* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:10] WELCOME TO THE 2025 STATE OF THE CITY SHOW. I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND I HAVE TWO FABULOUS GUESTS, AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT GENTLEMEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS. AND THAT'S NOT FLATTERY, THAT'S A FACT. SO WE WELCOME TODAY, OF COURSE, BILL HILL, OUR CITY MANAGER, AND OUR FABULOUS MAYOR OF 12 YEARS. RIGHT? WELL, LET'S SEE. YES. FICTION TO BE 12 YEARS THIS MAY. YEP. MAYOR RON JENSEN. WELCOME GENTLEMEN. GOOD TO BE HERE. THANK YOU. WE GET TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SUBJECTS TODAY, THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE. LOVE IT. YES. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT MAKE OUR CITY GRAND ARE GREAT. AND, UM, WHY DON'T WE START WITH THE MAYOR JUST TELLING US SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE REALLY LOVES ABOUT GRAND PRAIRIE. WELL, I, I'VE ASKED TO SPEAK AT A LOT OF THINGS AND I WAS AT A BOY SCOUT MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT, AND THEY TEND TO ASK ME WHAT'S BEEN MY BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT OR WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF. AND IT'S TWOFOLD. ONE IS WE'VE BEEN GEORGIA, YOU AND I HAVE LIVED HERE FOREVER. YES. AND REBECCA, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THINGS HERE NOW THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO YEARS AGO. I WANTED THINGS FAR AS EATING ESTABLISHMENTS, FUN THINGS TO DO, AND MY GOODNESS, IT SUCCEEDED, MY EXPECTATIONS. BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL. UH, REBECCA AND I GO EVERYWHERE AND WE'RE JUST STILL, PEOPLE COME UP TO US, WANNA TALK TO US, OTHER PEOPLE WILL JOIN US. IT'S JUST THAT BIG CITY, BUT WITH A SMALL TOWN FEEL AND WE JUST LOVE IT HERE. WE DO. AND MAYOR, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2024. AND AS YOU, UM, REVIEW THOSE IN YOUR MIND, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MAYBE THE TOP ACCOMPLISHMENT? WELL, I REALLY TOP GOLF. I THINK, UH, GETTING TO ANNOUNCE IN BREAK GROUND FOR TOP GOLF. YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE ANDRETTI'S BEFORE, UH, LAST YEAR, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN IT THIS PAST YEAR. BUT, UH, GETTING TOPGOLF WAS A BIG DEAL. UH, JIM SWER AND I MET WITH TOPGOLF PROBABLY 10 YEARS AGO, AND THEY, THEY WEREN'T READY TO COME HERE AND, UH, HE'D BE PROUD OF US GETTING TOPGOLF. IT'S A BIG VENUE. SO YOU HAVE THAT ALONG WITH ANDRETTI'S BASS PRO CHICKEN AND PICKLE MAIN EVENT, ALL FUN THINGS TO DO RIGHT HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. RIGHT. BILL, GIVE US THE LOCATION OF THE NEW TOP GOLF. THAT'S EXCITING. THE NEW TOP GOLF IS GONNA BE JUST SOUTH OF IKEA. AND IKEA BEING THE FIRST THAT CAME IN THAT, IN THAT BIG HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF GRAND PRAIRIE BEGINNING TO EXPAND AND GROW, THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES THAT TOOK THE CHANCE ON US. AND TOPGOLF WILL BE IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THAT SORTA ANGULARLY BEHIND WHERE BASSPRO IS NOW. YES. AND IT'S EXCITING WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT IKEA TAKING A CHANCE ON US. THEY HAD THE VISION OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE. THAT, THAT'S SO TRUE. