HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 23-1778 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-1778
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council December 5, 2023
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*a SUBJECT: WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL CENTER MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
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The purpose of this Informal Report is to provide the City Council with an overview of an upcoming
proposal to enter into an agreement with Event Facilities Fort Worth (EFFW) to manage capital
improvement projects at the Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC).
Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has received feedback from WRMC constituents about
the condition of the facilities that make up the WRMC complex. The City's capacity to deliver capital
projects at the complex in a timely manner is not keeping up with constituent expectations.
To address the concern, the City has explored opportunities to place the responsibility for delivering
WRMC capital projects in the hands of the private sector. A natural partner for this type of agreement is
Event Facilities Fort Worth (EFFW).
EFFW is a supporting organization of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR). Through EFFW,
FWSSR has invested has invested more than $77 million (adjusted to today's dollars) in direct funding for
capital improvements in the City-owned and operated WRMC. The list of WRMC projects jointly funded by
the City and EFFW includes the renovations of Cattle Barns 1&2, upcoming renovation of the Sheep and
Swine Barns, and construction of the Tower Promenade.
Under this agreement, EFFW will comply with Section 334 of the Texas Local Government Code in its
management of approved capital projects at the WRMC complex. EFFW will work with the City's
Business Equity program to establish Business Equity participation goals for capital projects where
appropriate. EFFW has agreed to manage capital projects at WRMC without compensation.
The City will continue to own the WRMC complex and fund capital improvement projects out of the Culture
and Tourism Funds.
The goal of the agreement is to bring a higher level of efficiency to WRMC capital projects. This, in turn,
will demonstrate to WRMC constituents that the City is committed to maintaining and improving the
WRMC Complex.
Currently, there are 21 active capital projects at WRMC, totaling $38,364,949. This includes the
renovation of the WRMC Coliseum Concourse (proposed to be managed by EFFW) at 8.5M. Additionally,
the City has recently issued $68.9M in Culture and Tourism debt (and plans to issue another $13.6M in
FY25) to fund the renovation of the Sheep and Swine Barn and future capital projects at the WRMC
Complex. The Sheep and Swine Barn is a City-managed project. EFFW will manage the future capital
projects funded by the debt issuance.
If you have any questions or concerns related to this report, please contact Michael Crum, Director of
Public Events, at 817-392-2501.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS