* 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. [00:00:09] WELCOME TO THE 2026 STATE OF THE CITY SHOW. I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND I HAVE TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. THESE GENTLEMEN ARE SUPERSTAR. IN GRAND PRAIRIE, WE HAVE MAYOR RON JENSEN. WELCOME, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING, GEORGIA . GOOD MORNING. HELLO THERE. MR. HILLS, OUR CITY MANAGER. GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO BE HERE. OH, IT'S GREAT TO SEE BOTH OF YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS SHOW. OUR VIEWERS LOVE TO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THE STATE OF THE CITY IN GRAND PRIX, TEXAS. NOW, MAYOR, EVERY YEAR YOU SEEM TO OUTDO YOURSELF WITH THE STATE OF THE CITY. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT THIS YEAR? WELL, GEORGIA, I GUESS I'VE BEEN REAL RETROSPECTIVE THIS YEAR ON WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW. UH, WE RAN INTO SOME GOOD FRIENDS LAST NIGHT, UH, THAT WE HADN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME. AND IT'S LIKE, UH, MAYOR, WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY CITY THAT I GREW UP IN HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL. AND REBECCA, AND I KNOW THIS. ALL I EVER WANTED TO DO, UH, TWO THINGS. ALL I EVER WANTED TO DO WAS CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND NOT HAVE SPLIT FRACTIONS THIS GROUP AGAINST THAT GROUP, WHICH, UH, TAKES WORK, IT TAKES, UH, IT JUST DOESN'T COME NATURALLY. IT'S WHAT YOU DO GET INVOLVED AND TRY TO GET TEAM WORK. BUT ALSO I WANTED THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE GROWING UP. GEORGIA, UH, BILL DIDN'T GROW UP HERE, BUT THOSE OF US THAT GREW UP HERE GOT TIRED OF, UH, BEING NOT THE PLACE TO LIVE. WHEN BUSINESS LEADERS WOULD COME TO TOWN, THEY WOULD BE TOLD, WELL, YOU MAY WANNA RUN THE COMPANY THERE, BUT YOU WON'T WANNA LIVE THERE. UH, SUPERINTENDENTS WOULD COME AND THEY WERE TOLD WHERE THEY SHOULD LIVE. IT'S JUST, UH, WE DESERVE BETTER. YES. AND, UH, THE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE GAVE US THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING. AND I REMEMBER, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JIM SWAFFORD, WHO IT WAS HIS DISTRICT, AND AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS AFTER WE HAD A DEVELOPER COME TRY HIS BEST TO SELL US ON HIS VISION. WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING IT, JIM LOOKED AT ALL US AND OF US AND SAID, WE ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT, AND THIS ISN'T WHAT I'M PREPARED TO APPROVE. AND WE ALL FELL IN RIGHT BEHIND HIM AND AGREED NOT KNOWING THAT WE WOULD GET WHAT WE GOT. THE CITY STEPPED OUT AND BUILT EPIC WATERS, THE EPIC PLAYGROUND ADVENTURES ON OUR OWN, MONEY SUPPORTED BY THE CITIZENS OVERWHELMINGLY TO DO IT, AND THEN CAME ALONG AND DID THE HOTELS AND SHELLS FOR THE RESTAURANTS. BUT GEORGIE, YOU NEVER KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA INVEST THEIR OWN MONEY AT RISK. RIGHT. OUR INVESTMENT WAS BACKED BY SALES TAX AND OUR PROPERTY TAX, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THE BIG STEP WAS WHEN IKEA DECIDED TO CHOOSE US. THERE WERE TIMES THAT PEOPLE SAID, YOU DON'T WANNA LIVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. AND NOW I LOVE HOW IT'S TRANS TRANSITIONED INTO WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO COME TO GRAND PRAIRIE. YOU'RE RIGHT. AND LIVE AND DO BUSINESS IN GRAND PRAIRIE. SO THAT IS A VERY POSITIVE THING, AND I'M GLAD YOU SHARED THAT WITH US. AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. HILLS, OUR CITY MANAGER, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SURE. START WITH, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE SADDLE HERE, UH, AS