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, I THINK NOW, WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO COME TO GRAND PRAIRIE ? THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS, UH, SO SPECIAL TO ME AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO BE THE CITY MANAGER AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW. IT'S BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR ME FOR THE 36 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. BUT GRAND PRAIRIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN HOME. IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL FEEL OF HOME, BUT IT HAS GROWN INTO A BIG CITY. BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE, AS THE MAYOR SAID, TO MAINTAIN THAT FEELING WHERE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT. AND BILL, UH, 2024 NOW, WAS THAT YOUR SECOND YEAR AS CITY MA MANAGER? THAT STARTED MY SECOND YEAR, STARTED THE SECOND YEAR AS CITY MANAGER, BUT I WAS SIX MONTHS IN WHEN 24 HIT . YES. SO YOU REALLY STARTED TO HAVE A FEEL FOR, UH, BEING THE CITY MANAGER AND WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA. IT, IT HAS BEEN, AS I SAY, WE HAD A LOT GOING ON, SO IT WAS A MATTER OF CATCHING UP. YES. AND ONCE I CAUGHT UP, IT, WE KEEP RUNNING. UM, WE HAD SOME THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH. WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED THEM. I'VE HAD THE FORTUNE OF HAVING A, A SOLID STAFF IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE THAT HAS HELPED ME MOVE FORWARD AND BRING NEW BLOOD INTO OUR CITY ORGANIZATION THAT IS HELPING US TO GET BIGGER [00:05:01] BETTER. BUT ONE THING THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY BEING IS WE WANNA BE ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE FUND DESTINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND WE WANNA BE IN THE TOP FIVE FOR FUN. AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT. WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY, AREN'T WE? YES, WE ARE. NOW, MAYOR, BACK TO YOU. YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED TOP GOLF. MM-HMM . WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2024? WELL, WE'VE FILLED IN A LOT OF RESTAURANTS NOW. WE'VE, UH, AS WE'RE GONNA SEE TIFFANY IES COMING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE DIPPY EGGS, SO ALL THE RESTAURANT PAD SITES ON THE EPIC. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR REPLACEMENT FOR LOOP NINE, NOT READY TO ANNOUNCE YET. WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR SOMEONE GOING INTO THE LOOP NINE SPACE. SO THAT'LL FILL ALL THAT. BUT IT'S JUST GIVEN US MORE OPPORTUNITIES. BIG BEAR, UH, BLACK BEAR DINERS GOING TO BREAK GROUND. JUST A LOT OF NEW AREA, NEW PLACES COMING TO GIVE OUR CITIZENS MORE CHOICES. UH, THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED, MORE CHOICES. AND SO JUST, UH, SO EXCITED TO SEE IT ALL FILL IN. AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF SPACE AVAILABLE ALONG 1 61, AND WE'RE BEGINNING FINALLY THE REINVENTION OF DOWNTOWN. AND WE'VE GOT SOME BIG THINGS TO ANNOUNCE DOWN SOUTH GOODLAND, THE GOODLAND AND ALL THAT. AND IT'S JUST AN EXCITING TIME. WE'VE GOT SOME NEW THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON THREE BIG THINGS. CAN'T ANNOUNCE ANY OF THEM. NOT ONE OF 'EM. CAN I ANNOUNCE, UH, FOR THE STATE OF THE CITY. I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE ALL THREE OF 'EM BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT REAL EXCITING THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON. YES. UM, AND THAT'LL BE AN EXCITING TIME. WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS. YOU BET. MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED GOODLAND. SOME OF OUR VIEWERS DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE SAY GOODLAND. WOULD YOU GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ON THAT? WELL, BACK IN 1999, THE CITY OF GRAND PRIX, ENCIRCLED A BIG AREA DOWN SOUTH, WAY DOWN SOUTH ALMOST TO VENUS. AND WE CALLED IT OUR EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION. GAVE US THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL TO ANNEX IT. WELL, THROUGH THE YEARS WE'VE NEGOTIATED AND NEGOTIATED AND NEGOTIATED, BUT WE FINALLY HAD A DEVELOPER WITH DEEP POCKETS, PROVIDENCE, COME OUT THERE AND BUY 5,000 ACRES. 