85R33078 BPG-D
By: Johnson of Dallas H.R. No. 2525
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, In the 1930s, the Texas Centennial Commission
selected Dallas as the site for the celebration of the 100th
anniversary of the state's independence from Mexico; and
WHEREAS, The event was designed to draw the world's attention
to the Lone Star State, and Dallas was chosen over other cities
because of its central location for out-of-state visitors and the
availability of Fair Park, home of the State Fair of Texas; civic
leaders committed themselves to the $25 million project, and in
under a year, dozens of buildings were renovated or constructed
under the direction of famed Dallas architect George Dahl, who
fused southwestern themes and contemporary styles to tell the
stories of the state's history, culture, natural beauty, economy,
and innovation; and
WHEREAS, On June 6, 1936, the exposition opened to large
crowds; more than 6 million people visited Fair Park over the next
six months, among them President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; with
nationwide publicity, the event established Dallas as a modern,
dynamic destination and helped lift the city out of the Great
Depression; the business leaders who organized the fair went on to
form the Dallas Citizens Council, which continues to wield
tremendous influence in the civic sphere; moreover, the event
increased tourism beyond Dallas and provided nationwide publicity
for Texas as an exciting place to live; and
WHEREAS, Fair Park is admired today as one of the world's
largest and loveliest collections of art deco architecture and art,
and it stands as the nation's only intact, unaltered world's fair
site from the early 20th century; choosing Dallas as the site for
the 2036 Texas Bicentennial Exposition would energize renovation
efforts and also spur infrastructure improvements in South Dallas
and other areas of the city; and
WHEREAS, The Centennial Exposition played a pivotal role in
the evolution of Dallas as a major metropolis, and it would be most
fitting for the next such celebration to take place at historic Fair
Park; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby express its support for the selection of Dallas
as host of the 2036 Texas Bicentennial Exposition.