Fort Worth City Council members Elizabeth Beck and Macy Hill, whose districts border the historic Farrington Field, wrote to Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Peter Licata on Oct. 26 requesting a transparent, community‑focused process for any redevelopment of the stadium and surrounding land.
Council’s transparency request
In their letter, the councilors cited the district’s newly adopted real‑estate policy and asked that the district conduct independent economic analyses, form a joint stakeholder advisory committee and coordinate closely with the city before any proposals are advanced. “A transaction of this scale warrants a rigorous, transparent process,” they wrote.
District’s response
FWISD Board President Pete Geren said the new policy is designed to protect the district’s financial interests and give residents a voice at every step. “The policy builds transparency into every step along the way, from beginning to end,” Geren said.
District spokesperson Evan Anderson did not specify which policy requirements have been completed or how the district has addressed the councilors’ requests. He noted that the board’s meetings on Nov. 4 and Nov. 10 are not expected to discuss Farrington Field, and promised an update when the conversations progress.
Background on the proposed deal
Documents obtained by the Fort Worth Report show that in September 2025 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between then‑Superintendent Karen Molinar, Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Jesica McEachern and JONAH Football Holdings CEO Nathan Hanks. The MOU outlined a plan to renovate Farrington Field and develop surrounding district‑owned parcels, including a $65 million stadium improvement budget funded largely by a tax‑increment financing (TIF) zone.
The agreement also projected roughly $330 million in private development around the stadium and would have allowed JONAH to operate professional men’s and women’s soccer teams at the venue under a 20‑year lease with two possible 10‑year extensions. The district would have contributed at least 35 percent of the maintenance‑and‑operations property taxes collected within the TIF zone.
City spokesperson Sana Syed confirmed that the MOU is no longer applicable, stating that FWISD has pursued a separate competitive process for the sale of property and potential redevelopment, rendering the earlier agreement void.
Investor outreach
Separate documents reveal private efforts to attract investors for a professional soccer venture. In October, Amanda Bush, president of Pine Cove Strategies and wife of former Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, emailed a prospective investor about joining Fort Worth FC, a proposed organization that would field both men’s and women’s soccer teams. Bush emphasized that no financial commitments are being requested at this stage.
Several firms, including Billingsley Co., M2G Ventures and Bennett Partners, were listed in an investment overview, though representatives from those firms declined to comment on any concrete commitments.
Expert perspective
University of Texas at Arlington finance professor Sriram Villupuram said courting investors before a final development agreement is common, but warned that any final contract must clearly allocate financial risk. “Who is taking the risk here?” he asked, noting that the district’s new real‑estate policy is a good first step but does not fully address risk‑sharing.
Community concerns
Beyond financing, Beck and Hill highlighted resident concerns about insufficient notice and limited input. Jill Freer, president of the West 7th Street Neighborhood Alliance, said her organization has not been directly contacted by the district or the city despite representing nearby residents.
The councilors’ letter arrived ahead of an Oct. 27 closed‑door meeting of the state‑appointed board of managers, where no action was taken on the Farrington Field proposal.
Next steps
FWISD plans to issue another round of requests for proposals for up to seven parcels surrounding the stadium. The stadium itself will remain under district ownership.
Both councilors and district officials stress that any future financing, including potential TIF approvals, will be considered only after the district completes its policy‑driven process and incorporates community feedback.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