5,000 ACRES. IT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE NEW CITY WITHIN A CITY. THERE'LL BE 30,000 RESIDENTS OUT THERE IN SOME DAYS. SO IT'S ALREADY, THEY'RE BUILDING HOMES. WE'VE ANNEXED PART OF IT. AND IT IS JUST A HUGE CITY WITHIN THE CITY. THEY HAVE ITS OWN GROCERY STORES. SCHOOLS, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO BUILD A FIRE STATION OUT THERE. WE'RE BUILDING FIRE STATION 11 PRETTY CLOSE TO IT RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S ALL THE WAY DOWN 360 TILL YOU COME TO 2 87. YOU DON'T EVEN THINK YOU'RE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. AND SO IT'S A BIG, BIG, BIG, BIG DEAL CALLED THE GOODLAND GOODLAND. AND WE ALREADY HAVE SOME HOME, UH, DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE, DON'T WE? YES, YES. THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN BUILDING AND, UH, YOU NEED TO TAKE A DRIVE OUT THERE MORE TO COME, RIGHT? YES. AND UM, BILL, THAT WILL MAKE US THE LONGEST CITY IN GRAND PRIX. I THINK WE ALREADY HAD THAT TITLE. TITLE. WE ALREADY HAD THAT TITLE, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY BE THE LONGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BECAUSE WE WERE ACTUALLY, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'LL EXTEND ALL THE WAY TO 67. YES. SO THAT'S A LONG WAY. IT'S ABOUT 37 MILES, I BELIEVE, ABOUT 30,000 TOTAL FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. UM, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK. UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT WITH THOSE, WITH THOSE FOLKS. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT THERE THAT IS LAKE SONG, WHICH WILL BE ACTUALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 2 87, WHICH IS A, A HUFFINES DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS GONNA BE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. AND THAT'S AROUND, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE JUST PURCHASED SOME ADDITIONAL LAND THAT MAKES IT ABOUT 1700 ACRE DEVELOPMENT. SO WE'RE BLOWING AND GOING, AND WE ARE JUST WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE HAVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, IT'S THE QUALITY THAT OUR CITIZENS DESERVE. YES. AND, UM, THE MAYOR ALSO REFERENCED DOWNTOWN WHO WANTS TO GIVE US A LITTLE INFORMATION ON WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. WELL, BILL, YOU JUST GAVE US A NICE OVERVIEW OF WHAT STARTED. WHY DON'T YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO OUR CITIZENS WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. I'LL BE HAPPY TO. RIGHT NOW, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS CHOSEN THE DESIGN, BASICALLY, OF WHAT WE WANNA DO AS WE START THE REDEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN. OUR PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE ANY MOVEMENTS, SO THEY WONDER WHAT WE'RE DOING. WELL, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME MOVEMENT, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE SOME MOVEMENT OF SOME BULLDOZERS THAT ARE GONNA BE REMOVING SOME BUILDINGS. THE OLD ANNEX BUILDING AND THE OLD FAM FINANCIAL [00:10:01] BUILDING WILL BE REMOVED, STARTING TO MAKE WAY FOR WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING. WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT TAKING, GOING AHEAD AND BEGINNING THE PROCESS TO DEMOLISH CALVARY. IF YOU GO DOWN AND YOU LOOK FURTHER DOWN ON MAIN STREET TO THE, TO THE WEST, YOU'LL SEE CONSTRUCTION IS ALREADY STARTED ON THE NEW SONIC. SO THAT WILL BE THERE AS WELL. ONCE WE'VE GOT ALL OF THOSE, THE NEW SO IS OPENED, THEN WE CAN REMOVE SOME OF THIS. WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY, WE'RE WORKING TO FIND A COMPANY THAT IS GONNA PARTNER WITH US IN ORDER TO REBUILD THAT WHOLE AREA AND BRING BACK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS. SOME SHOPPING. THERE WILL BE A, THERE'LL BE A APARTMENT COMPLEX OF ABOUT 300 AND SOMETHING ROOMS, BUT IT'LL ALSO PROVIDE DOWNTOWN PARKING. AND WE'RE TRYING TO REACTIVATE DOWNTOWN, GET IT TO WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON. AND YOU'LL FIND THAT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT GOING ON. AND WE WILL BE GOING WITH, UH, TEXAS MONTHLY IS BRINGING THE, UH, CON TEXAS COUNTRY REPORTER. MM-HMM . IS COMING, AND THEY'LL BE DOING A, A BIG FEST DOWNTOWN IN UH, APRIL. