A Dallas Park Board vote on a total smoking ban on all Dallas park property has been delayed, maybe months, after a long debate on exceptions.
The ban in its original form would have included smoking indoors and outdoors at Fair Park, public golf courses and other city-owned park land and buildings.
Stevens Park golf pro Jim Henderson said nearly a quarter of the population smokes and golfers spend hours at the course.
"We're in a service industry and so with a ban, we're talking about limiting services, limiting opportunities," Henderson said.
The Stevens Park Clubhouse sells cigars and Henderson said it brought in $10,000 in revenue last year for the city-owned course.
"I don't smoke. I never have smoked. So, I'm not advocating smoking. I'm just a businessman. This is a business and we're trying to generate revenue for the city and for the golf pros. And this is bad for business," Henderson said.
Henderson said he has never heard smoking complaints at the golf course and he will speak against the total ban.
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Practicing his chip shot at the course Thursday, non-smoking golfer Patrick Corey said smoke has never bothered him and golfers should be allowed to make their own choice about smoking.
"I guess that having designated areas where people know there's going to be smoke they can avoid, that would make some more sense," Corey said.
Records for Thursday's Park Board meeting indicate exceptions have been considered for golf courses, the State Fair of Texas at Dallas Fair Park and other special events.
Exceptions were rejected in a 4-to-3 vote of the Park Board Administration and Finance Committee on Feb. 18.
Park Board members supporting the ban have said Dallas is behind the times allowing smoking in healthy places like parks.
Regardless of what the full Park Board recommends, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and the Dallas City Council will get the final say later.
By e-mail Wednesday, Mayor Mike Rawlings provided a statement that suggests he prefers compromise.
"I support our effort to stop smoking in our parks and better protect the health of our citizens. I look forward to receiving input from the Park Board on the appropriate exceptions for our complex parks system," Rawlings statement said.
