Dallas City Leaders Block Sex Expo

Dallas city leaders have blocked a sex expo from coming to the city-owned convention center this year.

Exxxotica held an event at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for its first visit to Dallas last year. But this year, Mayor Mike Rawlings and others pushed back against it.

On Wednesday, Dallas city council voted 8 to 7 to support Rawlings' resolution to deny the convention to be held at the city-owned facility.

"I believe in civil liberties, as well as in my civic obligation to fight for what is right for the city of Dallas. Based on what I know about this organization and event, it is not something that belongs in our city," Rawlings said in a statement.

The sentiment was echoed by Dallas-based nonprofit New Friends New Life, a support group for victims of human trafficking. The organization does not believe Exxxotica is appropriate for a city space. CEO Katie Pedigo argued that the city can deny Exxxotica access to the convention center on the grounds that it violates a city ordinance prohibiting a "sexually oriented business" from operating within 1,000 feet of parks, schools, hospitals and other spaces shared by families and youth.

"We need to enforce our own laws," said Pedigo. "A sexually-oriented business could contribute to a secondary harm and that secondary harm is crime and in particular, prostitution."

But not all city officials agreed. According to District 1 Councilman Scott Griggs, the Dallas city attorney's office does not believe there is any legal argument that could keep Exxxotica out of the city convention center.

"Our attorneys did not agree with that assessment last year and do not agree with it this year," Griggs explained. "It's a First Amendment right. Any group is entitled to use any facilities. And this is a city owned, city subsidized facility."

The council voted on a resolution that called for prohibiting the event to take place at the convention center.

A spokesperson for Exxxotica was in attendance. In response to concerns that the event could inadvertently lead to crime and prostitution, Exxxotica sent NBC 5 a statement refuting the claim.

"It is a topic that anybody in their right mind would be concerned about. It just doesn't have anything to do with our event," wrote the group's event director, J. Handy. "Our event couldn't be further from that."

Handy told the Dallas City Council his event is protected by the Constitution and he has won fights to uphold it before. As he left the meeting Wednesday he said he was going to see his lawyers and plans to sue Dallas.

The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is named for the former U.S. senator who watched the entire city council debate Wednesday. Hutchison said she was horrified to see Exxxotica in the building last year and pleased the Dallas City Council blocked it this year.

"They made the right decision and the mayor was a leader," Hutchison said. "This year, thank goodness, the mayor brought it forward before there was a contract, so there was no contractual obligation that would have been broken."

NBC 5's Holley Ford and Robert Wilonsky of The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report.