Fort Worth ISD officials are looking to sell the land surrounding Farrington Field to fund long-discussed renovations of the historic stadium.
The stadium would be preserved.
FWISD issued a public request for proposals in January seeking developers to purchase and build on seven parcels of district-owned land surrounding Farrington Field near University Drive and Lancaster Avenue in the Cultural District, according to a legal notice published by the district. Proposals were due Feb. 16.
The solicitation calls for at least $250 million in private investment to create a sports-anchored mixed-use project surrounding Farrington Field. The district plans to retain ownership of the stadium and ensure continued access, parking and event use for school athletics and events. The project timeline extends through 2031, according to procurement documents.
Trustees would have to approve any sale of district land surrounding Farrington Field. However, that authority is expected to transfer in the coming weeks to a state-appointed board of managers as Texas takes over Fort Worth ISD.
District officials and board President Roxanne Martinez were not immediately available to comment Monday.
Trustees have discussed Farrington Field real estate matters in closed session at least five times since June 2025, meeting with legal counsel about the “purchase, exchange, lease, or value” of the property, according to board agendas.
At a June 24, 2025, meeting, trustees allowed Superintendent Karen Molinar to negotiate with future developers and the city of Fort Worth on infrastructure, safety and redevelopment terms for the stadium area. The district issued the redevelopment solicitation about seven months later.
Opened in 1939, Farrington Field remains a symbol of Fort Worth high school athletics but requires tens of millions of dollars in accessibility, safety and modernization upgrades.
District leaders have explored multiple paths to fund improvements without tapping classroom budgets.
In 2025, Fort Worth ISD backed a city tax increment financing district that captures future property tax growth around the stadium to fund infrastructure and a potential $55 million renovation. City Council approved the tax district in June.
That plan envisioned hundreds of millions of dollars in adjacent private development — a concept now reflected in the district’s redevelopment solicitation.
“Farrington Field is such a wonderful melting pot of whoever attended Fort Worth ISD, and we are so fortunate that some positive signs are coming out for its future — which is what we want,” Jerre Tracy, executive director of Historic Fort Worth, told the Report last year.
Concept renderings and speculation about a redeveloped Farrington Field district have circulated online in recent months, including potential sports tenants, though the district has not publicly identified specific partners or designs.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
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