Futuristic air taxis may soon join drones in the skies over North Texas.

The North Texas Council of Governments, a regional planning organization, is seeking permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to run a pilot project for testing unpiloted electric-powered aircraft that take off and land vertically. The council filed its application on Wednesday, January 21.

Members of the council are counties, cities, school districts, and other government organizations in a 16-county region anchored by Dallas-Fort Worth.

Among the airports that would be partners in the pilot project are Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Arlington Municipal Airport, Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, and Fort Worth Meacham International Airport.

Roger Venables, Fort Worth’s aviation director, says he foresees regular air taxi service becoming a reality within the next five years. At Meacham, for instance, air taxis could shuttle passengers to and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field.

Meacham and Spinks serve private aircraft, such as business jets, while Perot Field serves cargo aircraft.

“We’re looking to embrace the next evolution of air transportation, particularly within an urban environment,” Venables says of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. “Our airports experience relatively low congestion compared to commercial airports, positioning them well as early adopters for pilot programs and demonstration activities.”

DFW International Airport and Arlington’s airport are also exploring air taxi service.

In 2023, the airports started collaborating with air taxi company Overair to one day launch service. The following year, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said he expected air taxis to ferry passengers to the city’s Entertainment District in time for this year’s World Cup soccer matches. But that won’t happen, as the FAA still hasn’t authorized transporting passengers to fly on air taxis.

City of Arlington spokeswoman Susan Schrock says the city plans to demonstrate vertical takeoff and landing aircraft at an event around the time of this summer’s World Cup. However, the aircraft will carry goods, not people, Schrock says.

The North Texas Council of Governments’ proposed three-year pilot project would operate short-range passenger shuttles and short-haul cargo aircraft. Initially, the airplane-helicopter hybrids would fly along two routes.

One of the pilot project’s key partners would be Plano-based VertiPorts by Atlantic, which develops takeoff and landing sites for these airplane-helicopter hybrids. VertiPorts is targeting markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Miami for development of its sites.

VertiPorts by Atlantic seeks to “reimagine urban connectivity,” CEO Kevin Cox says.

“This initiative represents not only a key investment in sustainable transportation but also an opportunity to provide faster, cleaner, and more efficient mobility options in some of the country’s busiest cities,” says Cox.

The pilot project’s other participants would include:

• Texas A&M University’s Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies, which opened last year in Fort Worth
• Southern Methodist University
• University of Texas at Arlington
• University of North Texas
• Boeing-owned Wisk Aero, which plans to launch air taxi service in the Houston area by 2030
• Air taxi manufacturers Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation
• Beta Technologies, a manufacturer of self-flying vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
• Funding for the North Texas project would come from its participants.

Last September, the FAA announced its pilot program for piloted and unpiloted electric-powered aircraft that take off and land vertically instead of horizontally (as traditional aircraft do). The program will comprise at least five pilot projects around the country.

“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here. The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in announcing the program.

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Ross Perot Jr. has spent his career building for the future—sometimes years, sometimes decades before others could see it coming. As chairman of Hillwood and The Perot Cos., the portfolio of organizations he leads touches nearly every corner of the modern economy: real estate, logistics, mobility, data infrastructure, venture capital, entertainment, and national policy.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce named him chair in 2025, knowing that he offered the rare combination of entrepreneurial instinct and long-range strategic vision. For Perot, innovation isn’t a sector—it’s a lens through which he has viewed everything he has done. That’s why D CEO and Dallas Innovates selected Perot to receive the inaugural Legacy of Innovation Award.

Having vision is only part of the formula. “A lot of people have creative ideas,” Perot says. “But you’ve got to marry an idea with courage and action.” He has spent more than 40 years doing exactly that, starting with a daring round-the-world helicopter tour at 23 and the launch of the country’s first industrial airport in North Fort Worth.

That airport is now AllianceTexas, a 27,000-acre, $130 billion economic engine that’s home to nearly 600 companies and a proving ground for autonomous trucks, next-gen air mobility, and some of the world’s most sophisticated logistics and e-commerce operations. It’s also a landing zone for blue-chip innovators like Amazon, Meta, Embraer, and MP Materials. Many of those businesses were not yet imagined when AllianceTexas began—and that is precisely the point.

Perot grew up watching innovation unfold. As the only son of early computing pioneer Ross Perot Sr., he had a front-row seat to the birth of EDS and watched his father grow it into one of the most influential technology-services companies on the planet.

“I grew up with a real entrepreneur,” Perot says. “And I grew up with four sisters, a grandmother, an aunt, and a mom. So, at our dining room table, Dad and I were always down at the end by ourselves. Because of that, we became real buddies. I watched him build EDS in our living room. Even when I was a little boy, he’d have me sit in on meetings. And on Saturdays, we’d go to the EDS data center. Most boys played with their dad on weekends—but I’ve been in data centers since I was 7 or 8 years old.”

