Fair Park First
Fair Park First is a Dallas-based non-profit managing the 277-acre National Historic Landmark Fair Park under a 20-year City of Dallas contract, in partnership with Spectra (Oak View Group). It operates event venues, 11 cultural institutions, and community programming serving 5M+ annual visitors and 1,200+ events per year.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Fair Park First does
Fair Park First is a 501-style non-profit organization selected by the City of Dallas in 2018 to manage and steward Fair Park, a 277-acre National Historic Landmark in South Dallas, under a 20-year operating agreement running from January 1, 2019 through 2038. The organization partners with Spectra (Oak View Group / OVG360) for venue management and operates a portfolio of historic event venues and cultural attractions including Cotton Bowl Stadium (91,000+ seats), Dos Equis Pavilion (20,000-seat amphitheater, operated by Live Nation), Fair Park Coliseum, Centennial Hall (90,000 sq. ft.), the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center, Texas Discovery Gardens, Children's Aquarium at Fair Park, African American Museum, Dallas Historical Society Hall of State, Broadway Dallas Music Hall, Natural History Museum, and WRR Radio. Fair Park First drives 1,200+ annual events and serves 5M+ visitors across the campus.
The business model blends earned revenue from event venue rentals and event-day parking (free on non-event days; typically $20-$50 per vehicle on event days, across 14,000+ spaces), ticketed event programming through Ticketmaster and Eventbrite, and philanthropic/government capital. Recent capital inflows totaling roughly $17.7 million — including an $8.6M National Park Service grant (December 2024), $2.6M from NexPoint Philanthropies (April 2025), a $3M State of Texas appropriation (July 2025), and a $2.5M McKesson Foundation investment (June 2026) — are funding a 10.5-acre Community Park development anchored by McKesson Market Grove, an expansion into wellness programming targeting 13 historically under-resourced South Dallas neighborhoods.
Go-to-market combines event-driven and community-led motions: enterprise venue rental sales to event promoters (Live Nation, UT/OU athletics) and corporate clients, alongside free community programming (Fair Park Farmers Market, STEAM Festival, Explorer Summer Camps). Operations are supported by a digital presence — fairparkdallas.com, social channels on Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, and the Fair Park Insider email newsletter — and infrastructure that includes two DART Green Line rail stations on-site. Customer segments span general public visitors, event promoters and corporate venue renters, the 11 on-campus cultural institutions, and the surrounding South Dallas community served through health- and greenspace-focused programming.
Fair Park First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fair Park First
- Legal name
- Fair Park First
- Website
- https://fairparkdallas.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Fair Park First is a Dallas-based non-profit managing the 277-acre National Historic Landmark Fair Park under a 20-year City of Dallas contract, in partnership with Spectra (Oak View Group). It operates event venues, 11 cultural institutions, and community programming serving 5M+ annual visitors and 1,200+ events per year.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fair Park First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Venue and Cultural Complex Management
- NAICS
- All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)
Keywords
Where Fair Park First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fair Park First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Event Venue Rentals: Fair Park generates revenue by renting its 11+ event venues (Cotton Bowl Stadium, Band Shell, Centennial Hall, Tower Building, Automobile Building, and others) to event promoters, corporate clients, and cultural organizations for concerts, sports events, festivals, conferences, and private functions.
- Parking Fees: Parking fees are charged during major events at Fair Park. General parking on non-event days is free. Over 14,000 parking spaces are available across the campus.
- Philanthropic Investment: Fair Park receives philanthropic investments from foundations (McKesson Foundation, NexPoint Philanthropies) and government grants (National Park Service, state appropriations) to fund capital improvements and community programming such as the Community Park development.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | General Parking - Free on non-event days |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | 9th Riverfront Jazz Festival - $85 to $900 |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | FIFA Fan Festival - Free admission |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Fair Park First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fair Park First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manages and revitalizes the 277-acre Fair Park National Historic Landmark in South Dallas under a 20-year City of Dallas contract executed with Spectra (Oak View Group). Its core offering is event venue rental (Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dos Equis Pavilion, Fair Park Coliseum, Centennial Hall, Band Shell, Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center, and other exhibition buildings) to event promoters and corporate clients, alongside stewardship of 11 on-site cultural institutions and the delivery of more than 1,200 annual activities including the State Fair of Texas, concerts, festivals, sporting events, and free community programming.
