Saving Neiman Marcus 🛍️

In time, the full story of what saved the flagship Downtown Neiman Marcus store — at least through Christmas 2025 — will be told in bars, ballrooms, and board rooms.

We know it was a classic tale of Dallas public and private sector leaders locking arms in a fight to protect the beating heart of our city. We know it appeared to be a “Hail Mary” effort in the face of repeated insistence from Saks Global leaders that the store would close at the end of March.

We know the next chapter may well wind it’s way through Dallas City Council chambers, should discussions include economic development incentives.

On Friday, Saks Global announced the store’s continued operations “while it explores a reimagination of the location in collaboration with the City of Dallas.”

Added Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, “We are excited that Saks Global has decided to keep Neiman Marcus open Downtown, as we explore the opportunity to unlock the potential to transform Downtown into an international beacon and economic engine for fashion - just as the Neiman Marcus founders intended when they opened the store more than 100 years ago. We look forward to exploring what‘s on the horizon and are committed to continuing our conversations with the Saks Global team.”

Next week, City Council members will vote to formally accept a donation to the City of a slice of land under the store that was originally said to have prompted the decision to close. That vote was pushed two weeks while Tolbert held the private negotiations that led to Friday’s joyous announcement.

From there, it could be a few months before we get a look at what it will take to keep the store operating in Downtown beyond this year. By that time, at least four new City Council members will likely have been seated.

Much as city leaders have come together for successful bond campaigns, the ongoing convention center redevelopment effort, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (more on that below), the fight to keep the Downtown Neiman Marcus open is about the greater good for all of Dallas.

“It’s vital for us to come together to support and to preserve the history that we have as a city,” Dallas Economic Development Corporation CEO Linda McMahon said at a press conference outside the store a little over a month ago. “That’s what makes Dallas special.”

“Losing Neiman Marcus would be more than just a store shutting down,” said Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI) President and CEO Jennifer Scripps. “It’s the loss of a historic landmark, a pillar of Dallas culture, and a symbol of the vibrancy that makes our city unique.”

“This magnificent store for decades has been the heartbeat, the lifeblood, the brain. It’s been everything to do with luxury retail around the world,” said Shawn Todd of Todd Interests. “It all started here in Texas.”

The full story of that magical Downtown store has yet to be told. Our mayor and City Council members may soon have the chance to help us tell it.

📖 Table of Contents

• 🗳️ Candidates of Interest

• 📰 Highlights From Last Week's Meetings

• 📝 Memos of Interest

• 🤝 Meetings of Interest: March 31 - April 4

  • Tuesday, April 1

    • Downtown Connection TIF and Downtown Development Authority

  • Wednesday, April 2

    • Dallas City Council Briefing

  • Thursday, April 3

    • DFW Airport Board

    • Dallas Park & Recreation Board

🗳️ Candidates of Interest

Our special series on candidates in the upcoming May City Council elections continues with a focus on two more races.

📰 Highlights From Last Week’s Meetings of Interest

Dallas City Council members on Wednesday:

• Approved Item 3 to restore $462,416 for the continued operations and maintenance of a Downtown tunnel under Thanks-Giving Square that raised concerns during budget discussions last year. The item also included a $7.6 million allocation of federal pandemic relief funds to be used for Dallas police hiring and retention.

• Approved Item 19, authorizing the City to make an $11.3 million purchase of a North Dallas strip shopping center that could one day become part of the long-promised park where Valley View Center once stood.

• Approved Item 33, extending the City’s management agreement with the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) for the Downtown facility through September 30, 2027. The City and DMA are negotiating a longer term extension.

• Approved Item 34, the City’s latest statement of support for fully funding DART at the current 1% sales tax rate. The resolution comes as state legislators continue deliberations on potential funding cuts.

