Arlington Comprehensive Plan Update Adopted 3-17-2015 | Page 89

hospitality, tourism, and retail sectors.
Many of the city’s residential and
commercial development were built
during the boom years — now more
than three decades ago — and are
aging. Opportunities for greenfield
development are limited in Arlington,
while many surrounding North
Texas suburbs have ample land
and aggressive incentives to attract
businesses and developers.

Economic Development
Future
In an effort to build on the city’s assets
and address its many challenges,
the city updated its Economic
Development Strategy in 2014. This
Strategy draws on existing analyses
and studies and charts a new direction
for economic development in the
city. The Comprehensive Plan echoes
the overarching goals of the Strategy
as it relates to the city’s future
economic development. The three
main economic development goals
established are to:

These issues are not uncommon
among communities in North Texas,
but Arlington faces a unique challenge
as the “third city” of the region. Its
transition from bedroom community
1. Elevate Arlington’s competitive
to core city requires not only a more
positioning in the region to capture
forward-looking economic perspective
a larger share of high-wage, highbut also a broader change in image
impact growth.
and perception. Unlike a number of
other first-ring suburbs, Arlington
2. Rejuvenate and transform key
has a distinct status because of its
economic centers into vibrant
internationally-recognized advantages,
destinations.
not the least of which are sports3. Create amenities and assets that
related. Its economic importance is
will secure Arlington’s position as a
evident in the name of the metropolitan
major activity hub in North Texas.
area itself – the region was officially
named the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003.
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