The fight over Las Vegas Sand’ proposed development in Irving has taken another turn, with a court filing accusing the city’s chamber of commerce of concealing negotiations over the former Texas Stadium site.
A Dallas County court petition filed on behalf of Irving resident Ada Pimentel seeks pre-suit discovery from the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, alleging it colluded with Sands in a “clandestine” attempt to acquire city-owned land without transparency, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The filing, which does not cite direct evidence of a sale, requests oral and videotaped testimony from a chamber official and alleges misuse of public funds, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and breach of contract.
Pimentel’s attorney Cliff Riley said the aim is to compel the chamber to turn over records related to Village Walk RE 2, a Sands-affiliated entity. The company already owns more than 200 acres adjacent to the Texas Stadium site and rezoned a 182-acre tract nearby in March, though the casino component was removed after public backlash. It was a key part of Sands’ proposal, even though gambling is illegal in Texas.
The chamber and Sands deny any wrongdoing. Beth Bowman, the chamber’s CEO, called the allegations “baseless and factually erroneous.” Bowman said there were and are no “negotiations underway for the sale of the former stadium site.”
The filing references letters from the chamber and the city sent to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, asking to withhold certain records from public release.
The chamber said the project is in early, competitive stages and no deal has been finalized.
Pimentel’s petition calls the stadium site Irving’s “crown jewel” and says the Sands project could become “the largest casino in the world” if allowed to expand.
The legal salvo lands just weeks before three city council seats go before voters in a highly contentious local election. The Texas Anti-Predatory Gaming Alliance, a group opposed to the Sands proposal, has ramped up messaging across the city. Pimentel wore the group’s button at a March zoning meeting where she spoke against the plan.
The city and chamber have not commented further. Sands, which did not respond to the latest filing, is under a nondisclosure agreement with the city.
— Judah Duke
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