Fort Worth to pay $510,000 for early exit to Will Rogers concession contract
The Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously at its March 31 meeting to pay $510,000 to get out of its contract will Will Rogers Memorial Center concession vendor Craft Culinary Concepts.
The move comes four years into 10 year contract meant to revamp concessions.
According to a November 2021 City Council presentation, concessions at Will Rogers were bringing in less revenue than similarly sized venues — around $1.86 per customer at Will Rogers compared to $4.60 per customer at other venues.
Craft was chosen based on its track record of improving concessions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
However, “operational and financial issues” led to a dispute over the contract and ultimately its termination, according to a city report. A line in the report stated that Craft took a significant financial loss in 2025.
The agreement wasn’t generating enough profit and the city is considering moving to private management of Will Rogers at the end of this year, city public events director Michael Crum said in an email to the Star-Telegram.
Representatives for Craft did not immediately respond to an email from the Star-Telegram requesting comment.
The city will pay $510,000 to reimburse Craft for part of the $750,000 in equipment and furniture upgrades the company committed to as part of the contract, according to the report.
The city is also dropping its claim to up to $305,000 in maintenance and revenue sharing payments Craft set aside in a separate fund, according to the report.
The city will enter into a temporary agreement to manage concessions through Sept. 30, Crum said in the email.
After that, the city will have to address its longer term plans through possibly moving to a private management company, he said.
This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 3:13 PM.
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