Well as long as we get businesses and corporations to relocate here and that helps our citys economic future and our growth in the end does it really matter that we are considered another Frisco. I think our separate identity and our obsession with trying to be recognizable and better than Dallas only matters in a pissing contest and when we want to beat our chest.
Yes, it does matter. We can't just let our history as a metro anchor fall by the wayside.
Fort Worth (the town) was established before the railroad. Fort Worth has always been a center of commerce. Fort Worth was (and is) influential enough to spur its own suburbs. Fort Worth did not grow because of Dallas or any other city. This is in contrast to Frisco- they are growing because of Dallas.
Fort Worth is one of the few large U.S. metro anchors that isn't widely recognized as one. That's not fair, and our image is likely costing us business.
Yes we all know that it was established before the railroad and that is why I said that I love it’s history and cultural identity. It has been those things you mentioned and it will continue to be those things.
I think most people do view Fort Worth as a large metro area in it’s own right but many forumers believe that somehow we are slighted because people talk about Dallas first. I’m just saying that is always going to be the case because Dallas is the bigger city and is more recognizable worldwide because of the reasons I mentioned in my initial post. I’m trying to say who cares if Dallas is talked about first. We are and can still be a great city with them as our neighbor. Actually we don’t really have a choice unless we can find a way to move an entire metro area. LOL
Also, Fort Worth does get noticed and that’s why it has been included on a lot of “Best Places” lists. I think we are one of the most recognizable anchors but you are not seeing it because of homerism. When do other anchor cities like St. Paul, St. Petersburg, Oakland & Newark get mentioned in the public media. Not much, besides Oakland and that’s because they have professional sports teams.
Finally, to be honest if Fort Worth isn’t getting the business you think we deserve I blame that on 2 things. The first is that we have a terrible ISD. Most new families that come to a new area look into school districts as a determining factor of where they are going to relocate. My partner who is Commercial & Residential broker thinks that is our main reason why businesses turn us down and choose places like Frisco & McKinney. Secondly, and most importantly IMO, our city council and leaders have made it abundantly clear that they want to keep in place what makes Fort Worth the charming city it is and that’s our “Big City with a small town charm” motto. They as well as many forumers on here know that’s what makes us stand out as an excellent city. However, with that leading their mantra they have made it extremely difficult for businesses and developers to jump into the (Dickies) Arena.... see what I did there. Many of those entities do not have the time or capital to sit around and wait through our grueling process so they move on and the word about those entanglements has spread throughout the business community . Fort Worth’s ails on the business front are of it’s own making and they will continue to shoot themselves in the foot unless they lighten up on and speed up that process.
Ultimately what I am trying to say is I could care less about what others think about our “image” and that we are not as recognizable. I care about creating a livable & inviting city. One that is trying to serve it’s citizens while promoting smart growth. Baltimore and Detroit are both recognizable cities... Does that make them a better city because of it. Maybe to some people they are. I guess it all comes down to the eye of the beholder.