The Dallas-Fort Worth economy is ending 2025 in a much different manner than it began.
In a year that started with all eyes on Washington, D.C. and an incoming (and repeat) Trump Administration, North Texas carved its own path, reshaping the business landscape for years to come. Here are a few of the biggest stories of 2025:
Once a bellwether of the retail world, Plano-based JCPenney in January said that it was merging with Sparc Group to form Catalyst Brands, bringing in names such as Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand and Nautica.
Longtime Dallas-based luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus, which was acquired in 2024 by Saks Global, announced and then unannounced that it would close its iconic downtown department store. The move was a blow to downtown leaders and city officials in an era when the central business district is being displaced as the region’s business and cultural epicenter.
Texas became the hotbed for the data center boom this year, with dozens of companies announcing plans for these energy-sucking, AI-enabling facilities. Gasoline was thrown on an already sizzling market when OpenAi announced its Stargate initiative in February. This adds to major North Texas data center projects from players such as Meta, Google and Nvidia partners Aligned and Wistron.
After more than six years of discussions — delayed by new economic realities after the COVID-19 pandemic — DFW International Airport and American Airlines finalized a deal for a super-sized $4 billion Terminal F, the first new terminal since 2005. The upsized plans will include 31 new gates, exclusively occupied by Fort Worth-based American. The first phase should open in 2027.
Celebrity TV problem solver Phil McGraw saw his North Texas-based startup Merit Street Media crumble in 2025 and file for bankruptcy, starting a contentious, fireworks-filled and often baffling court battle with partners such as Professional Bull Riders and Trinity Broadcasting Network. It was more entertaining than the famous Dr. Phil “Cash Me Outside” episode.
Dallas-based banking giant Comerica was purchased by Ohio’s Fifth Third Bancorp in a $10.9 billion deal. Fifth Third was essentially buying its way into the Texas market, alongside branches in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas.
These are just a few of the major storylines. There is also the drama about a Dallas ranch real estate agent killed by a buffalo during a hunt in South Africa, numerous real estate deals and residential expansions, arena searches by Dallas’ NBA and NHL teams that turned into a soap opera. A Muslim-centric development near Josephine gained national notoriety from politicians railing against the project.
National economic storylines such as international import tariffs and more aggressive national immigration enforcement efforts all reshaped the North Texas economy, too.
One thing was consistent. The Dallas-Fort Worth economy kept chugging along, adding some 42,600 jobs between the beginning of the year and the end of the third quarter. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The Texas Department of Transportation Dallas District is preparing for in-personal and virtual public hearings on the proposed widening of FM 740/Fm 548.
TxDOT Dallas posted a reminder about the meetings to its social media page on Thursday afternoon.
The purpose of the hearings are to gather public input and provide more information about the proposed reconstruction and widening of FM 740/FM 548 from I-20 to FM 1641 in Mesquite and Forney within Kaufman County.
According to TxDOT, the proposal includes reconstruction of FM740/Fm 548 from a two-lane rural roadway to a four-lane divided urban roadway with raised medians, curb and gutter, a bridge widening at the Mustang Creek crossing, and a 10-foot-wide shared-use path on both sides of the road for approximately four miles.
The roadway passes through the cities of Mesquite and Forney. The existing right-of-way width ranges from 60 feet (along FM 740) to 150 feet (along FM 548). Where proposed right-of-way is needed, the width is generally 130 feet wide.
That means the proposed project would potentially displace three residential and one non-residential structures. Relocation assistance is available for displaced persons and businesses.
The in-person meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Forney High School (1800 College Ave.).
The virtual hearing will start at 5:30 p.m. and will consist of a prerecorded video presentation. It will remain online for at least the next 15 days and materials can be viewed at any time during that period.
Anyone without internet access may call 214-320-4431 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to ask questions and access project materials during the project development project.
View the project materials online here. The materials will also be available in hard copy form for review at the in-person session.
The Dallas Cowboys are widely viewed as a team that could make a trade up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and more specifically, from their No. 12 overall pick.
It’s something Dallas should definitely consider given how badly the team needs impact players on defense. And, with a pair of first-round picks, the Cowboys can make a giant leap up, too.
