ex-Fort Worth city manager slated to oversee Sundance Square operations, insiders confirm
David Cooke, the longest-serving city manager in Fort Worth history, has taken over the reins at Sundance Square management, a buzzing 37-square-block entertainment district in downtown Fort Worth. This district, a hub of restaurants, shopping, and arts attractions like the Bass Performance Hall, is owned solely by Fort Worth billionaires Ed and Sasha Bass since late 2019.
The Basses have been making headlines due to a string of closures and openings in Sundance Square, as well as previous conflicts with Downtown Fort Worth Inc. management. Cooke's employment with the Basses comes just two months after he stepped down from his role as city manager.
The relationship between Cooke and the Basses was under scrutiny in 2022 following a Fort Worth Report investigation. Cooke had allegedly failed to disclose a trip he and his spouse took to Aspen, Colorado, with the Bass couple on theirprivate jet. City Council members reprimanded Cooke at the time, calling his decision to take the trip "questionable judgment."
Fast forward, Cooke's appointment to oversee Sundance Square comes as downtown Fort Worth experiences significant investment. Texas A&M is planning a campus expansion in downtown, the Fort Worth Convention Center and Fort Worth Stockyards are both expanding, and the city's first modern luxury high-rise apartment building has opened downtown, with a new hotel expected to anchor the area soon.
Sundance Square has been grappling with tenant retention issues since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Ed and Sasha Bass launched the Next Big Idea program to help fill vacant storefronts with concepts from local entrepreneurs. However, about a quarter of the district's storefronts remain closed and empty, while smaller businesses leasing storefronts have struggled, as reported by the Star-Telegram.
The Basses' long-term strategy for Sundance Square remains unclear. Current and former tenants have expressed uncertainty about their plans, while Sunday Square management has announced plans for The Spotlight, a new live music venue at 310 Houston St. The venue had a soft opening in March and plans more concerts for this spring.
David Cooke's employment with the Basses, the Fort Worth billionaires who own Sundance Square, comes amidst changes in the community, particularly in the realm of local news due to their ongoing confrontations with Downtown Fort Worth Inc. management. The city's finance and investing landscape is also witnessing considerable change, with significant business ventures like Texas A&M's campus expansion, the Fort Worth Convention Center's expansion, and the opening of luxury high-rise apartments in downtown Fort Worth.
Cooke's appointment to manage Sundance Square comes at a time when the district, a hub of restaurants, shopping, and arts attractions, is facing challenges such as tenant retention issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To alleviate some of these issues, Ed and Sasha Bass launched the Next Big Idea program in 2022 to support local entrepreneurs, but about a quarter of the district's storefronts remain vacant.
Despite these challenges, there are glimmers of hope, such as The Spotlight, a new live-music venue at 310 Houston St., which had a soft opening in March and is planning more concerts for this spring. However, the long-term strategy of the Basses for Sundance Square remains unclear, causing uncertainty among current and former tenants. Under Cooke's leadership, it remains to be seen how these challenges will be addressed and how Sundance Square will continue to shape the urban real-estate landscape of Fort Worth.
