From public safety disasters to political theater, Jennifer Scripps’ time as head of Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI) has involved embarrassments to downtown, several of which have made national news.
In March, a violent cheerleading event brawl forced the evacuation of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, with clips of parents and children fleeing going viral on X across the country.
A month later, a fatal shooting directly on Main Street a few hundred feet from the flagship Neiman Marcus store rattled downtown residents.
Additionally, a few weeks later, Saks announced the closure of its flagship Neiman Marcus store, generating a desperate scramble from city officials who were compelled to step in and save the location.
Unfortunately, around that same time, another embarrassing viral video showed a man defecating on the sidewalk outside this once proud Dallas location, where families would come – dressed to the nines – to marvel at the splendor and high fashion.
Recent accounts suggest that Scripps—whose salary running downtown Dallas’ public improvement district is over $330,00 annually—is determined not to fix downtown but to oppose legislation at the Capital aimed at creating more local accountability for groups like hers.
Critics allege that Scripps devised a plan to spend her organization’s money to oppose these accountability and security measures in an attempt to stave off reforms. They also claim that Scripps is spreading false claims to her board, including that the reforms would eliminate funding for core services when, instead, they would increase (as evidenced by the legislation itself).
Scripps is also known for publicly claiming in March 2024 that “violent crime is low and getting lower”—a statement now completely contradicted by DDI’s recent report.