Aug 4, 2020, citizens made their way to the podium for Citizens Input to against the change. If you watch the meeting, the mayor remarked that the city of Frisco has always made it a commitment to preserving our history and they even invested 3 to 5 million into the Heritage Museum. He was on city council in 2009 when the road was changed to Rockhill Parkway but he doesn’t remember it and until a few months ago he does not believe many people even knew the story of why it was named Rockhill. He believes Prosper ISD naming the their new high school in Frisco city limits Rock Hill Highschool is a great way to remember the community of Rock Hill. Sadly, he seems to criticize the volunteers at the Heritage Museum for not being accurate on the history and calling the exhibits dated and we need to do better there telling our story. He noted that the PGA and Fields wants to write their own story and they have been good partners to the community. Councilman Woodard suggests renaming Northeast Park to Rock Hill Park he is willing to help get that done.
Today the only reminder that Rock Hill once existed is a historical marker located on the northeast corner of PGA Parkway and Preston Street. The name change passed to PGA Parkway but the question is did it ever have a chance to be kept Rock Hill Parkway? Almost every developer who wrote in support of the name change donated to the campaigns of several sitting on our council. When Fehmi Karahan the King of Fields writes that the city should use all available means to support the success of that project and that he urges the city council to support the full renaming of Rockhill from Teel to Coit the city is going to do just that. Cheney accepted over $30k in January 2020 from the big names on these letterheads and he needs that money to pay back his $99,000 personal loan that he took out for campaigning because as he said at the recent debate he is not an independently wealthy man. Has Bill Woodard followed through on working on the renaming of Northeast Park? Not from what we can see. When Universal was recently in front of the council we heard each of them say that they listen to the residents and this is just another example where big money, big investments, and big companies take priority over residents. Words can come from one’s mouth but actions are what matter. That night a man said the citizens of Frisco are being exploited for money and by its actions that is the way it looks. It’s time to bring change to Frisco in this upcoming election and the others in the future. Maybe those sitting on the lofty hill have become too comfortable. I ask you, has someone perhaps sold his soul? I am reminded of the song “Whatever Lola Wants.” I would have to change the words up a bit and sing,
Verse 1
Whatever Fehmi wants, Fehmi get
Whatever the PGA Frisco wants, the PGA Frisco gets
(Bridge)
I always get what I aim for
And your heart and soul is what I came for
Verse 2
Whatever Cheney wants, Cheney gets
Whatever the developers who come here want, the developers gets
There are two things that interest me: the relation of people to each other, and the relation of people to land. – Aldo Leopold
Remember that the land value of a piece of property includes both the value of the land itself as well as any improvements that have been made to it or around it, one could assume land around The Star would dramatically increase in value as the development came together and was completed. Ready for the kicker, would it surprise you that the city sold the piece of land in question which is estimated to be worth $2.7 million to Blue Star Land Phase III for the sale price of$597,912.00 plus the city’s carrying cost of interest over the years? At the time of the sale in 2019 it was all over the news, but did Frisco residents really pay attention? Probably not and truthfully I had no clue until my curious nature got the best of me and I started looking into things last year. Reading this, do you think it sounds like a win? In theory yes, Frisco sold the land which will yield a substantial potential tax revenue.
Stop the time clock, it is time for a replay so you can understand why Frisco residents should care. First, if the city decided to sell that land no matter who bought it and developed it into an office building the city would be taking an asset generating no revenue and turning it into a cash-generating tax site. We would not have lost an opportunity for the potential $190,000,000 in tax revenue.
Second, the city purchased all this land along the tollway years ago with taxpayer money as a future investment. Selling it for the price we paid plus carrying costs seems to dilute the point of the purchase. The Dallas Morning News reported the market value was an estimated $2.7 million and we sold it for $600,000 which means we gave away $2.1 million dollars of taxpayer money. Anyone looking at this with basic common sense would see the land sale plus the potential tax revenue as a blockbuster achievement. Sherlock Holmes might say, “Elementary, my dear Watson that is a win-win for the city and residents.”
