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Omni Fort Worth
One of the best traveled pieces of literature over the past month was a travel story in The Times of London, whose visiting correspondent proclaimed in little more than 700 words that Fort Worth was the “coolest city in Texas,” having passed Austin in the realm of hip.
“Chic new hotels, a thriving creative scene, and great restaurants are turning sunny Fort Worth into the state’s latest hotspot,” the headline blared on smart phones and tablets across a proud city sticking out its collective chest in self-assurance as if having just conquered a bull in eight seconds.
“Now is the time to visit ‘Panther City.’”
The discerning reader likely noticed that the author, Jonathan Thompson, in a nod to transparency, fessed up that he had been “a guest of Visit Fort Worth.” Though we don’t know if Mr. Thompson came to his conclusions all by himself, we all concur with his findings.
Well, mostly. Comparisons to Austin are fightin’ words in these parts. But we have only two words for The Times’ conclusions: No shiitake, as we say in polite company.
Clever D Magazine gave some room to comment on this story, and we agree with them: How difficult is it exactly to be cooler than Austin, the state capital in everything from the Legislature to music and pop culture, as well as the counterculture that lost its edge long before it lost its police department?
Well, The Times of London, you’re late to the party, but we appreciate the effort, as well as the publicity. Fort Worth, the fastest-growing big city in America, is no longer “The Unexpected City”; it’s now “The Unexpected International Destination.”
Come one, come all. Some stranger you meet here is sure to buy the first round.
Fort Worth has become a cog in North Texas’ economic hub. Its global connectivity both in cultural and economic circles is beyond dispute. Fort Worth has stood out all by itself as a major contributor to not only that but the proverbial melting pot of different cultures, languages, and lifestyles.
There’s a whole lot more here than boots, beaver hats, and bovines.
There is admittedly one hole, however, as pointed out by a periodical with skins on the wall: pro sports. The one cultural attraction we don’t have is a franchise in one of the five biggest pro sports leagues.
This was pointed out by the Sports Business Journal, which ranked Fort Worth No. 1 among cities without a team in the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, or Major League Soccer.
An interesting development is occurring in Kansas City. Last month, voters struck down in a landslide the renewal of a sales tax that would have been used to help pay for major renovations at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The tax is in place through 2031. Voters nixed renewing it for another 33 years.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who has been advocating for a second NFL franchise in the market, took no time to hammer some stakes in the ground.
“Welcome home, Dallas Texans,” he wrote on X, a reference to the original Chiefs’ name.
“The connections are so deep, the history is so rich,” Johnson went on to tell The Athletic, adding that he has an open line of communication with Chiefs’ owner Clark Hunt, a Dallas resident. “We actually could put together the deals that would make sense for them to get them here.”
Jerry Jones, of course, was told by Dallas leaders to take his business elsewhere when he was looking to build a new stadium for the Cowboys. Maybe times have changed.
Well, I’ve got a better suggestion.
Welcome back to Texas, Fort Worth Chiefs. We’ll build you your modern, odiously objectionable Colosseum with master suites and amenities, an obnoxious video screen, and distasteful prices for nachos. You’ll make a fortune, and the city will hopefully see a boost in sales tax and hotel and tourism revenue.
We’ve done this recently, and the end has been a rousing success. The “for” voters prevailed overwhelmingly in committing the city to assisting the construction of Dickies Arena. Anybody with buyer’s remorse on Dickies lives under a rock. It has done everything and more that it was advertised to do. Tarrant County also pitched in to help build the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Lamar Hunt, 60 years ago, considered making Fort Worth such a part of his franchise family that he was going to put the city in the name, the Dallas-Fort Worth Texans. They were going to play in a domed stadium in Arlington, which could host baseball, too.
Unlike 65 years ago, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro is probably big enough — or soon will be — to support a second NFL franchise. It’ll happen over Jerry’s dead body. He has no interest in ceding Cowboys territory in his backyard. Not to mention, the brand is so strong across Fort Worth and Dallas, newborns arrive with a star in the double helix.
So, this is all probably tantamount to world peace. (Not to mention, Arlington is our pal.)
But, Chiefs, if 2031 rolls around and you’re still not happy with the citizens — your fans — guarding their wallets like a family heirloom, we’ve got space and willing wrecking balls.