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING, TRYING TO BRING, BRINGING DOWNTOWN BACK. WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING, WE'RE GONNA DO IT. YES. AND THAT'S A REAL LONG TERM PROJECT. YES, IT IS. THE, UH, IF YOU FAST FORWARD YEARS FROM NOW, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OLD FOUR LANE WILL BE GONE. IT'LL BE TWO LANE, VERY NICE SIZE WALK WALL SIDEWALKS, MEDIAN. SO VISUALIZE THAT GOING FROM FOUR LANES WITH TRUCK TRAFFIC ON IT TO TWO LANES ONLY. UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A, A LONG TERM PROJECT. UH, WE HOPEFULLY WILL BE FINISHED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, MAYBE BY THE END OF 2028. YES, MR. HILLS. AND SO THEN IT'LL TAKE A WHILE TO TRANS TRANSFORM. RIGHT. AS NEW BUSINESSES MOVE IN AND THINGS. SO IT'S A LONG TIME, MUCH NEEDED PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TEXDOT FOR YEARS ON. YES. FINALLY ABOUT TO COME TO FRUITION. YES. IT'S GONNA BE SUCH AN EXCITING TIME, A TRANSITION TIME FOR US AND FOR OUR CITY. UM, AND YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE SONIC COMING IN, OF COURSE, THE OLD SONIC WILL BE GONE. NEW SONIC WILL BE WHERE IF YOU'RE AN, UH, OLDER, YOU REMEMBER THE BONANZA. YES. RIGHT. WHERE THE BONANZA IS. RIGHT. WHERE THE OLD BONANZA USED TO BE. AND MAYOR, THOSE WHO MAY HAVE A LITTLE HEARTBURN ON GETTING RID OF SOME OLD BUILDINGS. MM-HMM . CAN YOU TELL US THE REASONING BEHIND THAT? WELL, THE OLD BUILDINGS HAVE ASBESTOS IN 'EM. YES. AND THEY, UH, WE DID SOME REVIEWING, GOT COST ESTIMATES, WHICH IS CHEAPER AND SAFER TO GET RID OF 'EM AND START NEW. SO, WELL, MAYOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU AND THE COUNCIL DID WANT US TO DO IS A LOT OF THE ICONIC ARCHITECTURE FROM THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN REMOVED, AND IT'S BEEN PUT IN SAFE KEEPING MM-HMM . AND WILL BE INCORPORATED IN WHAT COMES IN THERE NEW. SO IT'S GONNA BE A HUGE GRAND LAWN THERE. OH, YES. IN FRONT OF THE CURRENT CITY HALL. IT'S A FASCINATING NEW DEVELOPMENT. EVERYBODY'S GONNA BE PROUD OF IT. YES. AND SOMETHING THEY MAY SEE, UH, REALLY QUICKLY IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS THE AMPHITHEATER. MM-HMM . CORRECT. CORRECT. AND WHERE IS THAT LOCATED? RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL WHERE THE FOUNTAIN IS. . YES. YES. IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING PLACE THERE, YOU KNOW, THE TREND IS NOW OUTDOOR SPACE. MM-HMM . WALKABILITY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING, ISN'T IT? WHAT WE'LL ACCOMPLISH IT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING JUST POPPED IN MY MIND THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. WE WERE SO MUCH FUN. CRICKET. YES. OH MY GOODNESS. WE WENT OUT TO THE FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET. I WAS AMAZED. 7,000 PEOPLE WITH THEIR FLAGS AND WHISTLES. MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET RIGHT HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. THAT WAS SO FUN. WE'RE FIXING TO KICK OFF A NEW SEASON THIS SUMMER HERE. UH, YOU GOTTA LEARN HOW TO WATCH AND KEEP SCORE, PLAY CRICKET. IT'S SO FUN. IT IS. IT'S A GREAT GAME TO WATCH. AND IT'S PROB IT IS THE SECOND MOST POPULAR SPORT IN THE WORLD, AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. GRAND GRAND PRIX. AND WHEN THEY SENT, I LOVED IT WHENEVER THEY SENT IT OUT ALL OVER THE WORLD. MM-HMM . AND THEY SAY RIGHT HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS. SO WE'RE GETTING ALL KIND OF GOOD MARKETING, UH, THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THE CRICKET. YOU, YOU BET. YEAH. [00:15:01] AND, UH, WHERE IS IT LOCATED, MAYBE? WELL, IN OUR OLD BASEBALL STADIUM. YES. RIGHT THERE BY TEXAS RE CU THEATER AND LONE STAR PARK. YES. AND I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND IT'S IN DISTRICT ONE. AND, UM, WE HAVE LOTS, LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON, UH, STARTING SOUTH, THEN MOVING TO MAIN STREET, AND THEN IN DISTRICT ONE, WE STILL HAVE LOTS OF POSSIBILITIES OF SOME FABULOUS DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE'RE NEGOTIATING. CORRECT. I HOPE TO ANNOUNCE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. YAY. THAT WILL BE SO EXCITING. