Council tables decision on hiring Sports Facilities Management to run new ARC after resident and council concerns

The DeSoto City Council on Sept. 16 voted to table a proposed five‑year operations agreement (with two five‑year renewal options) with Sports Facilities Management LLC (SFC) to manage the Aquatics and Recreation Center (ARC) at McCowan Park. Council asked staff to return with additional information comparing the company’s financial pro forma to an in‑house parks-and-recreation management model and to gather input from the parks board and other stakeholders.

Why council tabled the item: several council members and multiple public commenters pressed for stronger commitments to hire locally, clearer financial comparisons to the city’s own parks-and-recreation staffing costs, and a more transparent timeline and final contract text. Councilmembers also requested the parks board be given a formal opportunity to review and comment before a final award.

What happened at the meeting Parks staff introduced SFC representatives — including partner Jim Arnold, JD Woods (vice president of strategic development) and Marquise Singleton (general manager) — who described the company’s national portfolio and the operational services it would bring: preopening support, marketing and sponsorship…