A security firm hired by Oak View Group, the company that manages Fair Park for the City of Dallas, has been waiting to be paid nearly five months after working at the park.
K9 Security Detection Services (KSDS) provided security services for a music festival at the park over the Memorial Day weekend, but the company claims it has not yet been paid.
KSDS said that four handlers worked 114 hours total at the event, and the company is owed $15,000 for their services.
“It’s only $15,000, but it’s everything to a small company like mine,” said KSDS owner Maureen Cooke, per Fox 4 KDFW. “We worked our butts off out there. We did it on very short notice.
“My handlers had to cancel plans for Memorial Day weekend to do their event and make the place safe for the public,” Cooke added.
“It was very, very hot that day. We were manning the gates, looking for explosive hazards, looking for anything weird or suspicious that may be a danger,” K9 handler Michael Chavez told Fox 4 KDFW.
Although Cooke has followed up numerous times about the invoice, she said that Oak View Group has stopped responding to her emails, phone calls, and text messages in the last two months.
Last week, Oak View Group told the Dallas City Council that it did not have enough money to cover its operating expenses, which are about $2 million more than its expected revenue.
“We’ve been saddled with inclement weather and emergency repairs. It’s caused us to overspend,” Oak View Group General Manager Stacey Church told City Council members.
In addition, the closure of the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park for renovations has affected park revenue, according to Oak View Group.
The company said that it will need additional subsidies from the City of Dallas until the park can generate more revenue, Fox 4 reported.
“We are aware and share concerns regarding the shortfall in operating funds and the resulting outstanding payables. As this has been a high priority for us, we continue to pursue solutions to address the situation as soon as possible. We do not take lightly the impact this has on the businesses providing services to Fair Park and we sincerely appreciate their patience as we work through this process,” an Oak View Group spokesperson said in a statement provided to Fox 4.
The company did not comment on when vendors can expect to get paid.
Last Spring, Fair Park First, the non-profit organization that oversees Fair Park and raises funds for improvements to the park, accused Oak View Group of misusing the funds. A report on the audit of the accounts presented to City Council last week revealed that Oak View Group had misallocated approximately $5.7 million of restricted-use funds and instead used them for day-to-day operating expenses, as WFAA reported.
“The audit makes clear that $5.7 million was misallocated in donor funds, restricted for specific Fair Park projects, and utilized those funds for park operations and unqualified projects. While there is no question the funds were spent on and at Fair Park, the determined amount misallocated was not spent on the specific Fair Park projects restricted by our donors,” Fair Park First said in a written statement to the City Council.
