Reunion Arena Going Out of Buisness

One of the metroplex's historical venues could possibly be closing down soon.The rising economic cost of hosting concerts at the cavernous Dallas facility and American Airlines Center contributed to the success of the Nokia facility in Grand Prairie.I look back on several great moments in sports history,and those wonderful concerts. The sports events ,watching the track stars of the 80"s ,the NBA All Star Game, (I still can't get over Spud Webb dunking)and my Mavericks,Ro,Derek ,and Mark,the original triplets.Wow the concerts of the past!Prince bringing in the New Year,Rick James and his infamous concerts,and Parliament Funkadelic opening up the arena. The long ago dates I had with my friends watching Luther, the Commodores ,Whitney and many others .Dreams die hard,memories linger on. As a seventeen year old ,I looked upon with pride,the diamond that was Reunion,today as a forty seven year old I wax nostalgically for the past.


By RICHARD ABSHIRE / The Dallas Morning News
rabshire@dallasnews.com
Instead of a last hurrah, it was a last hallelujah for Reunion Arena.
Former home to the Mavericks' NBA playoff games and the Stars' Stanley Cup rally, the 28-year-old arena bowed out Saturday evening with "Noche de Sanidad y Mulagros," a Spanish-language evangelical revival hosted by California-based Una Voz Profetica a las Naciones, A Prophetic Voice for the Nations.
Prophet Adrian Amado predicted attendance at 13,000 for an evening "with the vision to help people with special needs by giving them words of hope and healing."
At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, an estimated 5,000 men, women and children were standing, clapping in rhythm . Admission was free.
Norma Smith has worked security at the arena and at other venues around town since 1993 and she doesn't like the idea of tearing the place down.
"The city should sell [Reunion] to somebody that will use it or lease it out," she said. "I'm very disenchanted."
After losing more than $6 million in the last five years hosting American Airlines Center's leftover events, Reunion's once-glamorous run may come to an end this month. The Dallas City Council is expected to vote Wednesday ,June 25 on shutting it down.

Grand Prairie TV Comes Alive

The GPTV web site has been up and running for several years now .
The city continues to search for the best qualified applicants to meet the requiremnets for our public service .
The web site gives information on the city services and is accessible for all those who have the internet . Check it out , its quite interesting . Ride the wave , and embrace technology.
http://www.gptx.org/
http://www.gptexas.com/
http://gptx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=63

Lets Go to the YMCA

Last week , there was an unfortunate incident at the Grand Prairie YMCA . Our local police and the YMCA leaders have committed to provide the patrons with a safe enviroment to enjoy our wonderful community YMCA. We have a wonderful program that is bursting out with excitement ! In our local YMCA , I feel safe and secure as I try to will myself into a better fit body . Join me and my family as we all work out this summer . The YMCA is more than a building it is a way of life !

About The Y ..........
More than just a gym, a pool, or a place for fitness, the YMCA is a place where our highest priorities are placed on developing character and values. Our members experience a sense of belonging that can''t be found anywhere else!
Of course, we can take care of your wellness needs with group exercise classes, strength training and cardiovascular equipment. But at the YMCA, you''ll find so much more. We offer programs to members of all ages and abilities - like swim lessons, karate, child care, team sports, even homework help - just to name a few. We also provide opportunities for our members to give back to their communities through meaningful volunteer work. The Y offers fitness, family and community...all in one extraordinary place.

Airhogs Fly Into Town

Airhogs Fly Into Town

Jon Nielsen from the Dallas Morning News (DMN 05/16/08 edition ) contributed content for this blog.

When pigs fly ! They fly in Grand Prairie Texas . My home town recently built a 20 million dollar $tadium for a minor league baseball team , the name of the team Grand Prairie Air Hogs .
The Airhogs name come from the nickname pilots game themselves when they use to hog the airspace .
6000 plus Grand Prairie residents crowded into a ballpark Friday night that was less than 10 miles from were the Texas Rangers are playing against the Houston Astros .
The best is yet to come for this team and Grand Prairie . It seems like the whole town was cheering for the success of the team and the town.
The following is the story as reported by Jon Nielsen of the award winning Dallas Morning News :
Grand Prairie resident Ed Gray is among those who bought season tickets for the AirHogs' inaugural season. He'll be at QuikTrip Park for the first pitch tonight.
"I can't think of this weekend without my mom, apple pie and baseball," Mr. Gray said.
A 17-year resident of Grand Prairie, Mr. Gray said he remembers the buzz when the Lone Star Park horse-racing track opened in 1997. He said he feels the same way about QuikTrip Park.
"One of the things that I'm also excited [about] is the baseball they bring to the city is a family event," said Mr. Gray, who purchased three season tickets behind home plate. "You have a lot of crowd participation; the prices are reasonable. With the economy being the way it is now, you have to stretch the dollar."
The baseball stadium joins Lone Star Park and Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie's entertainment district off Belt Line Road. In addition to the AirHogs' sold-out home opener tonight, Nokia Theatre will host comedian George Lopez and Lone Star Park will have its nightly live horse races.