There was a rally by Houston Dynamo fans over the weekend in support of getting the stadium deal done. Hair Balls and the Chron’s Glenn Davis have coverage. From what I can see, it looks to me like the ralliers have the right idea. From the Chron:
“This is the best stadium deal that has ever been presented in the city of Houston,” says Dynamo fan and local attorney Eric Nordstrom. “At a time of great uncertainty, the club stands ready to pour $60 million of its own money into the stadium. Opponents often insist if the club wants a new stadium they should pay for it themselves. That is exactly what the Dynamo are trying to do.”
That’s the message I would push if I were them. It’s been clear for some time now that the opposition to the stadium is from folks who believe that the city and/or county are proposing to spend millions of dollars on the construction, which isn’t the case at all. I think you have to bat that idea down to make some progress on it. Which isn’t to say that opponents would naturally favor the TIRZ approach, but at least then you can be arguing about what is actually on the table.
From Hair Balls:
According to Nordstrom, this rally was the first of three they hope to organize. The supporters hope to hear from team officials and political leaders at the next rally, namely Mayor Annise Parker and County Commissioners Sylvia Garcia and El Franco Lee. The next rally is scheduled on Saturday, February 20.
Those are the people they need to be focusing on, especially the latter two. My advice would be to do the old-fashioned letter-writing campaign, and to get people to attend Commissioners Court meetings and speak up for the TIRZ deal during open comments as well. I wish them luck in their pursuit.