On the flip side, if you’re a DFW local then you know Jerry Jones, and his reputation for being a little pompous, arrogant, vain, egocentric, and self-centered. He is not afraid to say what he thinks, show off or even be offensive at times. It is “Jerry’s World”, and we are lucky to be in it and it has been that way for years. He has worked hard, built an empire, and achieved the American Dream and he has every right to act or celebrate that the way he wants. Keeping in mind Jones’s famous ego if the city did a public sale of the 2.4933 acres of land with direct views of Jerry’s empire including the player’s practice fields, do you think Jones would ever let anyone else buy it or develop it? He would do whatever he had to do to protect his STAR! That makes those 2.4933 acres a rare invaluable treasure that is irreplaceable to Jones. Other developers would also see the value of that land and they would come out of the woodwork, and it could potentially create a bidding war for the holy grail tract of land. Can you imagine what it potentially could have sold for?
We are left with so many questions, the first being who the real winner in this deal was. Clearly, it is Blue Star Land. The city is going to say the potential tax revenue outweighs the loss of profit on the land sale but as a taxpayer, I disagree. I see the Superbowl moment for Frisco residents being the profit of the land sale and still achieving the potential tax revenue.
Mayor Jeff Cheney has said multiple times over the years that the Dallas Cowboys moving to Frisco would create a “halo effect” for our local economy. That means it would form a positive cognitive bias that would increase the city’s presence, brand, and attributes making it attractive to other developers and Fortune 500 businesses, so they would want to be and call Frisco home. That leads to my next question, which is logically thinking if we had to recruit businesses by offering oversized incentives before, then what does the “halo effect” do for us now? Does it mean we will not have to dole out large incentives or deals as we had in the past?
Then I thought of marketing, the Dallas Cowboys logo, and the brand is one of the most famous in the world, and companies pay big bucks to do partnership deals with America’s Team. In 1995 Jones had deals with Nike, Pepsi, American Express, and AT&T that were worth more than $60 million. In 2013, AT&T bought the naming rights to the Cowboys Stadium for up to $20 million a year. In 2022, it was reported that the Cowboys grossed $220 million in stadium ads and sponsorship revenue. They also have million-dollar deals with WinStar World Casino, Lincoln Motor Company, Ford, Omni Hotels and Resorts and we could go on and on. So surely in all these deals or incentive packages the city worked out something where we could put the Cowboy’s famous Blue Star on The City of Frisco webpage with a tagline “Home To The Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters” or when you open the Frisco EDC webpage to show off and increase the so-called “halo effect” to future companies looking to relocate to our great city. A quick surf of our sites there are pictures of The Star but none of the famous and iconic Cowboys branding. Nope, nothing, zilch!
What I did find interesting is a 2021 Dallas Morning News article talking about Monument Realty and how they were named the Official Real Estate Company of the Texas Rangers and you guessed it, the Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott is listed as its “chief quarterback officer” and The Cheney Group hangs its hat there. We are awe-struck really because we know that had to cost them a pretty penny to obtain those deals. I mean one would assume that based on the millions of dollars other companies have to pay for partnership deals with these sports teams.
Margaret Mitchell, the Author of Gone With The Wind said “Land is the only thing in the world that amounts to anything, for it’s the only thing in the world that lasts. It’s the only thing worth working for, worth fighting for..” Mitchell was right which is why for anyone who resides here or immigrates here, it is considered the American Dream to own just a slice of the pie.
Now imagine it is 1987, your name is Dan Lansing and you are living on a farmstead that your grandfather and his descendants owned since 1906. You spent the day on the tractor like many other days and now you are relaxing when you hear a knock at the door of your farmhouse. Is your first instinct to think this knock could change my life forever? Probably not, but for Joe Lansing, the knock would change his life forever. Standing before him was a woman who worked for the local film office, and she had been deployed to drive the dusty gravel roads in search of just the right eye candy when she spotted what she later would tell the film studios was the “holy grail!” A white clapboard, two-story farmhouse nestled against a hillside with the iconic red barn nearby and plenty of cornfields. Sue Riedel introduced herself and said she was a scout for Universal Studios and that they might want to come here and film a movie, would that be OK? Lansing responded, “Are you crazy?” That day changed everything for the Lansing farm located at 28995 Lansing Road.
What would happen next is the Field of Dreams. Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella is inspired by a voice he can’t ignore as he walks through the corn fields doing a regular inspection. “If you build it, he will come.” Kinsella plows his field and builds a ballpark which will later save his family farm. The final iconic shot of the film showed the ghost players emerging from the corn fields for a ballgame. Dan and his wife Becky later sold the land for a rumored $5.4 million to Ballpark Heaven who wanted to turn it into a $74 million baseball and softball complex to draw tournaments from all over the country. Even today, the mythical Field of Dreams has spawned thousands of people to visit Dyersville, Iowa every year and it is one of the top 10 attractions in the state. The movie Field of Dreams changed life for the Lansing family forever and residents of Frisco would be surprised to learn that Dan and Becky lived in Frisco for a period after selling the Iowa property.
