The Dallas City Council has released $20 million in construction funds for the new $227 million police academy, less than a week before voters decide on a proposition to borrow more money for the project. The money will go to construction firm Swinerton to build six buildings at the University of North Texas at Dallas campus.
The $20 million combines a $17.5 million donation from QuikTrip Corporation, money from the W.W. Caruth Foundation and funds from a bond voters approved two years ago. The city says it has $50 million from the 2024 bond, $25 million in state grants and $70 million in private funds, and it needs $82 million from the 2026 bond election. A separate outdoor training facility at Dallas Executive Airport is estimated at $170 million.
Council member Chad West said funding gaps have loomed over a police academy the city has "been promising for decades." The city is also selling naming rights and seeking private donors, including asking for $50 million in exchange for a donor's name on the academy. Council member Gay Donnell Willis, who chairs the public safety committee, said donated funds may be used for construction or daily upkeep, depending on conditions set by the donor.