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE TO, UH, MENTION THIS EVERY TIME. WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT RESTAURANTS AND WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT GROCERY STORES. AND, UM, ARE, ARE THERE ANY POSSIBILITIES ON NEW, MORE NEW RESTAURANTS THAN YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED? I KNOW EVERYBODY SAYS, WHEN'S ROSES COMING? . , FINALLY. YEAH. THEY'RE WORKING ON ROSES RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE GOING AHEAD. THEY HAVE PUT THE PAD IN AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE GOING VERTICAL VERY SOON. AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS IN, IN, IN OUR, AS YOU SAID, GOING NORTH, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TAKEN WILDLIFE PARKWAY AND WE EXTENDED IT ALL THE WAY TO 1 61. SO THAT WILL GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO OUR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT FROM 1 61. SO IT'LL, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THOSE THINGS RIGHT NOW IN PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE. AND OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER EVERY DAY. YES, IT IS. NOW, I KNOW Y'ALL COULD GO BACK AND FORTH ON SAYING LIKE, WE'RE NUMBER ONE AT THIS, AND WE'RE THIS AND THAT. I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO OUR VIEWERS IS OUR SAFETY, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. WELL, AS WE WERE JUST, UH, INFORMED WE'RE NUMBER ONE, THE DFW AREA FOR, UH, THE SAFEST CITY. UH, THAT'S NO SMALL TASK. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, USED VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVE AND COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING TO FIGURE OUT USING DATA. AND OTHER CITIES AROUND US HAVE STARTED USING THE SAME DATABASE THAT WE HAVE. SO I'M SO PROUD OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE JUST HAD OUR ANNUAL BANQUET AND, UH, GAVE OUT THE AWARDS AND SAFEST CITY IN THE DFW AREA. OH MY GOODNESS. AND I THINK, UH, BILL, WHAT WERE WE THIRD? UM, OVERALL, WE'RE THIRD, THIRD, THIRD IN THE STATE. AND I THINK IT WAS 17TH IN THE COUNTRY THAT THAT'S, AND THEN OUR, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE CONTINUE TO WIN THE GOLD STANDARD FOR HEART RELATED AND STROKE RELATED, UM, CATASTROPHES GET GETTING THEM TO THE, UH, HOSPITAL IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, 90 MINUTES, 90% OF THE TIME. AND WE DO IT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME. UH, WE'RE JUST TOPNOTCH. THEY TAKE PRIDE IN IT. UH, YEARS AGO WHEN WE DECIDED TO BRING THE PARAMEDIC AND FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE HOUSE WAS THE BIGGEST, ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS THAT TOM HART AND MAYOR ENGLAND MADE AT THAT TIME. AND WE'RE STILL REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THAT. SO WE HAVE A TOP-NOTCH FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE. YES. AND THAT IS HUGE. THAT IS HUGE. UH, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT A SMALL THING. NO, IT'S NOT. AND I GET, YOU AND I, WE ALL GET DINGED ABOUT THE GROWTH WE'RE GETTING TOO. WE'RE GROWING TOO FAST. THERE'S TOO MANY OF THIS, TOO MANY OF THAT. AND CRIMES COMING ALONG WITH IT. WELL, I GIVE 'EM THE DATA. THEY THINK BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH, WE, OUR CRIME IS