Land in Texas is undergoing a fundamental change, one that has implications for rural economics, food security, and the conservation of water and other natural resources. Texas Land Trends reports that from 1997 to 2017 the Texas population increased by 48% which means we continue to see land loss as urban development takes over. The land value of a piece of property includes both the value of the land itself as well as any improvements that have been made to it. So many different factors can affect land value such as an increase in demand that exceeds the supply of land, if a movie is filmed on it, oil can be found under the soil, or because of nearby developments.
Remember in our blog, Frisco, Are You Ready For Some Football we said to make a mental note of a land deal that took place in February 2019. Remember the timeline, The Star was approved in August 2013, and the Dallas Cowboys moved into the new corporate headquarters and training facility with a 12,000-seat stadium in August 2016. The following year in May of 2017, the city council approved 12 Cowboys Way, The Stars luxury high-rise community. The Entertainment District at The Star held its grand opening weekend-long event in March 2018.
In February 2019, the council had two agenda items before them relating to Jerry Jones and his Blue Star companies which included,
Consider and act upon a contract of sale by and between Blue Star Land Phase III, LLC and the City of Frisco for the purchase of a 2.4933-acre tract of land.
Consider and act upon a Chapter 380 Agreement by and between Blue Star Land Phase III, LLC and the City of Frisco related to the purchase of a 2.4933-acre tract of land.
First question, where is the 2.4933-acre tract of land? If you drive up The Star Boulevard you look directly at the Tostitos Championship Plaza which replicates a football field and directly behind it you see The Ford Center a 12,000-seat stadium. To the left of The Ford Center are the two practice fields that sit directly behind the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters. Directly behind those fields is a 2.4933-acre tract of land (along Hall of Fame Lane) that the city owns and is allowing the Cowboys to use as a player’s parking lot only.
Second question, what is the benefit to taxpayers? According to Ron Patterson, President of the Frisco Economic Development Corp., the estimated value of the proposed future office building will be approximately $190,000,000. Blue Star Land committed to having the project done and ready to move into as early as 2021.
Doesn’t sound like a bad deal right? Well, you have not heard the kicker yet which will talk about in our next blog after the Halftime Show. Stay Tuned!
Click Bait is an eye-catching headline designed to entice a reader’s interest, so they click on a hyperlink that redirects them to some interesting or exciting content. It can be innocent or sinister depending on how it is used. For example, you would likely click on a headline that read World Naked Gardening Day vs a headline like Weekend Gardner. The headline is meant to drive traffic, therefore increasing readership or potential revenue from advertising. So what did you think when you read the headline, “Frisco, are you ready for some football?” Surely after reading some of our blogs, you probably thought we might be about to drop some shady shit on the King Pins of Football, and you could be right. As Jimmy Johnson would say, “how bout dem cowboys!”
Enigma is a person that is mysterious, difficult to understand, or hard to explain. For years at local watering holes (bars) in the DFW area, the Enigma of J.R. Ewing and Jerry Jones has often been talked about. While we know J.R. is only a character in the hit show Dallas, the rise of Jerry Jones and his empire is very real! Most know Jones for his ownership of America’s Team the Dallas Cowboys but there is much more to the billionaire businessman. It has been reported that in the 1970s Jones made his first millions in oil. In 2018, Jones became the controlling shareholder in Comstock Resources which is a publicly traded Texas oil and gas company. In 2013, local TV news station WFAA reported Blue Star Land owned by Jones had at least 1200 acres across Frisco, Prosper, and Celina. According to its website Blue Star Land and Development is a full-service real estate brokerage. Rex Real Estate brought the Jones family to Frisco in 1994 when they purchased the land for the master-planned community Starwood. They have since developed two other communities with Star Creek in Allen, and Star Trail in Prosper. Blue Star is also the developer behind The Gates of Prosper a major regional shopping area. On the industrial / commercial side Blue Star Land purchased Star Business Park off Rockhill and Preston in Frisco which is home to a new merchandise distribution center for the Dallas Cowboys along with The Star in Frisco. In 2015, Jones opened Blue Star Payment Solutions with the goal of offering first-class merchant services. Lastly, it is rumored that Jones is an avid art collector and his rare collection includes a few Picassos, Renoir, Matisse, and Norman Rockwall’s “Coin Toss.” At 80 years old Forbes estimates his net worth to be around $13 Billion. Not bad for a kid who grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and played football in college for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
In 1989, Hank Williams reworked his country-rock song to include the catchphrase “are you ready for some football!” The catchy phrase soon became an NFL viewing tradition at the opening of Monday Night Football. Well Sports City USA was ready for some football! Frisco was ready for a seat at the table in 2013, when Stephen Jones, CEO of the Dallas Cowboys realized it was time to move because the team had outgrown the Valley Ranch facility they had called home since 1985. So, how did the Cowboys end up coming to Frisco?
