Page 6 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2017- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

Small Town Roots to realize that their designs, too. And it

BIG VISION strong vision for to pull it off, 20 years later,
takes a very patient person
1) Delbert had a
what was needed
increasing what was at one
time a total taxable value
in Overton Park,
2) he had control
of just under $28 million
Delbert McDougal
over everything
that was going
projects with a value of
over $800 million.
to be built in the to private investment of
by Stephen Moffett 300-acre-plus
redevelopment Delbert McDougal is that
project and 3) person. However, he did
I would rather not do it alone. He had
stand and argue help and support from his
with a brick lovely wife, Carolyn, and
wall than to a whole host of qualified
try to change people at the McDougal
Delbert’s mind Companies. He had the
on the location backing of local banks who
of a hotel. The funded the many building
hotel, of course, and land purchases. He
is now The had the support of the
Overton Hotel City of Lubbock, and most
and Conference notably the Director of
Center, which has Business Development,
come to be known Rob Allison, who helped
as the crown create the North Overton
jewel of Overton Tax Increment Finance
e had been to The Centre at Overton Park. District. But, it was
driving around Park, which was under Delbert who oversaw the
WNorth Overton construction, and off to the It takes a very rare person entire project, negotiated
Park for about thirty right and a little farther and a very special vision to the various land purchases
minutes when my host away was the AT&T Jones look at a 325-acre, blighted with developers, and took
pulled over and got out Stadium. “I think this neighborhood and see a all of the financial risk
of his white Mercedes is where the hotel needs planned community with associated with the project.
Benz. He walked over to to be built,” he said. My parks, streetscape, single
a locked chain between reply was that it might be family homes, multifamily From our first meeting
two short poles, undid the better two blocks west, housing, student housing, in 2004 until the opening
lock and got back in the fronting on University and retail shopping and hotels. of the Overton Hotel and
car. We were looking at directly across the street It takes a very committed Conference Center in
a site covered with three from the stadium. “No,” and passionate person to 2009, I had the pleasure of
foot high weeds. “Let me he said, “we are putting approach the City Council getting to know Delbert
show you where the hotel a traffic circle right here with the idea that, if they quite well. From a
should go.” He drove (pointing between the site would fund infrastructure business perspective, as
between the poles, through and The Centre) and this improvements, he would we negotiated the land
the weeds and into the is where the hotel needs purchase all of the purchase for the hotel
middle of the site. “Let’s to go.” We debated the available real estate (over property, I learned that
get out.” virtues of the two sites. 900 parcels) and either Delbert was a very smart
redevelop the sites or sell and tough negotiator,
As we stood in the middle The year was 2004, and in them to developers for but I also learned that he
of the site, we turned and the end, Delbert was right! projects. He would control was fair and clearly saw
looked across the street It did not take me long

6 Lubbock Senior Link