Tensions between Dallas officials and Oak View Group (OVG) have escalated in the final days of the company’s tenure managing Fair Park, with city leaders accusing the venue operator of providing false information to event clients.
According to a memo obtained by The Dallas Morning News, Dallas Park and Recreation Director John Jenkins said OVG had told organizers their contracts with the city would not be carried forward after Dallas assumes management of the 277-acre property on September 16. Jenkins said the claim was untrue and risked “potentially jeopardizing our clients, customers, and citizens.”
OVG, which had been subcontracted by nonprofit Fair Park First, disputed the characterization. A spokesperson for the company said it was simply notifying licensees of the transition and that the city had not confirmed whether it would assume existing agreements.
The dispute comes after Dallas officials voted earlier this year to terminate contracts with Fair Park First and OVG, citing mismanagement concerns after $5.7 million in restricted donor funds were used for operating expenses and vendors reported going unpaid. The city has since assembled a transition team to oversee Fair Park operations directly.
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Confusion remains over the timeline of OVG’s exit, with the city asserting its contract ends September 16 while OVG maintains it runs through September 25. Jenkins told the News he was prepared to deploy security to ensure OVG officials leave the premises by the city’s stated deadline.
OVG also manages operations at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas and is one of the largest venue operators in the country. Dallas officials say they are now directly contacting event organizers to reassure them their bookings remain valid. “We very much want to host their events and will do everything possible to ensure success,” Jenkins said.
OVG’s Track Record Under Scrutiny
The controversy at Fair Park adds to a string of recent challenges for Oak View Group. The company has faced criticism over its management of other public facilities, including the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, and has drawn scrutiny at the federal level over its close ties to industry giant Live Nation. Regulators and competitors have questioned whether OVG’s dominance in venue management, coupled with Live Nation’s ticketing and promotions clout, creates anti-competitive conditions in the live events market.
OVG also recently saw its CEO resign amid federal bid-rigging charges related to its procurement of the contract at the Moody Center in Austin, TX.
At Fair Park, the city’s decision to cut ties followed revelations that $5.7 million in restricted donor funds had been diverted to cover park operations — a move that drew backlash from stakeholders and raised questions about OVG and Fair Park First’s financial transparency.
