Arlington Mayor Jim Ross: “The State of the City today is great. The State of the City tomorrow is off-the-hook wonderful.”
Mayor Ross’ State of the City address
Mayor Jim Ross delivered his annual State of the City address on October 30th, highlighting his vision for “Tomorrow’s Arlington.” The event ties together Arlington’s past, present, and future.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross at the annual State of the City address—October 30, 2024
The presentation began with a recap since his previous address. Highlights included:
- The Texas Rangers won their first World Series and the victory parade—which drew a crowd larger than the city itself. Arlington hosted the MLB All-Star Game for the second time.
- General Motors celebrated its 70th anniversary and production of its 13 millionth vehicle.
- Lowes Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, the Drury Plaza Hotel, and the All-Star Legacy Park all celebrated grand openings. Groundbreaking occurred for the new Caravan Court Hotel.
- Downtown’s remodeled Fire Station #1 opening; UTA was named the #1 university in North Texas.
- New businesses and employment opportunities arrived; many community events and festivals commenced.
- The Arlington Museum of Art moved to its new location; Arlington Parks reached its 100th anniversary. The Entertainment District hosted over a dozen high-profile concerts.
- A Huey Helicopter arrived at the National Medal of Honor Museum, the most prominent artifact in their collection. Officials dedicated a new memorial at Veterans Park.
It was a busy year for Arlington.
He also recognized the Arlington City Council and City Manager Trey Yelverton, praising their relentless teamwork. Ross presented Yelverton with the “Mayor’s American Dream Award.”
Tomorrow’s Arlington
“Tomorrow’s Arlington” graphic from Ross’ presentation showing the Entertainment District
The theme for Ross’ speech this year was “Tomorrow’s Arlington.” He frequently used the phrase—”Can you imagine?“—imploring residents to dream of the future and the opportunities it would bring.
Generally, his speech hit four topics: economic development, tourism, transportation, and residents.
Economic development
Mayor Ross announced that several companies were relocating to Arlington, with some establishing a new site for their North American headquarters. Companies like E-Space, Inc. (an aerospace company), Acciona (focusing on renewable energies and more), and Great American Media Group (a religious media company) are headed this way; there’s also Mozee, Inc. (autonomous mobility) and SalComp (manufacturing.) They’re not household names, but many have pledged to hire local and create hundreds of decent jobs in their industries. IKON Technologies, headquartered in Arlington, also continues to grow.
“Growing our Job Market” graphic from Ross’ presentation
Job growth, of course, falls under economic development, but Ross had much more to announce than simply new jobs. As Arlington grows, development, and especially redevelopment, will be essential. One such plan is reimagining Lincoln Square from a dying shopping center into something contemporary called “Anthem.” It will contain new housing, retail, dining, and office space, allowing people to live, work, eat, and play in a centralized location.
Ross also spoke of redeveloping Main Street into a locale offering luxury living, office space, retail, and dining, thus making downtown more walkable. (Although not mentioned much in his speech, downtown walkability is becoming a hot topic of discussion.) Downtown’s Urban Union district also continues to expand, with a new boutique hotel and more dining options.
He also mentioned UTA’s Master Plan, with an idea that could connect the east and west sides of the campus with a park straddling Cooper Street, as well as revitalized buildings and a more contemporary, forward-thinking campus.
Ross cautioned, though, that we must find ways to do more with less and utilize existing real estate. Arlington is running out of room—our 99.5 square miles are nearly full.
Tourism
Undoubtedly, tourism is at the center of Arlington’s identity. Ross proudly stated that “15.6 million visitors spent $2.8 billion in Arlington,” presumably in the last year. Ross didn’t acknowledge this, but a visitor lives simply outside Arlington. For example, they could be from Dallas or Fort Worth and be in town briefly for an event. Nonetheless, he generally refers to visitors as “heads in the beds,” meaning the number of occupied hotel rooms, and it’s a significant metric to him and his stakeholders. Alongside hotel rooms, he is confident visitors will enjoy our ever-increasing entertainment, retail, and dining options.
Tourism graphic from Ross’ presentation with photo of the new Lowes Arlington Hotel
The Entertainment District is for residents and tourists alike, yet it’s where visitors mostly stay when they visit Arlington. Different attractions are emerging, and noteworthy events are being announced. The National Medal of Honor Museum opens in March 2025. The Lonestar Smokeout, an inaugural festival featuring BBQ, country music, and craft beer, happens in May. Additionally, Ross envisions large, vibrant LED displays in the Entertainment District as informational or public art.