Perot’s ability to anticipate and shape emerging trends is rooted in how he learns. He doesn’t watch television and instead is a voracious, curious reader. “The more you read, the more you realize how little you know,” he says. “You stay humble, and you keep looking for ideas and trends.” He surrounds himself with emerging leaders and embraces unconventional thinking. “My father taught me to always have young people around and to listen to their crazy ideas—because that crazy idea might really work,” he says. “You don’t want to become the old guy who says, ‘Oh, it isn’t going to work.’”

It’s one of the reasons he joined with former Perot Systems and Dell exec Anurag Jain in 2014 to form Perot Jain, a VC firm that invests in early-stage startups. “I wanted to see the new ideas and the creativity,” Perot says. “We try to start new companies every year. I learned so much from venture capital—it helps me in the mainstream business. It exposes me to the best entrepreneurs in the world.”

The lessons from his father and other visionaries have helped inform his approach to risk. Perot says he rolls the dice with profits but never “bets the ranch” or does anything that would jeopardize his company or family. He also puts his faith in DFW. When he started AllianceTexas, the region had fewer than 3 million residents. Today, it exceeds 8 million, he says, and projections show Dallas-Fort Worth reaching 12 million by 2050 and possibly 28 million by 2100.

Population growth, Perot says, is the ultimate engine of possibilities. “All you really need to do is stay focused on Dallas-Fort Worth,” he tells young professionals. “If we add another 20 million people in 70 years, there are so many opportunities, you can’t even comprehend it.”

Through Hillwood’s Mobility Innovation Zone, AllianceTexas has become a hub for autonomous trucking and drone logistics. Through partnerships with companies like MP Materials, it is helping to restore domestic supply chains for rare-earth magnets. And through a collaboration with Taylor Sheridan, it is now home to the largest film-production campus in the state.

DFW entrepreneurs, Perot says, are set up for success. “In North Texas, there’s no punishment for failure,” he explains. “You’re surrounded by entrepreneurs and risk-takers. We help each other, and we celebrate each other’s success.” State political leaders do their part, too, he adds. “We basically banned capital gains tax, banned transaction tax, and banned the wealth tax. You’re going to see more people showing up, because economic freedom works.” 

Despite the enormity of his impact, Perot sees his legacy in deeply personal terms. He talks about the mentors who shaped him and the responsibility he feels to help future generations thrive. Ask him what he hopes people will remember decades from now, and he doesn’t mention his business successes or the hundreds of companies he helped attract to the region. “I hope they say I loved my family, that I tried to be the best Christian I could be, and that I loved Texas and Dallas-Fort Worth,” Perot says. “And that I did my duty.”

But even as he reflects on the past, Perot remains firmly focused on the future. He is a leader who has never slowed down—and has no intention of doing so. “We’re just warming up,” he says. “We’ve got so many great things left to do.”

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North Texas has never been more dynamic—and its leaders have never been more willing to take risks. This year’s Innovation Awards honor 80 entrepreneurs, executives, and visionaries showing what happens when a big idea meets a bold strategy.

Those honorees gathered January 15 for a private celebration at On the Levee, hosted by D CEO and Dallas Innovates, to mark a year marked by ambition, ingenuity, and forward momentum. The 2026 Innovation Awards spotlight a cross-generational class of talent shaping what’s next for North Texas. The program also honored Ross Perot Jr., inaugural Legacy of Innovation Award winner.

All finalists are recognized on Dallas Innovates and in the January/February issue of D CEO. Watch for a full photo recap and additional coverage in the weeks ahead.

Legacy of Innovation Award

Ross Perot Jr., Hillwood and The Perot Group

Ross Perot Jr. grew up watching innovation unfold as the only son of early computing pioneer Ross Perot Sr. He had a front-row seat to the birth of Electronic Data Systems, watching his father build it from their living room into one of the most influential tech companies in the world. 

As chairman of Hillwood and The Perot Cos., the portfolio of organizations he leads touches nearly every corner of the modern economy: real estate, logistics, mobility, data infrastructure, venture capital, entertainment, and national policy. He brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial instinct and long-range strategic vision. But vision alone isn’t enough. “A lot of people have creative ideas,” he says. “But you’ve got to marry an idea with courage and action.” Ross has spent more than 40 years doing exactly that—starting with a daring round-the-world helicopter tour at 23 and the launch of the country’s first industrial airport in North Fort Worth.

That airport is now AllianceTexas, a 27,000-acre, $130 billion economic engine home to nearly 600 companies and a proving ground for autonomous trucks, next-generation air mobility, and some of the world’s most sophisticated logistics and e-commerce operations. Perot Jr. says he’s had a distinct advantage building his career in North Texas. “Here,” he says, “there’s no punishment for failure. You’re surrounded by entrepreneurs and risk-takers. We help each other, and we celebrate each other’s success.” 

Innovation in Manufacturing and Consumer Goods

MP Materials, led by Alan Lund

In manufacturing, innovation isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about resilience, scale, and strategic independence. MP Materials is trying to rebuild a critical industrial capability on American soil, an effort that could reshape the magnetics supply chain in America. The company controls the full rare earth magnet supply chain, from mining and refining to advanced magnet manufacturing—including a massive facility in Fort Worth supplying major global partners like GM and Apple. Backed by a landmark partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, its work is being compared to the Manhattan Project.  

