The Dallas Park and Recreation Board voted to deny an alcohol permit for the Dallas Monosa Land Music Festival at Flagpole Hill Park and approved several service and procurement agreements during its March 20, 2025 meeting.

The board voted to deny an alcohol permit requested by Deontay of United Cares Incorporated for an event at Flagpole Hill Park (8100 Durant Street) scheduled for April 19, 2025. The motion to deny, moved by Mr. Goldstein and seconded by Mr. Anthony, followed an administrative committee recommendation and passed on a voice vote after extended discussion about park capacity, neighborhood impact and alternative locations.

The action was taken amid concerns raised by multiple board members that a single-day event with a large expected attendance could effectively close the park to regular users and strain park maintenance and public-safety resources. "This is not an appropriate event to be out at Flagpole Hill Park," Mr. Goldstein said during debate, citing staff outreach to the organizers about relocating the event and the organizers' refusal to move.

In other actions the board approved:
- A three-year service-price agreement for commercial services for aquatic spraygrounds and pool facilities with Andrews Building Service, not to exceed $5,496,470, financed from the general fund and subject to annual appropriation.
- A design and installation contract for a splash pad at Forest Avenue Park (9737 Forest Lane) with Craftsman's LP (DBA Craftsman's Commercial Playgrounds and Waterparks) for an amount not to exceed $776,000, financed by capital gifts and development funds.
- A three-year master agreement to supply wholesale restaurant/food products for park concessions with Cisco North Texas (estimate amount $375,000), procured under a statutory exemption cited by staff.

Consent agenda items 1–4 and approval of the March 6, 2025 minutes were also approved earlier in the meeting.

Board members who spoke during the alcohol-permit debate emphasized balancing revenue and cost recovery with parks' role in providing day-to-day quality-of-life services for residents. Multiple members urged staff to develop clearer, scalable policy guidance on large events in neighborhood parks and to consider grandfathering long-standing community users while steering large commercial events to locations better equipped to handle them.

Votes at a glance
- Consent items 1–4: approved (voice vote).
- Item 5 (Flagpole Hill Park alcohol permit for Dallas Monosa Land Music Festival, 04/19/2025): motion to deny (mover: Mr. Goldstein; second: Mr. Anthony); outcome: denied (voice vote).
- Item 6 (three-year aquatic services agreement, Andrews Building Service): approved (voice vote); not to exceed $5,496,470; financing: general fund, subject to annual appropriation.
- Item 7 (splash pad design/installation at Forest Avenue Park, Craftsman's LP): approved (voice vote); not to exceed $776,000; financing: capital gifts/donations/development fund.
- Item 8 (three-year concessions supply agreement, Cisco North Texas): approved (voice vote); estimate $375,000.

Notes and next steps: Board members asked staff to return with a recommended policy or sliding scale for alcohol permits and large events that would direct large, ticketed or commercial gatherings to parks or facilities that can accommodate them without displacing daily users. Several members also requested staff summaries of total event costs (police, cleanup, deposits, insurance and other fees) to provide clearer context when considering permits.