Oxnard Council OKs multi‑year Dallas Cowboys training camp agreement through 2030

The Oxnard City Council approved a multi‑year facilities agreement with Blue Star Operations Services, the organization that brings the Dallas Cowboys training camp to Oxnard, extending the relationship through 2030. The council voted 7–0 to authorize the mayor to execute agreement A8587 as presented in the staff report.

The contract continues a long-standing summer tradition that city officials, the local visitor bureau and business groups said brings sustained media attention and visits from fans, vendors and team staff. Britney Hendricks, president and CEO of Visit Oxnard, told the council the Cowboys’ presence drives hotel stays and regional tourism; Tom Cady of the Ventura County Business Alliance and Brian Wansley, the Cowboys’ training‑camp director, described local economic and workforce benefits.

Council discussion touched briefly on a protocol item included in the staff draft: for each opening day ceremony the Cowboys requested that “City of Oxnard officials attending opening day ceremonies shall wear a Dallas Cowboys branded top; Blue Star shall provide such top for that year.” Councilmember Aaron Starr raised concerns about Measure B’s prohibition on elected officials accepting gifts from contract partners; Starr said elected officials should not accept such tops as a gift and offered that elected officials could instead purchase shirts directly if they chose to attend.

Mayor John McArthur and other council members described the request as a courtesy for the televised opening ceremonies and suggested simple ways to avoid any legal problem: elected officials could decline the provided tops or buy their own. No council member opposed the contract on that basis, and the agreement passed unanimously. The council did not change core contract terms during the meeting.

Council members said they value the long partnership and the city’s profile as a sports‑tourism destination; staff noted the multi‑year term will help the city and the team plan logistics, public safety and vendor coordination in advance.

Votes at a glance: The motion to approve the staff recommendation to execute agreement A8587 carried 7–0. No amendments were recorded in the public meeting.

What’s next: The executed agreement will be used by city departments (police, public works, parks & recreation, and the visitor bureau) to finalize operational planning and public‑safety staffing for the 2026 camp and subsequent years through 2030.