Fort Worth schools to consider covering parking costs for graduations at Dickies Arena
The Fort Worth school district might be picking up the cost of parking for high school graduation ceremonies at Dickies Arena.
The cost of parking at the city-owned Dickies Arena, managed by Trail Drive Management, is $20.
Superintendent Kent Scribner will recommend to the school board that the district cover the cost of parking, according to emailed statement from the district. Scribner will make his recommendation at the May 17 meeting.
“Upon board approval, each graduate will receive two parking passes to accommodate his or her family members,” the statement read.
Previously the district had offered free parking and shuttle service from the district-owned 1,200 vehicle lot at Farrington Field.
Residents complained on social media about the $20 fee arguing the publicly owned building should offer free parking for public school events.
While the city of Fort Worth does own the building, its contract with Trail Drive Management gives the company exclusive authority to manage the parking lots and the rates, a spokesperson for the city’s public events department wrote in an email.
Trail Drive Management is a non-profit set up to manage and operate Dickies Arena. Its board is chaired by prominent Fort Worth businessman and co-owner of Sundance Square Ed Bass.
Members of the school board and the Fort Worth city council made inquiries with the city about ways to alleviate the parking costs.
School board member Anne Darr wrote in a May 2 Facebook post she was working with district 6 council member Jared Williams to find a way to either reduce or eliminate the $20 parking fee.
“Please know that your concerns are being heard. I, too, hate waiting, but this is an ongoing conversation and additional information will be forthcoming,” she wrote.
Still others on the board expressed frustration with the fee arguing the city could have done more to reduce the parking cost.
School board member Michael Ryan argued in a Facebook comment Fort Worth could have offered discounted parking similar to the $10 fee San Antonio charges for graduations at the Alamodome.
“There is a difference in a recovering operating and investment cost and gouging folks,” Ryan wrote.
Board president Tobi Jackson wrote in a text message Thursday that every avenue was explored to manage the cost of parking for graduation ceremonies at Dickies.
She added she was pleased at the news of the potential to offer free parking, and that for future graduations, “all options will again be explored in the best interest of our students, their families and our community.”
This story was originally published May 5, 2022 at 2:02 PM.
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