• Deferred to April 9 Item 54, a formal acceptance of a donation to the City of a slice of land under the Downtown Neiman Marcus store that was said to have been at the heart of Saks Global’s decision to close the store. Slaughter Partners agreed to donate the property following talks with a group led by Tolbert, Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI) President & CEO Jennifer Scripps, Todd Interests Founder Shawn Todd, and Dallas Economic Development Corporation CEO Linda McMahon. Tolbert asked for the delay of this vote to allow more time to negotiate on the Neiman Marcus store extension announced on Friday.

• Approved with several amendments case Z26, the North Dallas Pepper Square Shopping Center rezoning case that has drawn opposition from many area residents. Read more from the Dallas Business Journal.

Also last week:

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board members voted to direct 5% of annual sales tax revenues back to certain service area cities to use for transportation projects. It was the latest in a series of local actions to address some suburban cities’ concerns about equity of services. DART officials hope state legislators will back off bills that could severely defund the agency.

📝 Memos of Interest

• Want to participate in the “non-statistically valid” version of this year’s City of Dallas Community Survey? Complete it online at dallassurvey.org. The survey is also sent by mail to at least 2,100 residents (minimum 150 per City Council district) with results of that version considered “statistically valid with a 95% confidence level,” according to city officials. The online survey results will not be used in statistical analysis or benchmarking, but they sure could be used for political purposes.

• City planning and development officials miscalculated a commercial remodel permitting fee adopted by the City Council last year, cutting revenues in half of what was anticipated, according to this memo. To correct the error, City Council members will be asked in April to vote on a new fee calculation “with an inflation adjustment,” among other changes.

• City Manager Tolbert is starting a handy new Friday memo to answer all unanswered questions from City Council committee meetings. This first edition has a bunch of interesting nuggets about procurement, homelessness projects, and convention center operations.

• The years-long parking code reform process finally moves to City Council, beginning with a committee briefing on Monday, April 7. To get you ready for the next round of fun, here’s a breakdown of the City Plan Commission recommendations.

• Here’s the complete City Manager memo packet for Friday, March 28, 2025.

🤝 Meetings of Interest: March 31 - April 4

Tuesday, April 1

Downtown Connection Tax Increment Financing District and Downtown Dallas Development Authority Board of Directors Joint Meeting, 1 p.m., 6DN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

• The meeting agenda includes discussion of a nearly $30 million development agreement for a new fire station in Downtown to replace the one currently located at 660 North Griffin Street. The new station would be located west of Field Street between San Jacinto and Patterson streets.

Wednesday, April 2

Dallas City Council Briefing, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

• City staff will share new details about a planned 20-acre Dallas police regional training facility at the University of North Texas at Dallas. They will also outline plans for a separate 60-plus acre site that will be needed to house more classrooms, indoor and outdoor firearms training, a simulated tactical village, an emergency vehicle training course, and Dallas fire training elements, according to briefing materials.

• The planned FIFA World Cup 2026 International Broadcast Center at the Downtown convention center is expected to draw 2,000 international journalists here next summer, this briefing notes. A FIFA fan festival will be held at Fair Park. The estimated regional economic impact from hosting nine matches in Arlington is up to $2.1 billion

• City Council members will also deliberate in closed session on a potential real estate transaction involving the former Dallas Morning News building at 508 Young Street. Current building owner and developer Ray Washburne says he is selling the property to a data center provider, but city officials say a portion of the property is needed for the convention center redevelopment.

Thursday, April 3

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board of Directors, 8:30 a.m., 2400 Aviation Drive, Board Room DFW Airport HQ Building, DFW Airport

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board of Directors, 9:30 a.m., 2337 South International Parkway, Grand Hyatt DFW — North America Rooms A and B, DFW Airport

• This meeting includes closed-door interviews with candidates to replace retiring airport CEO Sean Donohue.

Dallas Park and Recreation Board, 10 a.m., 6FN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

• The Board (on which I serve) will vote on whether to authorize the naming of the H-E-B Main Stage Fountain at the forthcoming Halperin Park (formerly Southern Gateway Park). H-E-B is making a $1 million donation to the park’s foundation.

🗣️ Quote of Interest

Did I miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to talk about meetings and memos and other fun stuff? Hit me up.