Innovation in Real Estate and Hospitality

AllianceTexas x SGS Studios, led by Mike Berry

In real estate, innovation isn’t just about buildings—once in a while, it’s about creating ecosystems that spark the growth of entire industries. AllianceTexas and SGS Studios are transforming North Texas real estate into a platform for high-growth creative production, bringing unprecedented scale to mixed-use development. Through the partnership, the companies are launching the largest film and production studio in Texas, catalyzing job creation and positioning the region as a national hub for entertainment, media, and related hospitality services.

Innovation in Transportation

Torc Robotics, led by Peter Vaughan Schmidt

As the freight industry looks toward autonomy, innovation must deliver not just intelligence, but safety, scalability, and trust. Torc Robots is at the forefront of advancing Level 4 autonomous trucking from research into real-world commercialization. Led from North Texas, the company’s next-generation autonomous platform combines advanced AI, large-scale simulation, and safety validation—all tested along one of the nation’s most critical freight corridors. By pairing production-ready technology with deep industry partnerships and regulatory collaboration, Torc is trying to reset the standard for the future of long-haul transportation. 

Read the full list.

Hundreds of driverless trucks will be on Fort Worth-area roads soon following the creation of a new statewide route to El Paso. 

The push for more autonomous vehicles in North Texas comes as the Fort Worth City Council in November created a new district in the Alliance area for the deployment of semi- and fully autonomous semitrucks.

The technology is of interest to Alliance’s nearly 600 customers, many of whom have looked into autonomous trucking technology, said Ian Kinne, leader of the Mobility Innovation Zone within AllianceTexas.

“We see in the future, autonomous trucking could be a big part of the infrastructure story here,” Kinne said.

Aurora Innovation Inc. announced the route in October after a successful, limited trial of its new autonomous truck hardware between Dallas and Houston in April. The course was the first regular long-haul run in the country.

The company announced plans to add hundreds of trucks to its fleet in 2026, according to a press release. The newest hardware doubles their lidar sensors’ detection range and allows the trucks to operate in harsher weather conditions.

Aurora also plans to extend the El Paso route to Phoenix spanning about 1,000 miles and 15 hours of driving from their terminal just west of Fort Worth on I-20. 

Vehicle safety

Autonomous vehicles have rapidly grown in popularity across the United States. But public trust remains low due to safety concerns. Most U.S. adults feel unsafe in and around driverless vehicles, according to a 2024 YouGov survey.

However, the trucks’ consistent travel speeds, vigilant detection software and ability to gather traffic data could help ease roadway traffic and make roads safer, said Natalie Bettger, a North Central Texas Council of Governments senior program manager.

“This technology can help from a safety as well as a congestion standpoint,” Bettger said.

Aurora’s trucks use cameras, radar and a laser to detect the vehicle’s surroundings and software to assess which actions to take.

Since 2022, Aurora’s self-driving Peterbilt semitrucks have been involved in four collisions with other vehicles, according to data from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The incidents involved manually operated vehicles that merged or swerved into the truck’s lane. In each case, the autonomously operated Aurora truck moved to avoid the collision. No injuries were reported.

Other incidents included debris kicked up by other vehicles that damaged the truck and two animals struck by the trucks in autonomous driving mode. 

In each incident, vehicle operators assumed manual control of the vehicle and pulled over to assess the incident. During all reported incidents, the Aurora truck was traveling at an average speed of 64 mph.

Easing traffic

The average commuter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area spent 69 hours last year sitting in traffic, costing over $1,600 per person from productivity loss and gas waste, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

Traffic patterns have also changed due to hybrid work schedules, online shopping and other changes to daily life, according to the institute’s annual report.

Autonomous trucks could offset road congestion by traveling overnight when fewer cars are on the road, said Stephen Mattingly, a University of Texas at Arlington professor who focuses on transportation.

No requirement exists for driverless trucks to travel overnight, but the possibility has been discussed, Bettger said. Municipal policies would be needed to mandate such travel restrictions, she said.

The route driverless trucks are traveling matters as well, Mattingly said. 

Aurora’s terminal sits west of Fort Worth along Interstate 20 where Aurora Driver-powered trucks could avoid urban traffic.

“If I was going to choose someplace to have the trucks that would certainly be an ideal location,” Mattingly said.

Along the route between Fort Worth and El Paso, customers of autonomous trucks can expect increased traffic through Weatherford, Bettger said. The city encompasses both I-20 and U.S. Highway 180 and is a big traffic concern along the route, she said.

Data gathered by Aurora’s trucks could help customers proactively maneuver their truck fleets around traffic, weather and other obstacles with information provided from every truck on the road, according to Aurora’s website.

The future of freight

DFW is becoming a hub for the autonomous trucking industry.

