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Adult Expo Coming To Dallas, Women's Group Upset About Location

July 28, 2015 / 4:21 PM CDT / CBS Texas

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DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Scantily clad women on billboards promoting lingerie, restaurants or gentleman's clubs are part of the DFW landscape. But one billboard advertisement has infuriated a growing group of Dallas residents, because of the location of one scantily clad event.

"This should not be in a city-sponsored venue," according to Dallas Women's Foundation President Rozlyn Dawson Thompson, who objects to the use of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for Exxxotica Expo, Aug 7-9.

The expo is a showcase of adult entertainment, including the promotion of porn star appearances and other adult-themed proprietors. Thompson issued a letter to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings expressing the Foundations "deep concern and disgust" over the City's hosting of the Expo.

"The 'EXXXOTICA Expo' is sponsored by several online export services, and will feature numerous enterprises that contribute to the sex trade industry," Thompson wrote. "We urge you, the city, the convention and visitors Bureau and all those associated with convention recruiting not to solicit this event again, nor others like it."

Mayor Rawlings issued a letter of his own Tuesday. Part of his letter stated the following: "I am particularly worried about the message that our playing host to this convention might send regarding our city's position on the sexual exploitation of women."

Yet, Rawlings added the city could not deny access to the convention center, based on content of the expo alone.

Thompson said the exploitation of women and girls remains an indelible stain on life in Dallas, and she believes the expo is sponsored by entities that continue the perpetuation of that exploitation.

"We don't need the City endorsing that type of activity," she said.

Efforts to contact organizers of Exxxotica Expo were unsuccessful.