There are several variations to the story depending on whom you ask. What we have heard is two men, Rex Glendenning and Matthew Kiran of Rex Real Estate had a longtime relationship with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. It is believed Rex Real Estate helped Jerry Jones’ companies like Blue Star Land buy up land in Denton and Colin County for years. A Dallas Morning News article in February of 2023 called Rex Glendenning the “king of land sales” in North Texas’ fastest-growing communities. Rex Glendenning and Matthew Kiran attended a meeting at Valley Ranch and learned the Cowboys were quietly looking for a new home. On a drive back from Valley Ranch The Rex Real Estate duo had an epiphany as they crossed 121 and looked at each other and said this is where the future “Gridiron” Cowboys project needs to be. Made sense the City of Frisco owned 91 acres just off the Tollway and they knew the city had no plans after the negotiations fell apart in the “Red Zone” with Nebraska Furniture Mart. It was time for the Wildcat play which is where the quarterback lines up as the wide receiver and the running back take the snap from the center. The Rex Real Estate team made their pitch to Jim Gandy, President of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation. The Super Bowl moment came late in 2013 when the parties reached an agreement and America’s Team officially announced Frisco’s Sports City USA would be their new home.
The 91-acre mixed-use project included 66 acres of retail, a 5-acre headquarters, a 20-acre multi-use event center, and a hotel. In the deal, the city pledged $60 million and would retain ownership of the indoor stadium and Frisco ISD contributed $30 million. The final price tag for the total Ford Center was more than $263 million. Talk about a “win-win” for Frisco, Texas when five years later The Star celebrated its grand opening with the pomp and circumstance befitting of the one and only Jerry Jones.
As usual, we were curious about the play clock (aka timeline) of the project compared to any campaign contributions received by those on the council. We reviewed the campaign finance reports which are public records on the City of Frisco’s website.
August 12, 2013: Frisco CDC, City Council, and Frisco EDC approve The Star
2016: Ford Center @ The Star has Grand Opening
May 11, 2017: Cheney receives a $10,000 campaign contribution from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate)
August 22, 2017: P&Z Approves 12 Cowboys Way
What is 12 Cowboys Way? It is a joint venture between Jerry Jones and Dallas developer Columbus Realty which is owned by former players Roger Staubach and Robert Shaw. The stunning architecture of the 17-story luxury residential tower, the first of its kind in Frisco, will have 160 urban units where rent begins at $2700 per month. Amenities include 24-hour concierge service, covered parking, dog park and dog wash, valet parking, grocery delivery service, and dry-cleaning service. Not to mention discounts at restaurants at The Star and a Cowboys Club membership.
September 9, 2017: City Council Approves 12 Cowboys Way
January 25, 2018: Mayor Cheney receives a $1000 campaign contribution from Matthew Kiran and $2500 from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate Team)
March 5, 2018: Mayor Cheney receives a $500 campaign contribution from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate)
March 5, 2018: Councilman John Keating receives a $500 campaign contribution from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate)
April 6, 2018: Councilman Keating receives $2500 from Jim Williams (LandPlan – Founder)
Who is Jim Williams? Williams played football with Jerry and Jimmy at Walton College. His partner Bruce Smith was Vice President & General Manager of Blue Star Land (Jerry Jones company).