AllianceTexas currently works with about 10 autonomous trucking companies, Kinne said, including Torc Robotics which is establishing a regional hub.

Texas permits autonomous vehicle testing with minimal rules and oversight, making the state enticing to developers. 

But the industry still has a long way to go, Kinne said.

“We’re a very long way off from replacing a big percentage of the current trucks that are on the road,” he said. “It’s going to work very well with some of these very specific and defined routes.”

The autonomous truck market is in its early days but is expected to grow, Kinne said.

“Over the next two to five years, you’re going to start to see more and more of these trucks on the interstates,” Kinne said. “You probably drive by them every single day here currently, and have no idea.”

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Hillwood, developer of the 27,000-acre AllianceTexas development in Fort Worth, continues to move forward with its effort to create the inland port of the future.

Hillwood, BNSF Railway and the City of Fort Worth established the Alliance Logistics District following a Fort Worth City Council vote on Nov. 11 enabling its creation. The ordinance passed by the council eliminated certain requirements and fees for overweight vehicles operating on city streets within the established district and adopted a resolution supporting the use of hostler trucks and autonomous vehicle technology.

With the new district, Hillwood aims to make the movement of goods from warehouses to the BNSF Alliance intermodal facility easier, said Nick Konen, vice president of strategic development.

“We’re trying to make that movement as efficient as possible, and to allow for any type of movement that could theoretically come off of the rail,” he said

The creation of the district, which spans 1,400 acres, allows the use of self-driving vehicles along roadways in the freight corridor. It also allows the use of private hostler vehicles without a commercial driver’s license to shuttle freight between the BNSF facility and warehouses. Finally, it allows trucks to carry loads of more than 80,000 pounds across the district’s roadways without the need for special permits.

Konen said BNSF’s facility plays an important role in moving goods in the region. Outside of seaports, the types of zones like the one recently created don’t exist at inland hubs, he said.

The Alliance facility is one of BNSF’s largest by volume and performs more than 1 million lifts a year.

Konen said the zone is the “cornerstone” of Alliance’s “smart port” strategy. Alliance is building a $262 million “smart port” to enhance the movement of cargo via new infrastructure, including a “smart connected bridge” from the BNSF Intermodal Facility to State Highway 170, a new 32-acre integrated intermodal depot with BNSF and the addition of 5G communication network capacity. Hillwood is also building a $20 million private bridge over FM 156 to link its industrial space to the BNSF Alliance intermodal facility.

“This is us being smart with how we structure the port and how we structure operations, or enhance those operations,” Konen said. “And we’re setting it up for an eye toward autonomy, which we know is coming.”

John Gabriel, group vice president of consumer products at Fort Worth-based BNSF, said the district, along with the private bridge, will help the railroad operate more efficiently by reducing transit time and travel distances for delivery of goods.

“It makes more traffic rail competitive, meaning rail can compete with … truck,” Gabriel said. “But it also allows those customers, those shippers that are using this mode to save the cost, to increase their capacity in their supply chain and ultimately reduce the carbon emissions.”

The BNSF facility at Alliance is believed to be the largest rail intermodal facility in North America, sitting on about 500 acres.

The area within the Alliance Logistics District could eventually see 14.9 million square feet of industrial warehouses, according to Hillwood. Current tenants in the area include Southwire, Walmart and the future Wistron facility. The inland port serves as the port of entry to the southwestern U.S. and connects to other ports including Los Angeles, Long Beach and Houston. AllianceTexas accounted for $834.6 million in trade in 2024, according to a recent study by the Texas Comptroller.

More construction related to AllianceTexas’ smart port is one the way, Michael Morris, director of transportation at the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said in early October. That work, which is in final design, includes dedicated lanes for trucks from SH 170 onto Intermodal Parkway. Part of the smart port effort is also creating a database to keep track of where containers are to coordinate efficient pick up off of a train.

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Spanning nearly 1,400 acres, the district gives companies the right to deploy semi- and fully autonomous vehicles along roadways in the freight corridor, supporting next-generation logistics and automation. Regulatory barriers and heavy-haul freight permits have also been eased to save costs, enhance connectivity, and improve efficiency.

Dallas-based Hillwood, BNSF Railway, and the city of Fort Worth have announced the creation of the Alliance Logistics District, a “first-of-its-kind” mobility logistics hub within the Smart Port at AllianceTexas, Hillwood’s 27,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use development in north Fort Worth. 

The district—which was officially designated and approved by the Fort Worth City Council on Nov. 11—is designed to deliver tangible operational advantages to any operator or customer within its boundaries, Hillwood said. 

From autonomous vehicles to next-gen automation

The district’s benefits include the right to deploy semi- and fully autonomous vehicles along district roadways in the freight corridor, supporting next-generation logistics and automation.

There is now also a right to use private hostler vehicles without a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to shuttle freight between BNSF’s intermodal facility and district warehouses, increasing operational efficiencies and reducing regulatory barriers, Hillwood said.

