FORT WORTH– With two decades of experience in venue operations management and the equestrian industry, Allison McNamara, CEM, CVP, CMP, has been named General Manager at Will Rogers Memorial Center after serving as interim GM for 16 months.
“Over the past year, Allison has provided inspiring leadership to our team of 70 employees and shepherded more than $118 million in capital improvements to the Will Rogers complex,” said Mike Crum, director of the City of Fort Worth Public Events Department. “Her thoughtful approach to operations as well as client relations has been key to success as we have worked through and around major construction projects.” McNamara has been Operations Manager for the Fort Worth Convention Center (FWCC) since 2021 and has almost 20 years of experience in the City’s Public Events Department. She served for 7 years as an Event Coordinator at Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC) and advanced through the department ranks, spending another 7 years as an Account Tech at the FWCC. She was then tapped as Acting Operations Manager of FWCC through the COVID-19 pandemic and was promoted to that position. Her experience in City operations, finance, and team management, plus her education and enthusiasm for the equestrian industry, position her to lead WRMC into its 90th anniversary in 2026.
Her previous equestrian venue experience includes a six-year stretch at the Mississippi Horse Park as a student and graduate from Mississippi State University, where McNamara earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science with an emphasis in Equines and a minor in Agribusiness. She holds numerous industry certifications, including the Certified Venue Professional designation from the International Association of Venue Managers and the Certified Exhibition Management designation from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events. Last year, she received her Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.
“Will Rogers Memorial Center holds a special place in my heart,” said McNamara. “I grew up attending events as a spectator and often reflect on the years I spent as an employee there. I am grateful for the opportunity to return and look forward to working with the incredible team at the facility and to continuing strong partnerships with our clients. Also, many important capital projects are in the works, and I look forward to seeing them come to fruition.”
About Will Rogers Memorial Center
Will Rogers Memorial Center is a historic entertainment, sports, and livestock complex anchoring Fort Worth’s Cultural District. The 120-acre facility is named in memory of Cherokee-American humorist, writer, and cowboy entertainer Will Rogers, who died in an airplane crash in 1935. Owned and operated by the City of Fort Worth, the original coliseum, tower, and auditorium were dedicated in 1936 for the Texas Centennial celebration and are on the National Register of Historic Places. Over the decades, the facility added show barns, arenas, exhibit halls/meeting spaces, and a multipurpose equestrian center, bringing millions of visitors through its Art Deco gates each year. Trivia: The first full-time manager of WRMC was Miss Hazel Hays, who was recruited by city boosters from her job as the Fort Worth City Manager’s secretary in 1936 to book entertainment and expos into the new center.