INCREASING. I GIVE 'EM THE DATE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SHOCKED. UH, PEOPLE ASSUME THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE. WE ARE A VERY, VERY, VERY SAFE CITY. WE ARE. AND WHAT ELSE? MAYOR AND MAYOR, THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THAT IS THE COUNCIL IS DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES TO GRAND PRAIRIE IS QUALITY DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN THE SAFETY WHILE BRINGING SOME OF THE FUN THINGS THAT OUR CITIZENS CAN ENJOY. YES. THE QUALITY OF EXCELLENCE AND RAISING THE BAR ON EVERYTHING THAT COMES HERE IS SO IMPORTANT TO US AND TO OUR FUTURE AS WELL. NOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS I KNOW WE'RE, UM, HAVE BEEN CALLED THE HAPPY CITY? HAPPIEST OR WE'RE ONE OF THE HAPPIEST CITIES? YOU KNOW, I DON'T MUSIC CITY. YEAH. WE'RE A MUSIC CITY AND WE DO HAVE A LOT TO OFFER. BILL JUST MENTIONED IT, THE MUSIC CITY, UH, TEXAS TRUST THEATER. MY GOODNESS. THE SHOWS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN ONE [00:20:01] MONTH. THERE'S NOT A SHOW OUT THERE EVERY NIGHT THAT I ATTEND, BUT THERE'S A SHOW OUT THERE EVERY NIGHT THAT SOMEBODY WILL WANT TO ATTEND. YES. FROM LATINO TO JAZZ TO COM COMEDIES, IT'S TO KIDS SHOWS. I GET REQUESTS ALL THE TIME AND NOT FROM THE SAME PEOPLE. 'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A VARIETY OF SHOWS. FIXING TO KICK OFF, UH, ANOTHER SEASON OF HORSE RACING THIS APRIL. UH, AND THEN THE CRICKET WILL BE COMING ON. IT'S JUST A LOT'S GOING ON THAT WE SOMETIMES FORGET ABOUT, BUT BRINGS IN TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER. UM, I HAVE TO MENTION THIS, WHEN THE CRICKET STADIUM, THAT FIRST BIG NIGHT WHEN THE 7,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP, REBECCA AND I WERE STOPPED AS WE WALKED IN FROM FAMILIES DRIVING ALL THE WAY IN FROM FRISCO, ALLEN, AND PLANO TO COME WATCH A CRICKET GAME WITH THEIR KIDS. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THEY WERE RAISED PLAYING CRICKET, BUT THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY'D EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO WATCH A CRICKET GAME. SO WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE METROPLEX TO COME TO GRAND PRAIRIE. THAT'S TRUE, MAYOR. AND THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING FUN TO DO IN GRAND PRAIRIE, AND THAT IS REALLY SPECIAL. YOU KNOW, OUR, UH, EPIC WATERS NUMBER TWO RANKED THE NUMBER TWO OVERALL FOR, UH, POPULARITY OPEN YEAR ROUND. IT'S FUN. AND PLAYGROUND ADVENTURES. WE STILL GET MANY, MANY FAMILIES COME UP TO US AND SAY THANK YOU FOR PLAYGROUND ADVENTURES. AND, UH, JUST A, A LOT, A LOT THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER THAT WE SOMETIMES FORGET ABOUT CHICKEN AND PICKLE PICKLEBALL, BUT NOT JUST PICKLEBALL. PEOPLE GO THERE FOR ENTERTAINMENT SHOWS. IT'S BECOME A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE RETIREMENT PARTIES AND OUR GATHERINGS OR JUST LITTLE RECEPTIONS. WHAT A GREAT PLACE. AND THEN WE'RE FIXING TO KICK OFF THE SUMMERTIME WITH OUR WATER SHOWS. THE, THE VEGAS STYLE WATER SHOW, WHICH PEOPLE COME TO AND SIT. IT'S PACKED OUT AND FREE, UH, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND. SO MUCH FUN THERE AT EPIC CENTRAL MAYOR. LET'S NOT FORGET THE ONE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. WE STILL HAVE LAKE JOE POOL. YOU'RE RIGHT. YEAH. OH, WOW. YES. SO MANY AMENITIES. WE ARE SO BLESSED IN GRAND PRAIRIE. AND, UH, SPEAKING OF AMENITIES, I HAVE TO MENTION THE LIBRARIES, WHICH ARE JUST STATE OF THE ART. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LIBRARIES, UH, YESTERDAY WITH OUR KIDS. SOMEBODY MENTIONED BEING, UH, ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS, WHAT OUR GRAND PRAIRIE MAIN LIBRARY HAD TO OFFER. AND UH, YES, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, BILL AND I CAN'T DO IT ALL. HOWEVER, WHAT WE CAN HAVE IS GOOD PEOPLE RUNNING EACH DEPARTMENT THAT FOCUSES ON AND LIKE PETER OVER LIBRARIES, AMAZING. HE DOESN'T WORRY ABOUT THE RACE. TRACKER SHOWS THAT TEXAS TRUST, HE'S FOCUSED ON GIVING US THE BEST LIBRARY EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND ADULTS AND KIDS OF ALL AGES. THAT'S HIS FOCUS. AND WE HAVE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT JUST LIKE THAT, FOCUSING ON THEIR AREA TO MAINTAIN AND KEEP IT GREAT. ABSOLUTELY. AND, UH, WE COULD TALK ABOUT EACH ONE OF THOSE AND EACH ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WE COULD, WE COULD TALK ABOUT LIBRARIES FOREVER. WE'RE FIXING TO HAVE DANO FAST, YOU KNOW, GOODNESS WHO THOUGHT OF HAVING A DINO FEST. AND, UH, BUT IT'S GONNA BE GREAT. AND WE ARE SO BLESSED TO BE RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY, AND AS YOU SAID, WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO CHOOSE FROM NOWADAYS. THE MAYOR AND I USED TO GET TO GO TO NEARLY EVERYTHING. NOW WE MISS SOME THINGS JUST, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE, UH, DOUBLE BOOKED THE SAME TIME. YES, YES. BUT WHAT A GREAT, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL. YOU'RE BOTH DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRAP UP WITH? WELL, GEORGIA, UM, YOU AND I, I, I THINK HAVE A SPECIAL PERSPECTIVE ON IT BECAUSE YOU AND DAN, REBECCA AND I AND OUR PARENTS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG. OUR PARENTS ARE GONE, BUT THEY LAID THE FOUNDATION AND RAISED US HERE. AND HAD YOU TOLD THE FOUR OF US, YOU, ME, DAN AND REBECCA, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE NOW, HAD YOU TOLD US THAT 40 YEARS AGO, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED IT. WE HAD DREAMS, ASPIRATIONS, VISIONS, AND UH, I'M JUST SO EXCITED FOR OUR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS AND CALL THIS THEIR HOME. AND I KNOW YOU, LIKE I DO, CITIZENS AND FRIENDS OF OURS THAT MOVED ON THE OTHER STATES. I'VE [00:25:01] GOT A FRIEND IN SPAIN, GOT FRIENDS IN WASHINGTON, DC ALL OVER THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE DROP ME A NOTE AND SAY, I AM SO PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH WITH OUR CITY. IT MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD. AND THEY STILL CONSIDER IT HOME. THEY DO. YES. AND THEY AND THEY ARE PROUD OF IT. YES. HOW ABOUT YOU, BILL? WELL, IT'S, AS I SAID EARLIER, I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE WORKED HERE FOR 36 YEARS. WHEN I CAME HERE, WE HAD LESS THAN 80,000 PEOPLE IN GRAND PRIX, AND NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 220,000. SO THE CITY HAS GROWN UP AROUND ME, AND AS THE MAYOR SAYS, I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE BEGINNING, BUT GRAND PRAIRIE IS HOME TO ME AS WELL. UM, I'VE GROWN UP HERE PROFESSIONALLY AS WELL AS WATCHED THE CITY GROW AND HAD A HAND IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GROWING. MM-HMM . I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED TODAY IS ALICE CORN. WE HAVE A 10 HOME SUBDIVISION THAT IS GONNA BE BUILT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY, WERE THE ONES THAT INITIATED THAT GETTING DONE. BUT IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. I, I, I LOVE THIS CITY. THIS HAS BEEN WHERE I'VE WANTED TO BE AND WHERE I WILL WANT TO BE FOR THE DURATION OF TIME. THAT'S EXCELLENT. AND, UM, BILL AND MAYOR, I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO SAY THAT YOU ALL ARE AT THE HELM OF LEADING US FORWARD. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE 2024. ALL THE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED AND, UM, WE REALLY FEEL LIKE I KNOW YOU, YOU ALL DO TOO. THAT THE BEST IS YET TO COME FOR GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS. SO THANK YOU ALL. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST OF THE BEST. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE 2025 STATE OF THE CITY. AND IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.