The Irving Toyota Music Factory achieved less than half the minority participation goal for construction spending according to new figures obtained by community activist Anthony Bond.
“It’s about right versus wrong,” Bond said Wednesday.
To bring jobs and opportunity to Irving, Bond supported the 2007 referendum in which voters approved city participation in the project.
“What was sold to them was that the City of Irving was going to be inclusive,” Bond said.
He continued the crusade over the past decade through Irving City Hall delays. Ground breaking came three years ago with a minority and women owned business participation goal of 30% in the city where just 24% of the population is White.
“That’s a minimum standard. That’s not the ceiling. The minimum participation should be 30%. It’s about fair share,” Bond said.
He was pleased to see the largest concert stage at the Toyota Music Factory finally open last month but disappointed with the spending information he received in an open records request. Just 13% of the $96 million spent by the developer so far has gone to MWBE’s.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“That shows me nearly 90% of every dollar spent to build this has gone to White owned businesses in the most diverse city in Dallas County and one of the most diverse populations in America. And that’s not fair share and it’s not right,” Bond said.
Developer Noah Lazes with the Ark Group of Irving did not return a message left with a representative at his office in North Carolina.
Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer was out of town Wednesday and unavailable for comment. Dennis Webb, the only African American on the Irving City Council, declined comment saying he had not seen the figures.
City of Irving Communications Director Susan Rose provided a statement in response to a request for comment from city administration.
“The City of Irving contracted with Ark Group of Irving, Inc., as the developer of the music factory. Recruiting and securing MWBE contractors is an adopted policy of the City of Irving. In our contract with Ark, they have agreed to comply with our Good Faith Effort Program when sourcing contractors,” the statement said.
Anthony Bond said Irving should require more than just good faith.
“The City of Irving entered into a contract that they couldn’t enforce,” Bond said. “I hold the City of Irving more accountable for this.”
Individual restaurants are also separately hiring contractors to finish out their own spaces at the project.
Veronica Munoz is 100% owner of Mezquite Installation, a MWBE certified contractor that does mostly commercial flooring, tile and counter-tops. Her Dallas company is named for a ranch in Mexico.
“I’ve been in this business since 93,” she said. “We have a ton of workers so we’re able to grow,” she said.
Munoz firm has been hired to help complete the interior of Boi Na Braza restaurant at the Toyota Music Factory.
“There’s a lot of construction going on and still a lot of work ahead there,” Munoz said.
In addition to the restaurants, around $30 million is still to be spent by the developer to finish the project. If all of that money went to MWBE’s, it would still fall short of the 30% goal.
