Devyani Chhetri

Council members signaled tentative support as consultants outlined the complexity, costs and tradeoffs of repairing the aging landmark.

Though skepticism lingered, several council members said they felt more comfortable with the direction of the repair process after hearing from another set of consultants.

As consultants walked the City Council through the makings of a repair program for the City Hall building, the split inside the chambers was easy to see.

City leaders, council members and preservation groups remain at odds over what vote threshold would govern relocating City Hall.

Welts says no future plans will contain gambling elements even as the team’s ownership and their ties to casino-style resorts grow their presence in the Dallas area.

Some City Council members voiced concerns about rising costs, but feared rejecting the deal could lead to even higher bills.

Despite the team's ownership demonstrating an interest in legalizing gambling in Texas, Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts maintains the group does not have a “casino component” attached to current plans for a new arena.

Sparse but chilling details show the firm overseeing a soil analysis at the site of a deadly Oak Cliff apartment explosion reported a drilling company damaged a gas line near the building.

Dallas looks to keep the Mavericks in city limits, but downtown loses a potential catalyst for City Hall redevelopment and new investment.

Downtown advocates lament a lost opportunity. Preservationists say the city can now rethink City Hall on its own merits.