May 6, 2018: Councilman Keating receives (2) two $1000 donations from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate)
August 2018: City Council Approves Cowboys 400,000 Sq Ft. Dallas Cowboys Merchandising Distribution Center
**The city approved a 50 percent ad valorem tax grant and a 50 percent sales tax grant for a 10-year period.
February 19, 2019: City Council Approves Cowboys Land Deal – Office Building
**Make a mental note of this one because it will be important later.
March 7, 2019: Councilman Keating receives a $2500 campaign contribution from Jim Williams (LandPlan – Founder)
March 19, 2019: Mayor Cheney receives two campaign contributions, one for $2500, the second for $100 from Jim Williams (LandPlan – Founder)
October 17, 2019: Mayor Cheney receives a $1000 campaign contribution from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate)
January 30, 2020: Mayor Cheney receives a $2500 campaign contribution from Robert Shaw and $1000 from Richard Reupke
Who is Robert Shaw and Richard Reupke? Shaw is also a Managing Partner of Columbus Realty Partners and he was a first-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys in 1979 where he played for three years. Reupke is a partner and Chief Financial Officer at Columbus Realty Partners. Both are advisors for Staubach Capital (12 Cowboys Way).
2020: Robert Cox then Planning & Zoning Commissioner running for Council received $350 from Kiran and $1000 from Hickman
January 25, 2021: Angelia Pelham received a $3000 campaign contribution from Jim Williams (LandPlan – Founder)
In the movie Jerry Maguire, Rod Tidwell played by Cuba Gooding, Jr., is not thrilled with his agent’s performance so he wants his agent Jerry to convince him to stay on as a client. Jerry asks what he can do to convince him, and Rod said, “Show me the money.” He then made Jerry repeat it over and over, louder, and louder until everyone in the office had thought Jerry lost his mind. If only it were as simple as it appears in the movies. The investigative process is a progression of activities or steps moving from evidence-gathering tasks to information analysis, to theory development and validation. The goal is to form a reasonable belief based on the evidence in front of you. The truth is we are not professionals, so we lack the expertise of real investigators but as we said before we are smart enough to follow the yellow brick road.
First, we looked for donations that occurred within a few months of a vote. For example, Cheney received $10,000 dollars from Rex Glendenning (Rex Real Estate) roughly 3 months before the P&Z vote in August 2017 and 4 months before the City Council approved the 12 Cowboys Way project in September 2017. Then about 3 ½ months after the vote, he received another $2500 from Glendenning and $1000 from his partner Kiran. Depending on the lens someone is looking through the timing could look fine, or it could look like a pay-2-play situation. Cheney just won the election, so he is not campaigning anymore. Why when there is a project coming before the council did they decide to donate? Glendenning also donated $1000 in October 2019 but that was not in close proximity to a vote.
In February 2019, the council voted to approve the land deal with Blue Star. Then exactly one month later Williams who has a clear connection to Jones made two donations on the same day to Cheney’s campaign. The first was for $2500 and the second for $1000. To those with basic common sense, again the timing of one month looks bad and now we are seeing similar things between different developments.
Keating also received donations from players in these projects. In March 2018, Glendenning donated $500, and then in May 2018, he made two donations each for $1000 on the same day. In April 2018, Williams also donated $2500 to Keating’s campaign. The vote for the Blue Star distribution center was not until August 2018 so one could argue there is enough time between the last donation and the actual vote. However, with a total of $5000 in donations three months before the vote we would argue something doesn’t smell right in Frisco.
Angelia Pelham one of the newest members of the council also received a $3000 donation from Jim Williams in January 2021. This donation occurred during her campaign and looks completely justifiable as she was not able to vote at the time for any projects. From our perspective, Cheney needed Pelham on the council because she would vote on future projects with Cheney whereas the other candidate would not have been so easy to win over. It is also interesting that Pelham who was sworn in on June 15, 2021, became Deputy Mayor Pro Tem so quickly when other council members like Livingston, Woodard, or Keating have years of experience on the council. In that position, it is her job to stand in for the mayor when they are unable to chair a council meeting or attend an event. A few more years of experience under her belt on council would make more sense but we can only assume Cheney needed her as his right hand.
What we found interesting is that going back through both Cheney and Keating campaign reports to 2013 we could not find any other previous contributions from these donors, so why now? Patterns are predictable repetitions that repeat at least once or twice or occur repeatedly at regular intervals. The legal definition for the pattern of behavior means behavior by one party in a relationship that is used to establish power and control over another person. One could argue that when you are the mayor you have a lot of power and control to get things done. We are not accusing anyone of doing something illegal but, it is our opinion that there is at least a reoccurring appearance of improprieties and if perception can be the reality then that would not bode well for either of men.
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