Three days before that scheduled vote<\/a>, Texas finalized its takeover of FWISD <\/a>\u2014 stripping elected trustees of authority and handing control to a state-appointed board of managers<\/a> and superintendent.<\/p>\n Now, the future of one of the district\u2019s most visible<\/a> \u2014 and valuable \u2014 properties will be decided by new leadership.<\/p>\n Trustees planned a March 27 special meeting<\/a> to consider rescinding a request for proposals seeking private development around Farrington Field, according to district records.\u00a0<\/p>\n Trustee Tobi Jackson said she requested the meeting to ensure full transparency around the possible sale of land around the stadium and ensure elected representatives, not state appointees, had the final say on any development project.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the elected board of trustees, we owed a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard the interests of taxpayers who own this valuable property,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cTaking that responsibility seriously was the purpose of the previously scheduled meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n Farrington Field, which opened in 1939, has long been a symbol of Fort Worth ISD athletics<\/a>. But the stadium now faces tens of millions of dollars in needed upgrades, and its location near the city\u2019s Cultural District has made it one of the district\u2019s most valuable redevelopment opportunities.<\/p>\n FWISD\u2019s solicitation for proposals \u2014 issued in January \u2014 aims to attract at least $250 million<\/a> in mixed-use development while preserving the stadium.<\/p>\n But because the redevelopment concept shifted from what trustees were initially shown, some trustees have grown uneasy about the ask, elected trustee Michael Ryan said.\u00a0<\/p>\n About two years ago, the board was approached with a proposal to bring a professional soccer team to Farrington Field, paired with a phased redevelopment of the stadium and surrounding land, he said.<\/p>\n That vision evolved \u2014 including delays and changes to how the property would be divided into multiple parcels \u2014 raising concerns about how the land would ultimately be used, Ryan said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was about making sure we\u2019re doing it right,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The trustees had previously signaled support for exploring redevelopment. In June, they authorized former Superintendent Karen Molinar to negotiate<\/a> with the city of Fort Worth and potential developers on infrastructure, safety and redevelopment terms related to the Farrington Field site.<\/p>\n Those discussions were tied to a city-backed tax increment financing district, approved in June, designed to capture future property tax growth in the area and fund infrastructure improvements \u2014 including a potential $55 million renovation of Farrington Field<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The stadium requires significant upgrades, including Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, elevator access, locker room renovations and other safety improvements \u2014 costs the district has struggled to fund without tapping classroom dollars.<\/p>\n That plan envisioned hundreds of millions of dollars in adjacent private development to support the project, according to city officials.<\/p>\n FWISD issued a redevelopment solicitation roughly seven months later, seeking at least $250 million in private investment around Farrington Field while retaining ownership of the stadium itself.<\/p>\n But as details of the proposal evolved, some trustees said their support shifted \u2014 particularly around whether the district should sell land tied to the project.<\/p>\n \u201cWe only want to accept RFPs that go with a lease, not a sale,\u201d Ryan said. \u201cFarrington Field should not be sold.\u201d<\/p>\n Then on March 24 \u2014 three days before trustees were to vote \u2014 Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath installed Fort Worth ISD\u2019s new leader<\/a>. The managers he appointed now hold the authority once exercised by locally elected trustees.<\/p>\n \u201cThe timing of the takeover, however, ensures the elected board will not necessarily have the final say on the future of Farrington Field,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cIt was our hope to resolve outstanding matters so that the board of managers can focus on student achievement, as they have stated it as their primary objective.\u201d<\/p>\n FWISD officials said the move to rescind the solicitation was a board-driven effort and confirmed that next steps will be determined under the new governance structure, including newly appointed Superintendent Peter Licata.<\/p>\n Licata told the Report the district must consider multiple strategies for its properties, including selling land, partnering with developers and repurposing sites.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to strike a nice blend,\u201d Licata said. \u201cWe can\u2019t afford to sit on our hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Elected trustees, meanwhile, said they would prefer leasing district land \u2014 particularly at Farrington Field \u2014 to preserve long-term control.<\/p>\n Long-term lease agreements, rather than outright sales, are a way to generate revenue while preserving ownership of district land, Ryan said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we lease it, we still own it,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we sell it, it\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n FWISD has experienced the loss Ryan described when district leaders sold the administration building and surrounding properties at 100 N. University Drive for $5 million in 2020<\/a>. For three years, the district spent around $600,000 annually renting that building while waiting for renovations<\/a> at the District Service Center at 7060 Camp Bowie Blvd.<\/p>\n Fort Worth ISD\u2019s former headquarters are now being transformed into a nearly $2 billion development<\/a> that includes housing, offices and stores.<\/p>\n Ryan raised concerns about the timing of the takeover and whether it was accelerated in a way that limited the board\u2019s ability to act, as well as the potential influence of outside stakeholders such as City Hall.<\/p>\n City officials reject that suggestion.<\/p>\n \u201cI have not personally, nor has my office, had any communication with TEA regarding Farrington Field,\u201d Mayor Mattie Parker said in a statement.<\/p>\n Parker described the stadium as a notable historic asset with significant maintenance needs and said she supports preserving it while exploring redevelopment opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the current transition at Fort Worth ISD, I fully respect the decision to pause any discussions around partnership opportunities,\u201d she said. \u201cI also believe there is a way to preserve Farrington Field as a historic asset while providing an opportunity to explore what a public-private partnership could create.\u201d<\/p>\n District leaders have spent years exploring ways to fund long-needed upgrades without pulling from classroom budgets, including partnerships tied to surrounding development.<\/p>\n For Ryan, the question is not whether Farrington Field should evolve \u2014 but how.<\/p>\n Decisions made now will shape FWISD\u2019s future for decades, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cLike everything else with public schools, there are people that are looking at how they can make money off our kids,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The future of Farrington Field now rests with a board led by Pete Geren \u2014 whose grandfather, Preston Geren, designed the stadium in the 1930s.\u00a0<\/p>\n Geren, the board president, said managers and the superintendent are concentrated on a singular goal.<\/p>\n \u201cOur focus is 100% going to be on student outcomes and making decisions that improve student outcomes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Disclosure: The Sid W. Richardson Foundation, which is led by FWISD manager Pete Geren, is a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. FWISD manager Laurie George is a member of the Report\u2019s reader advisory council. FWISD manager Courtney Lewis is a member of the Report\u2019s business advisory council. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Editor’s note: This story was updated March 31, 2026, to reflect that FWISD board President Pete Geren’s grandfather designed Farrington Field.<\/p>\n Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jacob Sanchez is education editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org<\/a>or @_jacob_sanchez<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n This <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/2026\/03\/30\/farrington-field-proposals-questioned-by-fwisd-trustees-then-the-state-took-over\/”>article<\/a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report<\/a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<img src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&quality=80&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><\/p>\n <img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/?republication-pixel=true&post=467561&ga4=2820184429″ style=”width:1px;height:1px;”><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/2026\/03\/30\/farrington-field-proposals-questioned-by-fwisd-trustees-then-the-state-took-over\/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } } <\/script> <script id=”parsely-cfg” src=”\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/fortworthreport.org\/p.js”><\/script>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Goss-FarringtonField-01-1024x683.jpg\")
Farrington Field stands tall on June 4, 2025. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Goss-FarringtonField-07-1024x683.jpg\")
The historic Farrington Field features a football player carved into the stone facade, as photographed on June 4, 2025. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n