City leaders weigh private management of Will Rogers Memorial Center

City leaders weigh private management of Will Rogers Memorial Center

Published on June 02, 2026

A proposed Qualified Management Agreement for Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC), which the Fort Worth City Council is scheduled to consider for a vote on June 9, is rooted in the positive outcomes seen at other City-owned venues managed by private sector partners.

Assistant City Manager Jesica McEachern noted during the June 2 work session with the Mayor and Council that similar partnerships have led to significant enhancements at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Cowtown Coliseum and the Fort Worth Zoo. She, along with officials from the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) and Dickies Arena, presented details of the proposed agreement to City leadership.

Since December 2023, the City has held a Master Services Agreement with Event Facilities Fort Worth (EFFW), a nonprofit, supporting organization of the FWSSR, to manage selected WRMC capital projects on the City's behalf.

A nonprofit organization named Gendy Street Management Corporation (GSMC) was recently created by three nonprofit organizations: FWSSR, EFFW and Trail Drive Management Corporation (TDMC), which operates Dickies Arena. Provisions of the proposed Qualified Management Agreement for the 120-acre Will Rogers Memorial Center include overseeing all staff and day-to-day operations.

If City Council approves the agreement, it would become effective Oct. 1. The City of Fort Worth, FWSSR and TDMC would govern GSMC and hold seats on GSMC's board of directors, making it a true public-private partnership.

"By partnering with the private sector, we know from experience that personnel and maintenance costs at these types of venues can be managed more effectively, and facilities upkeep and improvements move more quickly," McEachern said. "This change is expected to benefit the City's taxpayers, long-time equestrian partners and visitors to our city, who will experience a modernized facility that still embodies the historical authenticity of the Will Rogers experience. Employees will benefit from a management structure that is more aligned with venue operations vs. city services operations."

Under the proposed agreement, the City will continue to own the WRMC property, funding operating deficits and capital projects and making debt service payments. The City will also benefit from operational efficiencies gained and additional revenue generated, as GSMC can only reinvest any net revenue back into the City-owned WRMC, therefore accelerating the addressment of deferred maintenance and capital investment. The agreement is similar to the arrangement that transferred management of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden to the nonprofit Botanical Research Institute of Texas in 2020.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has been a tenant and partner of WRMC since 1944 and has partnered on many public-private projects throughout the decades, including the recent $40 million renovation of the Sheep & Swine Barns and the $50.5 million renovation of the historic WRMC Coliseum concourse.

"The Fort Worth Stock Show has called Will Rogers home for 82 years, and we are committed to seeing this beloved venue thrive as central anchor of the Cultural District as it approaches its centennial milestone in 2036," said Matt Carter, president and general manager of the FWSSR and board member of GSMC. "The heartbeat of the complex is the dedicated professional WRMC staff who serves more than 2 million visitors here annually. We look forward to working alongside them and our partners at TMDC to continue and enhance that legacy of world-class service."

If approved, transition to private management with GSMC is scheduled to be complete by Sept. 30.

About Will Rogers Memorial Center

Will Rogers Memorial Center is a historic entertainment, sports and equestrian complex anchoring Fort Worth's Cultural District. The 120-acre facility is owned and currently operated by the City of Fort Worth under the Public Events Department. The original Coliseum, Pioneer Tower and Auditorium were dedicated in 1936 and are on the National Register of Historic Places. Over the decades, the facility has added show barns, arenas, an exhibit hall, meeting spaces and a multipurpose equestrian center, bringing 2 million visitors through its art deco gates annually.

Photo: The 120-acre facility is owned and currently operated by the City of Fort Worth under the Public Events Department.

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