Product overview
Fair Park First operates Fair Park as a 277-acre entertainment, cultural, and recreational complex managed in partnership with the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department. The organization offers event venue rental services across multiple historic venues including Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dos Equis Pavilion, Fair Park Coliseum, Centennial Hall, and the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center. Fair Park is home to cultural attractions including Texas Discovery Gardens, Children's Aquarium at Fair Park, African American Museum, Dallas Historical Society Hall of State, Broadway Dallas Music Hall, Natural History Museum, and WRR Radio. The organization is developing a 10.5-acre Community Park as part of the Fair Park Master Plan to transform the venue into a year-round destination. Ticketing for events is managed through third-party platforms including Ticketmaster and Eventbrite.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Event Venue Rental
- Cotton Bowl Stadium
- Dos Equis Pavilion
- Fair Park Coliseum
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 5 million visitors annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Fair Park First
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Fair Park First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Fair Park First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Good Local MarketsminorFair Park partners with Good Local Markets to operate the weekly Fair Park Farmers Market every Sunday from March through August, bringing together local farmers, food producers, artisans, and small businesses.
- Moody Fund for the ArtsminorThe STEAM Festival is sponsored by the Moody Fund for the Arts, which supports the community celebration combining STEAM learning, creative expression, and holistic wellness.
- Texas Discovery GardensminorTexas Discovery Gardens partners with Fair Park to co-host the STEAM Festival and provides the venue for Explorer Summer Camps and Once Upon A Garden Storytime programming.
- The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL)minorTBAAL is temporarily operating from The Women's Museum at Fair Park during the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center renovation and hosts the annual Riverfront Jazz Festival at Fair Park.
- Live NationcoreLive Nation operates the Dos Equis Pavilion (20,000-capacity outdoor amphitheater) at Fair Park, booking and producing major concert tours and live music events from April through October.
- Broadway DallascoreBroadway Dallas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that presents Broadway theater at Music Hall at Fair Park, operating year-round performances and community outreach programs.
- City of Dallas Park and Recreation DepartmentcoreFair Park is managed by the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department. Fair Park First and Spectra (Oak View Group) were selected by the City of Dallas in 2018 to manage Fair Park for 20 years beginning January 1, 2019.
- Spectra (Oak View Group)coreSpectra, operating as OVG360, partners with Fair Park First to manage Fair Park operations including event programming, venue management, marketing, and community engagement.
- PLUS1minorKehlani has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket will be contributed towards The Kehlani Fund by Live Nation for charitable giving.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fair Park First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fair Park First social profiles
Digital presenceFair Park First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fair Park First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Fair Park First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fair Park First M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fair Park First
What does Fair Park First do?
Fair Park First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manages and revitalizes the 277-acre Fair Park National Historic Landmark in South Dallas under a 20-year City of Dallas contract executed with Spectra (Oak View Group). Its core offering is event venue rental (Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dos Equis Pavilion, Fair Park Coliseum, Centennial Hall, Band Shell, Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center, and other exhibition buildings) to event promoters and corporate clients, alongside stewardship of 11 on-site cultural institutions and the delivery of more than 1,200 annual activities including the State Fair of Texas, concerts, festivals, sporting events, and free community programming.
Is Fair Park First a public or private company?
Fair Park First is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Fair Park First founded?
Fair Park First was founded in 2018. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Fair Park First based?
Fair Park First is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fair Park First make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Event Venue Rentals are the primary driver. The others are parking Fees and philanthropic Investment.
Does Fair Park First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fair Park First.
What industry is Fair Park First in?
Fair Park First's product category is Event Venue and Cultural Complex Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAAAH, Fairgrounds & Expo Parks, with a secondary code of MPAGAFAO, Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs. Its NAICS code is 713990 and its SIC code is 7990.