Eanes ISD facing lawsuits from former athletic center, aquatic center
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The operator and partner of both the Westlake Athletic Center, LLC, and WAQUA, LLC, is suing Eanes ISD after the district announced last month it was terminating two partnership agreements for leases with both facilities.
The district announced April 10 it was terminating both contracts for the Westlake Athletic and Community Center (WACC) and the Westlake Aquatic Center (WAQUA) while stating it wanting to “reclaim the WACC for educational purposes as an extension of the high school campus and curricula,” according to a news release from Eanes ISD.
The termination for WAQUA will take effect Aug. 1, and the termination for WACC will take effect Jan. 5, 2026, according to the district.
“With termination in process, the District can now begin exploring alternative arrangements for subscribers and users of each facility. We anticipate sharing more details about these plans before the end of the school year,” the district said.
The district has contracted with Jeff Buch, the operator and partner of both WACC and WAQUA since 2015, according to Eanes ISD.
“In a unique public-private partnership on district property adjacent to Westlake High School, the plan permitted the construction and operation of the WACC facility for 10 years until January 2026, at which time ownership of the building would transfer to Eanes ISD. The agreement was to provide Eanes ISD students with increased and improved access to multi-purpose facilities for athletics, fine arts and extracurricular programs,” the district said.
Westlake Athletic Center LLC said in the lawsuit that the termination of the lease for both facilities was not “publicly discussed or mentioned” during any district school board meetings and said “the decision to terminate the lease was made behind closed doors.” Furthermore, the lawsuit went on to say that the district was “seeking to displace plaintiff to use the facility as a revenue-generating resource.” WAQUA also filed a second lawsuit against the district.
“Some collaborations are only meant to last for a finite amount of time, particularly if they no longer fulfill the expectations or long-term goals of the school district,” Eanes ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeff Arnett said in the release. “Our plan for how these facilities can benefit the Eanes ISD community is underscored by the priorities of providing a safe, clean, well-maintained learning environment, while also generating feasible and reliable revenue opportunities.”