In addition, heavy-haul freight movements with loads over 80,000 pounds can now be performed across the district’s roadways without the need for special-use permits, enabling efficient transport of high-density or oversized goods.

By being co-located with one of BNSF’s largest intermodal facilities, operators and customers “can realize significant operational cost savings, enhanced connectivity and improved logistics efficiency,” Hillwood said.

Anchored by North America’s largest inland rail port

Spanning nearly 1,400 acres, the Alliance Logistics District is anchored by BNSF’s Alliance intermodal facility, North America’s largest inland rail port. The district is “the first of its kind” within BNSF’s rail and intermodal ecosystem, Hillwood said, and will “redefine how freight moves through North Texas while reducing traffic on public roads.”

By enabling more efficient and cost-effective cargo transport, the district aims to help customers save “millions of dollars” annually while solidifying North Texas’ position as a national leader in logistics innovation. 

Purpose-built for next-generation industrial development, the district features direct BNSF rail access and flexible logistics infrastructure designed to support manufacturers and shippers handling heavy, dense, or high-value goods—including ceramics, plastics, and auto parts—in a business climate where “speed, efficiency and connectivity are critical,” Hillwood said.

Nicholas Konen, VP of strategic development at Hillwood, said the district “reinforces AllianceTexas’ standing as one of the most connected, forward-thinking logistics ecosystems in the country” by integrating “advanced technology, modern infrastructure, and regulatory flexibility.”

“These advancements reduce costs for customers, improve logistics efficiency and take pressure off public roadways,” Konen added in a statement. “Our long-standing partnerships with BNSF, the city of Fort Worth, and regional transportation leaders are truly a testament to how public-private collaboration sparks innovation, accelerates industrial development and drives economic opportunity.”

Primary port of entry for the Southwest

The inland port at AllianceTexas serves as the “primary port of entry for the southwestern United States,” Hillwood noted, linking global trade directly to the region through intermodal rail connections from ports including Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Houston.

One of only two intermodal logistics hubs in Texas that integrate air, ground and rail transportation, the inland port enables companies to efficiently move goods across all three modes of transit.

Jon Gabriel, BNSF group VP of consumer products, said the district “aligns perfectly with BNSF’s vision to deliver transportation services that consistently meet our customers’ expectations, with these innovations delivering cost savings and additional supply chain value.”

“By enabling the delivery of goods from rail to warehouse in a more efficient way, we’re increasing the traffic that can capitalize on the cost, capacity and sustainability benefits of intermodal while creating a scalable model for the next generation of inland ports,” Gabriel added in a statemet. “This strengthens the region’s freight infrastructure and keeps North Texas at the forefront of global supply chain innovation.”

Texas ports generated $1T in international trade in 2024

Hillwood cited a recently released study by the Texas Comptroller’s office that shows Texas ports generated $1 trillion in international trade in 2024—with AllianceTexas contributing over $834 million of that total. That marks a 550.7% increase since 2016, Hillwood added.

“Through this public-private partnership, Fort Worth continues to lead in smart, sustainable infrastructure that drives our region’s economic vitality,” said Lauren Prieur, Fort Worth’s director of transportation and public works. “The Alliance Logistics District strengthens our position as a global logistics hub while ensuring forward-looking, responsible transportation planning.”

Hillwood’s $20M bridge investment to boost district

Along with the new district’s operational enhancements, Hillwood is making a $20 million investment in a new private heavy-haul bridge over FM-156, saying it will “unlock the district’s true value” by directly linking its 15 million square feet of distribution, logistics, and manufacturing space to BNSF’s Alliance intermodal facility.

Designed to meet TxDOT standards and engineered for 120,000-pound axle loads, the three-lane bridge will enable the efficient movement of heavy-haul freight while reducing truck traffic on public roads, Hillwood said. Construction is slated to be completed by late 2026, the company said.

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Hillwood, BNSF Railway and the City of Fort Worth today announced the creation of the Alliance Logistics District, officially designated and approved by the Fort Worth City Council at its Nov. 11 meeting. Effective immediately, the District will serve as a first-of-its-kind mobility logistics hub within the Smart Port at AllianceTexas, Hillwood’s 27,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use development in north Fort Worth. 

Benefits for District Operators and Customers

The Alliance Logistics District is designed to deliver tangible operational advantages to any operator or customer within its boundaries. Key benefits include:

• The right to deploy semi- and fully autonomous vehicles along district roadways in the freight corridor, supporting next-generation logistics and automation.
• The right to use private hostler vehicles without a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to shuttle freight between BNSF’s intermodal facility and District warehouses, increasing operational efficiencies and reducing regulatory barriers.
• The right to perform heavy-haul freight movements (loads over 80,000 pounds) across District roadways without the need for special-use permits, enabling efficient transport of high-density or oversized goods.

These benefits are available to all users operating within the District, regardless of prior involvement or technical background, ensuring that the District’s innovative infrastructure and regulatory flexibility are accessible and understandable to both new and existing stakeholders. By being co-located with one of BNSF’s largest intermodal facilities, operators and customers can realize significant operational cost savings, enhanced connectivity and improved logistics efficiency.