But which teams would be willing to move back to allow Dallas to grab a player it covets? Well, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has just listed them for us.
Breer is reporting that the teams in the Nos. 3-7 picks are looking to move back for more draft capital. That list includes the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders.
“Teams picking behind the Jets are looking to move down,” Breer revealed. “Count the Cardinals, Titans, Giants, Browns and Commanders among those already looking at trying to drop down in the order to accumulate capital. The problem for those five is finding teams to move up.”
Breer goes on to note that he believes there are two players who could force a team to strike a deal for one of those five picks: Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (or Texas Tech’s David Bailey if the Jets take Reese) and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Of course, Reese is one player the Cowboys would likely move up for if given the opportunity, but it would take a gigantic and costly leap. Assuming Dallas would have to move all the way up to No. 3, which is very likely, that move would cost Dallas two first-round picks and then some.
The “and then some” part might sound crazy, but if we’re going off the NFL Draft Trade Value Chart, Dallas’ two first-round picks are worth 2,050 points and Arizona’s No. 3 pick is worth 2,200 points. On top of closing that gap, the Cowboys might have to pay even more to convince a rebuilding team to move down that far.
We just don’t see all that happening, especially when you consider the Cowboys don’t have a second-round pick and might not be able to keep their third-rounder because of this trade.
There is a sizeable 400-point difference between the No. 3 and No. 4 picks, so the latter is the most realistic starting point for the Cowboys when it comes to a trade up.
We would probably rule out a trade up with the New York Giants and Washington Commanders because of the whole division rival thing, so cancel out Nos. 5 and 7 as possibilities. That leaves us with Nos. 4 (Titans) and No. 6 (Browns).
Dallas could swing a deal with the Titans that would still give up their first-round picks but the Cowboys can get back the No. 4 selection (1,800 points) and the No. 66 pick (third round, 260 points).
In that scenario, at least the Cowboys get something back beyond the pick they’re moving up for, and more importantly it’s a second Day 2 pick that Dallas doesn’t currently own. Having a pair of third-round picks will also give the Cowboys a chance to move back up into Round 2.
We’re also intrigued by a trade with the Browns because Dallas can get Cleveland’s No. 6 pick and its early second-round pick for its two first-rounders in a trade that is just a 50-point advantage for Cleveland. That would put the Cowboys in the second round.
Now, we need to talk about who the Cowboys would be trading up for in those spots. If Reese or Bailey are available at No. 4, we are making the move up. Styles is another possibility at four, but we would feel more comfortable with him at six. Unfortunately, the Ohio State product doesn’t have a good chance to still be available in that spot.
If the Cowboys can’t get their hands on one of those three players, we would not anticipate them trading up for someone else, but never say never in the NFL Draft.
Whether it’s with one of their two first-round picks, via trade or in free agency, the Mavs have to add someone who can lighten Cooper Flagg’s offensive workload. He spent way more time on-ball than expected, and while his self-creation around the basket is impressive, he’ll be best served on a roster that can tap into more of his play-finishing.
Counting on Kyrie Irving isn’t good enough. He is 34 and working his way back from an ACL injury. Dallas needs a short- and long-term alternative.
Addressing the issue in the draft would be ideal, if only because an inbound rookie fits the Flagg window. But that route depends on where the Mavs land in the lottery. They could jump up to AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson territory, end up in range of Darius Acuff Jr. or Kingston Flemings or miss out on all four.
Free agency probably doesn’t hold the answer. Dallas will most likely wind up operating over the cap and have the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception ($15 million). That doesn’t get you in the door for Austin Reaves, while contingencies like Collin Sexton and Ayo Dosunmu aren’t Plan A material.
Coby White could be interesting if he leaves Charlotte. Otherwise, trade targets who won’t fetch the moon should be the Mavs’ jam: Cam Spencer, Tre Jones, T.J. McConnell, Ty Jerome, Dejounte Murray, etc. If the new front office wants to swing higher, but not too high, Ryan Rollins and Tyler Herro are worth keeping on the radar.
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