Dallas council approves $5.5 million design supplement for Wings practice facility after tense debate

The Dallas City Council approved a supplemental design agreement on May 28 that adds up to $5,501,967 for the architectural and engineering design of an off-site practice facility connected to the Dallas Wings and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center project. The authorization, which the council approved 12–3, supplements the existing Gensler contract for the Memorial Auditorium and related convention center work.

Council members and staff stressed the city is still finalizing the practice facility site; staff said the site selection item would return to council on June 11. Rosa Fleming, director of Convention and Event Services, told the council the supplemental is intended to allow the design team to "get the layout of the building" and align with WNBA standards so construction can meet contractual deadlines with the Wings.

Chairwoman Mendelsohn and other members pressed staff for more detail before voting, asking whether spending design dollars before naming a site was fiscally responsible. Fleming replied that the firm already on contract needed time to complete schematic designs to meet overall project milestones and that the firm had used comparable WNBA facilities as program and cost benchmarks. "We use those standards as kind of the touch point," Fleming said, adding the practice facility construction estimate is in the range of $48–54 million.

Councilors also raised process questions and requested a fuller package tying site selection, public benefits and financing together; staff said a briefing and the site item would be back on June 11. Several council members said they supported a short deferral to assemble that package, but a motion to defer failed on a recorded vote. The council ultimately approved the supplemental agreement and the overall funding amendment to the convention center construction fund.

The vote finalizes a not-to-exceed increase to the Gensler contract to include design work for the practice facility and move the project forward toward construction. City manager Tolbert said the city is on a tight timeline to meet commitments with the Wings and deliver the facility by spring 2026, but reiterated the city will seek to brief council fully on site and financing details before construction begins.

Council action and next steps: the supplemental agreement was approved by council; staff said the June 11 agenda will include the site recommendation and additional materials that Fleming and the manager said would answer outstanding questions about land, public benefit and cost. If awarded state loan or reimbursements tied to the larger convention center redevelopment, those items will return to council for formal acceptance.

The council discussion highlighted competing priorities: securing the team's practice facility on an accelerated schedule and answering neighborhood, fiscal and transparency concerns surrounding site selection and total project cost.

What passed - Council approved a supplemental design agreement with Gensler not to exceed $5,501,967 to add in design for an off-site practice facility tied to the Dallas Wings/convention center contract. The council vote was 12 in favor, 3 opposed. - Staff will present a site recommendation and related financing materials for council consideration on June 11, 2025.

Why it matters: The city is remodeling the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and renovating the Dallas Memorial Auditorium tied to the Dallas Wings relocation. The practice facility is a contract commitment with a private team; missing contractual deadlines could put the city at risk of contract remedies. Approving the design funds keeps the schedule moving while the site and final construction price are finalized for council review.