District Impact and Vision

Anchored by North America’s largest inland rail port, BNSF’s Alliance intermodal facility, the Alliance Logistics District is the first of its kind within BNSF’s rail and intermodal ecosystem and will redefine how freight moves through North Texas while reducing traffic on public roads. By enabling more efficient and cost-effective cargo transport, including autonomous and semi-autonomous shuttle movements as well as overweight and private heavy-haul vehicles, the District will help customers save millions of dollars annually while solidifying North Texas’ position as a national leader in logistics innovation. 

In its request to the Fort Worth City Council, Hillwood emphasized that the Alliance Logistics District aligns directly with the City’s 2023 Innovation Districts Policy, which encourages concentrated hubs of research, technology and entrepreneurship within defined geographic areas. Surpassing the City’s established criteria, the Alliance Logistics District will support industries including logistics, automation, and advanced manufacturing — anchored by Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport and the BNSF intermodal facility. The District will also advance innovation-driven employment, smart infrastructure and public-private collaboration to strengthen Fort Worth’s role as a global logistics and technology center.

Spanning nearly 1,400 acres, the District is purpose-built for next-generation industrial development, with direct BNSF rail access and flexible logistics infrastructure designed to support manufacturers and shippers handling heavy, dense or high-value goods — such as ceramics, plastics and auto parts — where speed, efficiency and connectivity are critical.

“By integrating advanced technology, modern infrastructure and regulatory flexibility, this initiative reinforces AllianceTexas’ standing as one of the most connected, forward-thinking logistics ecosystems in the country,” said Nicholas Konen, vice president of strategic development at Hillwood. “These advancements reduce costs for customers, improve logistics efficiency and take pressure off public roadways. Our long-standing partnerships with BNSF, the City of Fort Worth and regional transportation leaders are truly a testament to how public-private collaboration sparks innovation, accelerates industrial development and drives economic opportunity.”

The inland port at AllianceTexas serves as the primary port of entry for the southwestern United States, linking global trade directly to the region through intermodal rail connections from ports including Los Angeles, Long Beach and Houston. As one of only two intermodal logistics hubs in Texas that integrate air, ground and rail transportation, companies can efficiently move goods across all three modes of transit.

“The Alliance Logistics District aligns perfectly with BNSF’s vision to deliver transportation services that consistently meet our customers’ expectations, with these innovations delivering cost savings and additional supply chain value,” said Jon Gabriel, BNSF group vice president of consumer products. “By enabling the delivery of goods from rail to warehouse in a more efficient way, we’re increasing the traffic that can capitalize on the cost, capacity and sustainability benefits of intermodal while creating a scalable model for the next generation of inland ports. This strengthens the region’s freight infrastructure and keeps North Texas at the forefront of global supply chain innovation.”

According to a recently released study by the Texas Comptroller’s office, Texas ports generated $1 trillion in international trade in 2024, with AllianceTexas contributing $834.6 million — a 550.7% increase since 2016.

“Through this public-private partnership, Fort Worth continues to lead in smart, sustainable infrastructure that drives our region’s economic vitality,” said Lauren Prieur, Fort Worth’s director of transportation and public works. “The Alliance Logistics District strengthens our position as a global logistics hub while ensuring forward-looking, responsible transportation planning.”

Accompanied by these operational enhancements, Hillwood’s $20 million investment in a private heavy-haul bridge over FM-156 unlocks the District’s true value, directly linking its 15 million square feet of distribution, logistics, and manufacturing space to BNSF’s Alliance intermodal facility. 

Planned to meet TxDOT standards and engineered for 120,000-pound axle loads, the three-lane bridge will enable the efficient movement of heavy-haul freight while reducing truck traffic on public roads. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2026, reinforcing Hillwood’s commitment to next-generation infrastructure that supports industrial growth and regional mobility.

More than seven months after President Donald Trump unveiled his “Liberation Day” tariffs, North Texas businesses should act to mitigate their own import pain if they’re not already, a trade expert said during a Fort Worth business group event.

“There used to be a time to say, ‘Let’s see how much pain this causes us, and we’ll see what we’re going to do,’” said Shane Williams, a Houston-based managing director of global trade at Ernst & Young, the multinational accounting firm.

But heavy import taxes are still in place after months of whirlwind trade announcements made by the president. According to one recent analysis by The New York Times, nearly half of all goods entering the country are now subject to tariffs.

And it’s now in local businesses’ interests to strategize on how best to lower their own costs from the duties, Williams added.

“The time to kind of wait it out and see is kind of over, in all honesty,” he said.

Williams made the comments during an economic impact forum event hosted by the Fort Worth Chamber at the Kimbell Art Museum.

He was joined in the discussion by Joshua Griffith, a development manager at Hillwood who oversees the local real estate giant’s operations at Foreign Trade Zone #196, a specially designated logistics hub operated by Hillwood near Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport.

The discussion was moderated by JR Holcomb, a Hillwood director who leads marketing and communication for the special trade district.

Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) are locations near U.S. international ports of entry that are designated as outside the normal jurisdiction of U.S. Customs territory for tax purposes, thereby allowing the companies who operate there to save money by paying lower trade duties. Several hundred such locations exist throughout the country; at nearly 10,000 acres, the Fort Worth site is among the largest.

‘Insurance policy’

Much of Tuesday’s discussion aimed to help local companies familiarize themselves with the concept of FTZs, as well as the various other strategies businesses can take to lower tariff-born costs.

Those strategies include potential duty refund programs and the Temporary Importation under Bond program, which allows importers to bring in goods without paying duties as long as the products are subsequently exported.

“Over the past several months you’ve seen a lot of reaction happening with companies with all these trade agreements going on,” said Griffith. But he argued the companies that were already operating within the FTZ were faring better.

“Think of it like an insurance policy, when the trade is fluctuating each and every day, each and every week.”

Griffith added that the strategy discussion was not intended as a political rebuke. “This isn’t ripping a previous administration, a current administration,” he said. “This is part of business. This is Government Economics 101.”

The forum took place as major questions continue to swirl around Trump’s signature economic policy agenda.

Earlier this year the president’s initial announcement of heavy taxes on imports from nearly 100 countries effectively upended the established global trade order and raised fears of widespread economic damage.

Since then Trump has often threatened new levies and also abruptly modified the tariffs frequently, sometimes striking deals to subsequently lower certain rates.

Recently, Trump has said he plans to use revenue from the import taxes to provide middle- and lower-income Americans with a dividend of around $2,000, although experts say the idea is not financially feasible.

Currently, Trump’s tariffs are also the subject of a closely watched case before the Supreme Court, with the justices weighing whether Trump actually had authority under a presidential economic emergency power to impose his sweeping tariff program in the first place.

The U.S. Constitution explicitly gives Congress the authority to impose the duties, although in recent decades multiple presidents have asserted more power over the import levies.

Still, no matter how the current Supreme Court case plays out, most economists expect that relatively high tariff levels are likely to stick around, at least in some form. Williams also suggested as much in his remarks.

“This is just how we’re going to operate, regardless of what happens in three years,” he said, referring to the 2028 presidential election. “Once you start giving the government money, they’re not going to fully give it back.”

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In 2023, the city and its business community created the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership (EDP), a private, investor-led organization that now handles the front line of business recruitment and corporate outreach. At this year’s annual meeting, Mayor Mattie Parker summed up the impact: “Since the founding of the EDP, the Fort Worth region has secured nearly ten billion dollars in new capital investment and generated more than eleven thousand new excellent jobs.”

Those projects span advanced manufacturing, aerospace, mobility, and logistics—industries where project execution depends on workforce depth, energy access, and logistics capacity. Siemens’ $190 million production facility in south Fort Worth, Bell’s $600 million expansion tied to the Army’s next-generation aircraft, and Wistron’s two facilities totaling $761 million at Alliance all point to an environment where infrastructure and permitting can support complex, capital-intensive operations. American Airlines’ roughly $4 billion Terminal F expansion at DFW International Airport reinforces the logistics base that regional manufacturers rely on for both freight and executive travel.

For companies evaluating major investments, testimonials like that of Jim Litinsky, CEO of MP Materials, carry weight. His company, which recently located a magnet manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, described the experience this way: “It’s a risk to pick a new place and build a business, and Fort Worth has delivered beyond our expectations. This is a place that not only wanted our business but believed in it.”

Parker called the EDP’s creation a cultural as well as structural change: “We are no longer simply responding and playing defense. We are creating opportunity.” For corporate investors, that means fewer disconnected agencies and faster, clearer feedback during site evaluation. The EDP now leads outbound targeting, coordinates with the city’s infrastructure and permitting teams, and serves as a single point of contact through the decision process.

For manufacturers and corporate real estate teams weighing Texas or multi-state options, Fort Worth’s approach offers a practical takeaway: governance design itself can be a competitive factor. By consolidating outreach, funding it privately, and aligning it with mayoral leadership, the city has reduced friction for capital-intensive projects that demand certainty, utilities, and speed. In a landscape crowded with similar-sounding markets, Fort Worth’s model stands out for treating economic development the way its prospects do—like a business process built to deliver.

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Economic development is a highly competitive business.  Communities pursue companies to locate in their areas because of the benefits they offer.  As one of six guests of the Fort Worth EDP (Economic Development Partnership) over the past two days, your correspondent was exposed to this activity up close.

It helps to get a mental picture of the area under discussion. The tiny map shows the location of North Texas.  The larger map displays what is inside the little red box.  It is a sprawling metropolis, locally referred  to as the “Metroplex.”

The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex (officially the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area) had an estimated population of 8,344,032 residents as of July 1, 2024, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau annual estimates released in May 2025. This represents a gain of 177,922 people (or 2.2%) from the previous year, making it the fastest-growing metro area in the U.S. by numeric growth.

