A downtown Dallas dining destination has a new boss: The AT&T Discovery District, the outdoor oasis with immersive exhibits and entertainment in the center of downtown, has formed a partnership with Legends, a premium experiences company co-founded by YGE Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of the New York Yankees, and Jones Concessions LP, an affiliate of the Dallas Cowboys and majority-owned by Sixth Street.

Legends will serve as the new management team overseeing The Exchange Hall, the 26,700-square-foot food hall that's a centerpiece of the downtown destination.

Founded in 2008, Legends Hospitality manages live event spaces and events for major sports and entertainment. It's partnered with such iconic brands as the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, Real Madrid CF, SoFi Stadium, University of Notre Dame, Manchester City FC, LA Clippers, One World Observatory, and Live Nation.

According to a post from AT&T, the new management will be accompanied by upgrades to the district, plus details on a new restaurant, to replace Jaxon, which closed at the end of July.

The food hall was previously managed by Hospitality Alliance, and opened in June 2021 with 16 eateries featuring beloved Dallas chefs and operators.

The Exchange was the first food hall in downtown Dallas and capped the long-awaited full opening of the AT&T Discovery District. AT&T launched the project in 2018 to create a world-class workplace and help revitalize downtown Dallas.

AT&T, whose corporate headquarters already represented a major presence in downtown Dallas, added the new district adjoining AT&'s downtown campus, with restaurants, retail, water features, and a park with free wifi, with a goal to create a place where employees, locals, and tourists could spend time.

That included a mix of technology and green space, including a 425-foot-long water feature ringing the plaza, with lawn, tables, and chairs; a 104-foot-tall, 6K Media Wall; and a 30-foot tall interactive mirrored globe that has become Dallas' mini-version of Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean," in Chicago.

In 2022, the food hall began to experience some turmoil, including high-profile chef departures, turnover, and closures.

Original concepts such as Rise & Thyme, a seasonal American cafe from celebrity chef Amanda Freitag, were replaced by less unique options such as pizza.

Jaxon's closure was precipitated by a severence between AT&T and Hospitality Alliance effective July 31.

"We will no longer be involved with the Discovery District (including Jaxon) after the end of the month," the company told members of its staff. "While this is disappointing, I believe it will be better for all of us in the long run."

AT&T already has a relationship with Jones via the location of Cowboys Fit, their trademark fitness center, which opened in the AT&T Discovery District at 1500 Jackson St. in early 2020.