National Medal of Honor Museum graphic from Ross’ presentation
In 2026, the Grand Prix of Arlington will roar into town, turning portions of the Entertainment District into an IndyCar racetrack. (Ross seemed pretty excited about this.) Arlington will also host nine games of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, more than any other host city in North America. “More heads in the beds,” indeed, and some fun for the residents, too—if you can afford the tickets and are brave enough to face the traffic.
Grand Prix of Arlington graphic from Ross’ presentation
He spoke of the Caravan Court Hotel, a new boutique hotel under construction on Division Street. It’s expected to connect downtown and the Entertainment District while spurring developments in that area.
Caravan Court Hotel graphic from Ross’ presentation
There is also talk of creating a Top O’ Hill Terrace museum, enhancing our heritage tourism.
Transportation
Transportation often tops lists of constraints and complaints for Arlington. Ross outlined some ambitious ideas for transportation, including a high-speed rail connecting Dallas and Fort Worth by way of Arlington, air taxis to get people from the Arlington Municipal Airport to the Entertainment District, and a gondola system (like a ski lift) to shuttle people while they’re there. Those surely fit in with the theme of “Tomorrow’s Arlington,” which is more akin to science fiction than our current reality.
Rendering from Ross’ presentation of the High-Speed Rail
Residents
Although a smaller portion of his speech, Ross outlined ways to better the community. He mentioned investments in streets, water treatment methods, and expanded public safety. He also touted the successful citywide transition to trash carts. Plus, Robot Delivery is a service that is now available; it is a partnership with food banks using autonomous, electric delivery vehicles to provide food to families in need. He updated progress on ACTIV—a large, state-of-the-art recreation center for residents 50 years and older. It’s under construction and expected to open next year.
Ross also wants to revisit Arlington’s Comprehensive Plan, which focuses on neighborhood and environmental sustainability, economic development, housing, and transportation initiatives. The city has not reviewed the previous one in at least ten years.
He mentioned the inaugural and upcoming Texas Veterans Day Parade in the Entertainment District.
Closing remarks
Ross concluded: “The State of the City today is great. The State of the City tomorrow is off-the-hook wonderful.”
He added: “We are laying the foundation today as Tommy Vandergriff did 52 years ago when he went to Washington D.C. and convinced the Washington Senators to become the Texas Rangers and move here. We’re doing the same type of foundation-building now to better prepare the city for the future.“
City of Arlington’s 2024 State of the City Program: Tomorrow’s Arlington — YouTube
My thoughts
Although Mayor Ross outlined a dizzying array of plans and ideas, he seems confident that they are feasible and in the works.
Mayor Ross envisions a city on the move, one looking to the future and seeking to be a world-class destination distinctive from its peers. One could argue, though, that his plans should have more emphasis on residents and less on tourists. Nonetheless, it’s an exciting time in Arlington, especially as the city’s 150th anniversary approaches in 2026. However, Ross didn’t acknowledge the upcoming anniversary in his speech, although it is over a year away and likely not on many people’s radar. He also didn’t mention anything about small businesses this year, although he previously referred to them as the backbone of the community.
Transportation will continue to be a pressing topic, and Arlington must find solutions that are both creative and economically feasible. The “gondola system” struck me as the wildest thing he mentioned. It’s a suitable solution, but the logistics seem challenging. Is it viable? Is it realistic? To be determined. It is intriguing, though.
His closing comparison to Tom Vandergriff was noteworthy. Every mayor since Vandergriff has wanted to follow in his footsteps. Does Ross see himself as a 21st-century version of Vandergriff? Or is he merely trying to continue what Vandergriff began? Either way, he dreams big and surrounds himself with people and organizations that can make it a reality.
Residents and political analysts will likely remember Mayor Ross’ tenure as a period of Arlington’s growth and prosperity. (Critics may say it was too much, too soon, but we live in a fast-paced world.) However, it will take years to determine whether it meets Vandergriff’s successes. Nonetheless, Mayor Ross is ambitious and exciting in his approach, with long-term, strategic thinking.
Most citizens seem generally optimistic about Arlington’s future, curious to see what happens next. Everything works out for the city, even if a minor and temporary inconvenience unfolds. Like any other city, Arlington has ebbs and flows, valleys and peaks. Yet, it still interjects surprise and wonder even for longtime residents like myself. “The American Dream City” often feels like a cheesy marketing gimmick, but it’s not entirely without merit. Arlington dreams big and has a can-do spirit—qualities that any city would be fortunate to have.
Photo Credits: City of Arlington’s YouTube channel (all photos are screenshots)
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 11-17-24
Jason S. Sullivan 