The fight over who gets to row on White Rock Lake has officially gone from simmer to boil.
The City of Dallas has given the operator of the White Rock Boathouse 30 days to fix what officials say is a breach of its development agreement, after flagging a membership policy that can bar rowers and coaches from other local teams. The notice comes after months of complaints from rowers and neighbors who say access and financial reporting at the boathouse and the nearby Filter Building have been uneven. The operator is already in litigation over contract renewals with the city, raising the legal stakes around a long‑running battle over a prized public asset.
City Says Code Of Conduct Crosses Public‑Access Line
In yesterday's memo to the mayor and City Council, Dallas Park and Recreation Director John D. Jenkins said the department issued a Notice of Breach on July 8. According to the memo, the 2025 Code of Conduct was never submitted to the city for required review, and some membership and access rules conflict with the development agreement’s requirement that the facilities be “available for the benefit of the citizens of Dallas.” The memo gives White Rock Boathouse, Inc. 30 days to take the disputed code off its website and submit a revised version for approval, and notes that the City Attorney’s Office is handling the issue, according to the City memo.
Operator Pushes Back As Lawsuit Rolls On
White Rock Boathouse, Inc., the nonprofit that runs the boathouse, the Filter Building and the T&P boathouse, argues the breach notice is just the latest move in an ongoing fight over contract renewals. In a text to the Dallas Observer, WRBI president Sue Ellen Chambers described the organization’s code of conduct as “consistent with the standard codes of conduct found at many rowing clubs across the country” and said attorneys are preparing a formal response. Court listings show the organization filed suit last year, and the matter appears on the Dallas County docket as Cause No. DC‑25‑18261, per the Dallas County docket.
Advocates Zero In On Access, Oversight And Cash Flow
An advocacy group called White Rock Accountability, formed this year to push for stricter enforcement, has posted emails and documents it says show residents being denied access because they are affiliated with other clubs. The group has also highlighted what it calls a gap between the money brought in at the Filter Building and what the city sees from those events, according to White Rock Accountability. Those worries track with a 2019 City Auditor review that found holes in the Park Department’s contract oversight, missing independent audits and payments that were not clearly checked against contract terms, per City Auditor report A19‑010.
Long‑Term Deals, Revenue Splits And 2022 Add‑Ons
City records show WRBI and White Rock Rowing operate under two development agreements signed in 2006, with a supplemental agreement approved in 2022 that added performance benchmarks for community engagement and scholarship support. The current use authorization and related legislation lay out renewal options extending into the 2040s and define how rental income is divided, with most event revenue staying with the operator while a percentage goes back to the city, as described by White Rock Rowing.
Clock Ticks On Fix Or Potential Default
If WRBI does not fix the alleged breach within the deadline by removing the challenged code and submitting a replacement for approval, the Park Department could move to declare the agreement in default. The memo also notes that the City Attorney’s Office has “reserved all rights” while the lawsuit continues, according to the City memo. Neighbors, rowing programs and council members say they are watching to see how quickly the code is revised and whether the city actually enforces the contract terms as the dispute winds through both the courts and City Hall, as reported by the Dallas Observer.
