HEALTHCARE: TOP FACILI TIES
MEAN BIG BUSINESS
Healthcare in the Dallas/Fort Worth area has
long been known for its stellar patient care,
specialty hospitals, and medical schools, but
the area’s healthcare industry as an employment sector has also become an increasingly
significant source of job growth and opportunity. The industry directly supports nearly
332,000 jobs, not to mention other healthcare services and practices (such as smaller
hospitals, and physicians/dental offices) that
combine to employ over 282,000 residents.
The city is home to some of the highest-ranking hospitals in the nation, as well as
strong medical teaching schools including the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center of Dallas and The Baylor College of
Medicine.
Major healthcare systems – and consequently major employers in the Dallas/Fort
Worth area – include Baylor Health System,
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, emergency care facilities, and physician groups.
SPORTS, TOURISM AND
CONVENTIONS
They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and
that definitely includes travel, sports and
business traffic. All three are big industries
here, with the economic impact to match.
The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is the
home of five major league sports teams
including Dallas Cowboys football, Dallas
Stars hockey, Dallas Mavericks basketball, FC
Dallas MLS soccer, and Texas Rangers baseball. Combine that mix with NASCAR and
Indy racing, and it adds up to an economic
impact of millions. The Dallas Cowboys
football stadium – located just across the
way from the famed Texas Rangers’ Ballpark in Arlington – opened in 2009 and was
booked almost immediately – including for
the 2011 Super Bowl. With 75,000 seats, a
retractable roof, open end zones linked to fan
decks for increased capacity, a Texas Sports
Hall of Fame exhibit, one of the largest flat-screen televisions in the world, cutting edge
technology throughout, and a whopping
$1.2 billion price tag, the arena has already
garnered an economic impact of hundreds of
millions that has benefited the entire metroplex with increased sales tax numbers from
all the tourist spending.
All that sports frenzy means plenty of tourists – and plenty of money. In fact, it’s no
surprise that the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is the top tourist destination in Texas.
The Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau
estimates that DFW gets more than 25
million visitors each year. According to the
Council’s most recent statistics, hospitality
and tourism businesses and spending generated $4.3 billion in local and state taxes.
Business tourism is also big business in the
DFW metroplex. The Dallas Convention
Center, one of the largest in the state, means
the area is ideal for large conventions. And
in Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Convention
Center covers 14 blocks in the city’s Central
Business District, and has 253, 226 total
square feet of exhibit space and 41 meeting
rooms, among other amenities, to host
conferences, corporate meetings, sporting
events, concerts, trade shows, banquets, and
consumer shows.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
With that kind of a thriving business climate,
it’s easy to see that DFW is a great place to
start a business. The area’s educated workforce, supportive business community, and
low cost of living make it ideal to launch a
new venture.
Area organizations dedicated to helping
fledgling businesses include the non-profit
organization SCORE, the Better Business
Bureau, and the Small Business Association,
among many others. Southern Methodist
University’s Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship also offers a first-rate education for
full- and part-time students, plus multiple
business and networking events.
In the end, with a low cost of living, affordable housing, favorable business climate,
educated workforce, and easy accessibility
via a sophisticated transit system and several
airports, it’s easy to see that Dallas/Fort
Worth area is great for business – and an
attractive option for both major companies
and for those who relocate here every year.
