Will Rogers Memorial Center will be managed by a nonprofit agency, which will take over Oct. 1 from the city under an agreement Fort Worth City Council members approved unanimously June 9.
The new manager, Gendy Street Management, comprises the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo; Bass-backed Event Facilities Fort Worth, which led in getting Dickies Arena built; and Dickies Arena manager Trail Drive Management Corp. All of those organizations are nonprofits.
The Stock Show and Event Facilities organizations have contributed $77 million to Will Rogers over the years. City officials said they believe the agreement will make the 90-year-old facility more efficient and generate savings that go back into capital improvements. They hope the arrangement will be as effective as other, similar public-private partnerships in Fort Worth…