The Dallas Morning News reviewed nearly 5,000 pages of emails exchanged over the past 12 months among city officials, consultants and others involved in discussions about the future of Dallas City Hall. The messages offer a behind-the-scenes look at several issues, including whether Dallas should repair the aging building or relocate government operations.
Key highlights from the emails:
Site visits for a select few council members
Dallas officials arranged tours of several potential City Hall sites for a handful of City Council members, even though the locations were not disclosed to the full council or the public. Messages show city leaders and consultants began discussing in December how and when to invite “a few” council members for the visits.
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City staff, consultants and council members toured at least 15 sites
Dallas officials scouting locations for a possible new City Hall reviewed at least 15 sites, ranging from downtown office towers to redevelopment properties in southern Dallas and warehouse space near the Cedars. Among the properties: Founders Square in downtown’s West End, The Epic in Deep Ellum, a warehouse in the Cedars, Bryan Tower, Comerica Bank Tower downtown and Red Bird Mall in southern Dallas, which was explored as a possible home for the city’s 311 and 911 operations.
AT&T CEO questioned ‘effective’ governance of Dallas
AT&T’s move out of downtown Dallas appeared likely as early as May 2025, when CEO John Stankey questioned the city’s “effective/sustained governance,” and the company began seeking suburban sites near Highway 121 and the Dallas North Tollway. The firm later chose a 54-acre campus in Plano after a long search and unsuccessful efforts by Dallas leaders to keep it in the city.
Chad West, Committee on Finance chair (right), and Council member Maxie Johnson during a Dallas City Council Committee on Finance special called meeting at Dallas City Hall, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Dallas City Council member Chad West, a key voice pushing for a review that could lead to relocating City Hall, defended the unannounced tours of potential relocation sites as key to evaluating the city’s options. West said the council member visits were a routine step as the city weighs whether to repair the I.M. Pei-designed building or move elsewhere.
Communications about Mayor Eric Johnson
Mayor Eric Johnson was sometimes difficult to reach during economic development discussions over the past year, as business leaders sought direct contact with him. Correspondence on the city’s economic plans shows corporate leaders unable to reach the mayor, at times prompting city staff to step in and arrange calls or follow-ups. Johnson on Sunday said the emails reflect routine city business and criticized the coverage as misleading.
Fair Park’s troubles far from over
Oak View Group, Fair Park’s former operator, is seeking at least $5 million in damages from Dallas after the city ended its contract with the company last year, according to a legal notice sent to the city in December. Lawyers for the venue management company say the city breached its contract with OVG by refusing to pay invoices for work performed before the termination, improperly ending the agreement and failing to reimburse certain expenses.
Concerns WFAA-TV could leave downtown
Dallas officials feared WFAA-TV (Channel 8) might leave downtown after the city sought to take the station’s parking lot for the expansion of the nearby convention center. In messages from last fall and this year, officials were worried that losing the parking lot could cause the broadcaster to relocate from its Young Street newsroom and potentially leave the city.
Dallas Economic Development CEO Linda McMahon speaks with Assistant City Manager Donzell Gipson during a Dallas City Council Committee on Finance special called meeting at Dallas City Hall, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Friction between Economic Development Corp. and city
The Dallas Economic Development Corp., led by CEO Linda McMahon, became a central player in the City Hall review as disagreements surfaced over the nonprofit’s role in business recruitment and strategy. The tensions stemmed in part from McMahon’s efforts to expand the EDC’s influence, sometimes clashing with the city’s economic development department.