City looks to revitalize Fair Park, council members say don’t forget the community park

From notes by Dallas Documenter Brianna Patt

As the city continues to take over Fair Park, city staff said they’re aiming to run the park like a business while incorporating the surrounding community.

During a Parks, Trails & Environment Committee meeting on Monday, Park Department staff laid out their operations model and revitalization plan for Fair Park, while council members stressed the importance of the long-awaited community park.

The City of Dallas has been managing the operation of Fair Park since the city’s agreement with Fair Park First and Oak View Group was terminated earlier this year due to donor fund misallocation.

Staff are recommending that the park now be operated through a public/private hybrid model. The Park Department would operate services like contract management, facilities and local community programs, while private companies would handle things like security, food and beverage, parking and events sales.

The Park Department also hopes to revitalize Fair Park to make it an asset and economic development engine for the city.

They aim to develop regular community programs for surrounding neighborhoods, pursue large events and festivals, and add retail stores, restaurants and hotels, as well as activate spaces like the Cotton Bowl and the Leonhard Lagoon, which they said are underutilized.

Community park promises

Council members criticized that the long-awaited community park was not part of the presentation.

The park, a key recommendation in the 2020 Fair Park Master Plan, is a long-awaited addition benefitting South Dallas– a community with a complicated history with the State Fair of Texas.

“I know that’s not your fault. However, we have got to do right by the promises of South Dallas/Fair Park residents,” Councilmember Adam Bazaldua said. “We cannot keep talking about Fair Park as this city-wide asset, as if it doesn’t have a direct impact on day-to-day lives of the people that live directly in the vicinity.”

Fair Park First, which still leads the project, currently has enough funds to begin construction and plans to do so after the 2026 World Cup.

Parks Director John Jenkins said the park is a vital part of their new plans, and as Fair Park grows, the South Dallas community will be a part of it.

“If we’re going to be successful, you are going to have to operate Fair Park as a business unit,” he said. “But we have to remember we cannot leave the surrounding community behind.”

Read the full Documenter notes here. Watch the 12/1 meeting here.

Dallas Documenter Brianna Patt attended the Dev. 1 Parks, Trails & Environment Committee public meeting, and this brief emerged from her notes. Click here to learn how you can become a paid Documenter at public meetings.