What's In a Name?

Palladium Ballroom to become South Side Ballroom

The Palladium Ballroom is getting a moniker makeover. On July 2, the venue, considered one of the best for live music, will be renamed the South Side Ballroom as part of a new deal with Live Nation.

The new name is meant to highlight the South Side area of Dallas that has seen particular growth that includes the SODA Bar at NYLO South Side as well as well-known watering holes like Poor David’s Pub and Cedars Social.

Live Nation will take over booking, marketing and promotion of concerts at the venue.

“We look forward to continuing to bring the newest and hottest shows to the South Side Ballroom,” senior vice president of Live Nation Dallas Danny Eaton said in a statement. “As part of the largest live entertainment company in the world, we have tremendous resources available and we will bring those to bear to continually enhance and upgrade the experience at South Side Ballroom.”

Opened in 2007 as part of the Gilley’s complex, the 27,000 square-foot space has been the center of a number of controversies, including Ghostland Observatory concert where Highland Park High School student Ryan Romo met up with a co-ed who would later accuse him of rape.

Live Nation Entertainment includes Ticketmaster.com as well as Live Nation Concerts, which produces more than 22,000 shows per year.

The Palladium will change its name to the South Side Ballroom as part of an agreement with Live Nation Entertainment.

The Palladium Ballroom Facebook

The Palladium will change its name to the South Side Ballroom as part of an agreement with Live Nation Entertainment.

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Park News

Dallas acquires 30-year-old amusement park for $13 million

Adventure Landing

An amusement park in Far North Dallas was purchased by the City of Dallas to be developed into a community park. The Dallas City Council voted during its December 11 meeting to buy Adventure Landing, a 30-year-old amusement park at 17717 Coit Rd. for the sum of $13.7 million with a goal to keep the park in business.

The 13.5-acre property has been an entertainment venue for the past 30 years, with mini golf, batting cages, soccer fields, and arcade games.

The previous owner, the Hildebrand family, previously turned down much bigger offers from developers because they wanted the buyer to carry on their mission and keep the park a park.

The Park and Recreation Department will operate the soccer fields, and Adventure Landing will manage all other facilities until a future park is constructed.

In November, the Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved the land acquisition item and recommended approval to the City Council.

“With the cost of land in the north Dallas area increasing in value, we are fortunate to secure this property to make sure residents have access to green spaces and new recreational amenities,” says Dallas Park and Recreation Board President Arun Agarwal in a statement. “Acquiring land in certain fully developed areas of the City for park purposes is exceedingly difficult, and this acquisition represents a unique opportunity for us as a city.”

A release says there aren't many parks in the area, and the closest parks are Preston Ridge Trail to the west, Twin Lakes Park to the south, and the Cotton Belt Trail, which is currently in the works.

“This acquisition represents far more than the purchase of land – it symbolizes a pivotal investment in addressing a critical need within a community with the fewest parks in the entire city," says District 12 Park and Recreation Board Member Lane Conner in a statement. "By creating this new park, we are taking a transformative step toward providing every resident, no matter their neighborhood, with access to exceptional green spaces."

Adventure Landing will keep the same name and management team under the new ownership.

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