Fort Worth to consider spending half-a-million dollars to upgrade Fort Worth Herd facilities

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Herd is one of the most iconic elements of Fort Worth's increasingly popular Stockyards area. Every day, a group of longhorns stroll down Exchange Avenue, delighting visitors looking to get a taste of the West.

The cows are accompanied by Drovers on Horseback, just as they would be if they were making their way across the frontier decades ago.

The Herd's facilities are due for an upgrade, according to an informal report set to be presented Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday. The city council recently approved a plan to start a second phase of development in the Stockyards, which will include new facilities for The Herd.

Until then, the city says upgrades are necessary to ensure the Herd's horses and cows stay safe and healthy. The upgrades will include improvements to the Herd's horse barn facilities, livestock facilities and vehicles, according to the report.

Currently, the city funds the Herd's $1.7 million annual budget through its tourism agency, Visit Fort Worth. The agency is funded primarily through revenue from hotel occupancy taxes and revenue from the Fort Worth Convention Center. The improvements to the Herd facilities would be paid for through a combination of private and public funds.

The city could invest $400,000 in the Herd's horse barn facilities located at 2500 N. Houston St., including covered horse stalls, an operations trailer, security cameras, horse therapy equipment and a washrack, the report states. The city would fund these improvements through profits from the Cowtown Coliseum if approved.

Private donors would fund $177,200 in improvements to livestock facilities located at 129 E. Exchange St. including covered horse stalls, ventilation and repairs to gates and fences, according to the report. The private dollars would be provided through Friends of the Fort Worth Herd, a nonprofit.

The city and Visit Fort Worth could jointly spend $220,000 to replace the city-owned vehicles and trailers.