What is not being acknowledged is that Arlington has evolved.
Certain communities are perfectly content to remain passive bedroom in nature (Keller, Colleyville, Highland Park, Grand Prairie) while cities like Frisco, Arlington, Irving compete with and win corporate relocations that traditionally went to Dallas and Fort Worth.
In 1950-60's, Arlington may have been a sleepy passive bedroom community, but with the advent of General Motors, (top tier GM plant with support industries) and Six Flags, Arlington transformed into the largest tourism city in Texas and began to challenge Fort Worth for supremacy in Tarrant County. In fact, Arlington has its own set of bedroom communities (Mansfield, Dalworthing Gardens).
Arlington touts tourism, manufacturing and higher education as it major industries.
Former Arlington Mayor, Richard Greene took the gloves off when he spoke bluntly to Dallas saying "Arlington is no one's damn suburb".
It's funny how Richard Greene claims "Arlington is nobody's damn suburb," but wrote an article about the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike and how Arlington was the perfect place for the two cities to meet.
https://www.star-tel...e230690884.html
Much of Arlington exists because of its proximity to Fort Worth and Dallas. Arlington is a suburb.
EDIT: Plano, Frisco, and Irving are also suburbs. They exist largely because of their proximity to Dallas.