Is anyone following this story about the current state of FW and its future? Sounds like the recent Strategic Plan delivered to the city raised a lot of red flags. I think some of this sentiment or fear that FW may be in some kind of trouble came up last year when XTO announced their plans to depart, leaving the city without a major corporate presence. Is Fort Worth in some trouble here? Putting Dallas aside, it certainly seems that Fort Worth has fallen behind the other stronger players in the area like Plano and Frisco.
Economic Development Strategic Plan
Bud Kennedy column - Here's how to fix Fort Worth
D Magazine article
Economic Development Strategic Plan
Quote:
The threats facing the city may not always be apparent but they are very real. Recent business relocations, an increase in population not matched by an increase in wages, an out-of-balance tax base, and persistent difficulties in attracting skilled and educated young peoplethese issues risk engulfing Fort Worth. These challenges put Fort Worth in an increasingly weak position towards the City of Dallas and aggressive suburbs throughout the metro area.
Bud Kennedy column - Here's how to fix Fort Worth
Quote:
A new business plan for the city included wakeup alarms for city leaders:
Our residents are less likely to have a college degree than Houston's or Dallas', and nowhere near as well-educated as Denver's or Austin's.
Even our high school graduation rate trails San Antonio's or Oklahoma City's, both working-class cities with a rough-and-tumble cowboy past.
So the blunt truth is: Fort Worth and Tarrant County are not very smart.
But we've got more problems:
One in 12 city residents has to go to Dallas for work.
Some outsiders see Fort Worth as hostile to young adults, people of color and foreigners.
Worst of all, Fort Worth doesn't cross anyone's mind at all. We're No. 16 in population but No. 48 in Google searches less sought than Tulsa or Oklahoma City, down there with Buffalo and Fresno.
D Magazine article
Quote:
Among those findings: the city does not have a diverse tax base. Fort Worth is reliant on residential and not commercial growth. Most people living here work outside the city proper, and many commute to Dallas. The city has increasingly become a bedroom community for the rest of North Texas, which explains why Fort Worth is also an afterthought to many executives seeking to expand operations or even relocate here.