Moreover, this metro area spans 13 counties in North Texas and is the fourth-largest in the U.S., behind New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Its rapid expansion is driven by job creation in tech, finance, and logistics, as well as domestic migration.  We constantly heard about fast growth at every site visit.

Ft Worth

The focus in this post is on the left side of the map.  The competition between the two cities is friendly, sort of.  One quip we heard is that Ft Worth is two-thirds of DFW.  Economic rivalry between the two is real.  Whereas Dallas is more constrained geographically and has to grow vertically, Ft Worth has space. Even as they compete, a win for one creates a trickle-over win for the other.

Ft Worth was blessed with visionary boosters, starting with Amon Carter. Another famous name is Ross Perot, and his son, Ross Perot Jr., is following in his footsteps.  Boosterism is a key requirement for economic development.

Ft Worth’s EDP is only two years old and has attracted 11,000 jobs and nearly $10 billion in capital investment.  This is remarkable and reflects the region’s rapid growth.  While this growth spans all industries, our focus is on the aviation sector, specifically commercial aviation.

Ft Worth is fortunate to be at a nexus of transportation links.  Starting with the old cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail, to railroad links and freeways. Economic history teaches that a confluence of transportation links is the cornerstone of community development.  Today, that cornerstone requires the golden thread of commercial aviation to connect the community to the global economy.

The Aviation Angle

Our friend Jon Ostrower is the source for an apropos statement: “There’s always an aviation angle.”  And it holds here, too.

Ft Worth has two important aviation OEMs.  Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter.  The former has a mile-long factory dating from World War 2 that started as a B-24 plant producing 11 bombers per day.  Today, it has 200 bays building F-35s—and despite thousands of workers and its huge workspace, it may be one of the quietest FALs your correspondent has visited.  Both OEMs are focused on military production, so there were few data points and zero photography.  However, military production means stable work for the region for many years.

The region also has a major commercial aviation hub at DFW airport, connecting it globally.  Home to American Airlines, which operates a fleet of 1,000 commercial aircraft, DFW is a significant economic engine.  To the south of Dallas, 20 miles away, is Love Field, home to Southwest Airlines and its 815 aircraft.  The region is home to nearly one-third of the US airline fleet, and nobody else comes close.

But even DFW has its limits, and, as a long-term solution, Ft Worth booster Ross Perot created Alliance Airport. Its full name is Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (IATA: AFW, ICAO: KAFW), and is the world’s first purely industrial airport, designed from the ground up for cargo, logistics, manufacturing, and aviation support—not passenger service. The airport has twin 11,000-foot runways. Alliance Airport attracted important industry tenants.  These tenants serve to boost the aerocluster.

DFW has four runways, each 13,400 feet long.  DFW is the only airport worldwide with four serviceable paved runways exceeding 4,000 meters. Everything is bigger in Texas.

Alliance Airport has attracted important business.  Amazon now has its regional operations at Alliance.  Another interesting tenant is Aspire MRO. This company converts passenger aircraft to freighters.  Just this week, a former Delta 777LR that most recently served Air India was retired and flown to Alliance for its next phase of service. Alliance’s reach is global—a Mongolian 767 recently flew 15 hours to Alliance for an engine change and, three days later, flew back to Mongolia.

Ft Worth Aerocluster

Alliance Airport is likely to become a cornerstone for the emerging Ft Worth aerocluster.  The most recent news is Embraer’s decision to build MRO capacity at Alliance, adding to its existing capacity there.  Another key tenant is MTU, and its facility is focused on servicing LEAP engines.  Conveniently, American Airlines and Southwest are both major LEAP operators.

In addition to the Alliance site, American is adding a new $4 billion terminal at DFW, and Bell is investing $800 million in its MV-75 program.  Alliance Airport is also supporting the emerging EVTOL industry in several innovative ways.  The Perot family’s aviation interest permeates the airport’s thinking.  But there’s more than aviation; the airport is also helping entrepreneurs develop self-driving trucks.  The IP from this will inform its own infrastructure development.  They cite lessons learned from early EVTOL program testing that informed decisions about power system development.

Outside the Ft Worth aerospace field, Siemens is investing $190 million in a new manufacturing plant, while Taiwan-based Wistron is investing $761 million to establish AI supercomputer facilities. Success breeds success.

Challenges

All the investments described are drawing in talent.  And therein lies the first challenge.  The aerospace industry faces a global talent shortage.  Ft Worth would do well to learn from Embraer and its São José dos Campos facility.  Embraer built its own schools to develop the talent it needed.  Texas A&M is already playing a role in Ft Worth, but talent demand is rising fast.  Lockheed Martin is actively engaged with local schools to build STEM talent.

The next challenge will be water.  It is worth noting that Dallas, some 30 miles to the east, receives one inch more rain per year than Ft Worth.  Ft Worth will need a lot of water to support its population growth over the following decades.  And it’s more than water—electrical power is crucial.

Ft Worth’s boosters succeeded.  The current visionaries and leaders need to ensure the inputs required to maintain that momentum are in place.

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