WELCOME TO DFW
The University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center, widely considered “the crown jewel” of the UT Medical System, also counts five Nobel laureates among its skilled staff. Major healthcare systems in the Dallas/Fort Worth area include Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Texas Health Resources, Methodist Health System, VA North Texas Healthcare System, Parkland Health and Hospital System, and Presbyterian Healthcare System, as well as many smaller clinic systems, physician groups, and more that offer hundreds of specialties for the best in medical care. Beyond offering top quality healthcare services and resources to residents, the North Texas healthcare industry is a huge source of job growth and opportunity. According to information from the Dallas Chamber, healthcare services – including hospitals, physicians and dentist offices – comprises 15 percent of the DFW economy, directly supports an estimated 601,000 jobs, and adds a total value of more than $52 billion to the regional economy. In a study to estimate the overall economic impact of the healthcare industry in the DFW area, the University of North Texas Center for Economic Development and Research found that “the value added by the healthcare industry in the region is $52 billion per year, which represents about 15 percent of all regional economic activity.”
DFW: GOOD FOR BUSINESS There’s no question that the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is ideal for business. According to Fortune magazine 21 Fortune 500 companies make either Dallas or Fort Worth their corporate headquarters – including such well-known companies as Dean Foods, ExxonMobil, Kimberly-Clark, J.C. Penney, Southwest Airlines, and Texas Instruments. Consider that Chief Executive magazine’s annual survey of CEO opinion and business climate index ranked Texas the best state to do business – for the tenth year in a row – and it’s not surprising that many smaller companies have chosen to follow suit. According to research prepared by the Dallas Chamber, the
14
DESTINATION DFW
DFW region is the fifth largest metro in the country for self-employment. The state of Texas has received the prestigious Site Selection magazine’s Governor’s Cup for having the most new and expanded corporate facilities. The Site Selection rankings are based on new corporate location projects; to be considered, a new facility or expansion must involve capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 50 new jobs, or add at least 20,000 square-feet of space. The Dallas-Plano-Irving Metropolitan Division, which accounted for 72 percent of the area’s workforce, added 91,500 jobs from August a year ago, an increase of 3.6 percent. The Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Division, which accounted for the remaining 28 percent of the area’s workforce, added 23,400 jobs during the 12-month period, a gain of 2.3 percent. With a large, educated workforce and an ideally central location, equidistant from North America’s five largest business centers (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Mexico City and Toronto) – the Dallas/Fort Worth area is known as a place to start and nurture a career, grow a business, and become an entre-preneur. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics August 2018 report, the total nonfarm employment in the Dallas-Forth Worth area stood at 3,716,000, this is up 114,900 over the prior year. The area’s thriving entrepreneurial climate is a clear testament to the state’s determined history. According to statistics from CNBC’s Top States for Business 2016, Texas ranked second in the United States Forbes has also counted the Dallas and Fort Worth-Arlington areas among its 2016 listings as the “best cities for busi-ness,” at tenth. DFW also ranked thirteenth out of 101 major United States markets in terms of small business vitality in the annual survey by American City Business Journals. While the area is well known as an attractive environment for young, hungry, and headedstraight-up-the-corporate-ladder professionals who relocate here each year to start their careers, it is also known as the kind of business climate where those at any stage in their
RELOCATION GUIDE 2020 | ISSUE 1
career have almost unlimited opportunities for success – which is a major reason many executives and businesses choose to relocate here. Central location and easy access to worldwide destinations make DFW an attractive option for both small and large employers, as well as relocating families, with plenty of resources to help. For example, the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – one of the world’s busiest airports – serves more than 31 million passengers each year – and it’s a major reason why companies and employees move here. Dallas’ Love Field, which had its beginnings as a training facility for pilots during World War I, is home to Southwest Airlines and is one of the state’s busiest airports for both regional commuters and private aircraft – another plus for local businesses.
DFW ARTS, MUSIC & CULTURE Most people think of sports, arts, music, culture, and cowboys when they think of things to do in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Yes, there’s that – but there’s also so much more. From such cultural icons as Casa Mañana Theater, the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra, the Fort Worth/ Dallas Ballet Company, Bass Performance Hall, the Dallas Opera, and the Van Cliburn Piano Competition to pure sports excitement, there’s no shortage of things to do and see. The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth is world famous, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and Industry offers popular attractions for kids – and adults – of all ages. Most of Fort Worth’s attractions and restaurants are within three miles of downtown, making it easy to explore. Sundance Square is a popular hotbed, as is the Fort Worth Stockyards area; and, there are plenty of fun restaurants and bars around the TCU campus. No trip to Fort Worth is complete without a stop at the world-famous Billy Bob’s Texas. Fort Worth boasts more than 250 parks and public outdoor spaces that cover over 11,700 acres across the city. Love dogs? There’s even the Fort Woof Dog Park at Gateway Park – an amenity that’s proven very popular with area residents and their four-legged friends. Beyond parks, Fort Worth’s Parks & Community Services (PACS) department maintains hugely popular attractions such as