CITY MANAGER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW. YEP. AND TELL US WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE AND WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO GO WITH THAT EXPERIENCE. WELL, WELL, GEORGET HAS BEEN, AND, AND MANY HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS, IT HAS BEEN THE HONOR OF MY LIFE TO BE THE LEADER OF THIS CITY. UM, ME AND THE MAYOR HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME, AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 38 YEARS BEFORE TAKING ON THIS ROLE HAS PROBABLY PREPARED ME MORE THAN ANYONE EVER KNOW. UM, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE LIVED, ALWAYS LIVED IN GRAND PRAIRIE FOR ALL OF MY DURATION OF MY CAREER. SO THOUGH I DIDN'T GROW UP HERE, SOMETIMES I FEEL [00:05:01] LIKE I HAVE, BECAUSE WHEN I CAME HERE, THERE WAS ONLY 66,000 PEOPLE. NOW WE'RE AT ALMOST 220,000 PEOPLE. AND SO A LOT OF THE CHANGES AND THE GROWTH I HAVE SEEN AND HAVE LIVED THROUGH WITH THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE. SO I FEEL LIKE I CAN HONESTLY SAY JUST LIKE WE ARE DEEP IN THE HEART OF EVERYTHING. YES. I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN IN THE HEART OF EVERYTHING AS WE'VE COME THROUGH, AND IT JUST GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I HAVE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE OF THE TRANSITION IS WHAT I CALL IT, THE TRANSITION OF GRAND PRAIRIE, THE SMALL TOWN TO GRAND PRAIRIE, THE CITY THAT KEEPS A SMALL TOWN HEART. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND MAYOR, UH, BILL REFERRED TO IT, BUT OUR NEW THEME, DEEP IN THE HEART OF EVERYTHING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU AND HOW DID WE GET THAT THEME? WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN SAYING IT, WE'RE SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF DFW, WHICH WE ARE, WE'RE HALFWAY BETWEEN DALLAS AND FORT WORTH, UH, RIGHT IN LINE WITH DFW AIRPORT. UM, BEING IN THE METROPLEX, WE ARE FORTUNATE. LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDER YOU UNDERSTAND THIS. WE WOULD NOT BE WHAT WE ARE IF IT WEREN'T FOR DALLAS AND ARLINGTON. AND THEN FORT WORTH, I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THEM OUT, BUT BEING RIGHT NEXT TO ARLINGTON, OUR GOOD NEIGHBORS IN ARLINGTON THAT HAVE AT AND T STADIUM AND GLOBAL LIFE FIELD THAT BRING LOTS OF PEOPLE IN, THEY'RE BOUND TO COME AND USE US, STAY HERE. ENTERTAINMENT IS HERE. AND SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT PAIRING. WE COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER, BUT, UH, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT IF WE WEREN'T NEXT TO DALLAS. EVERYBODY COMES AND KNOWS DALLAS. AND, UM, WITH ALL THE TALK ABOUT DART AND EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY WE WOULD NOT BE WHO WE ARE IF WE WERE PART OF DART. UH, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT'S A PENNY THAT WE WOULD'VE BEEN GIVEN TO DART SINCE THE 1980S AND STILL WOULDN'T HAVE HAD LIGHT RAIL. IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO LONE STAR PARK, THE SUMMIT EPIC WATERS, UH, THE QUARTER ASCENT TO ROADS, THE QUARTER ASCENT PERPETUALLY TO OUR CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT, WHICH ALL, WHICH HIRES ABOUT 30 OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS. YES, SIR. UH, THAT'S HUGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND MR. HILLS, I KNOW YOU GET LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS FROM YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHER, OTHER PEOPLE. HOW DOES, UH, STAFF SORT THROUGH ALL OF THAT AND PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT IS RIGHT FOR US? WELL, IT'S, IT'S A PROCESS. UH, USUALLY IT STARTS OUT WITH JUST A REGULAR MEETING WITH A DEVELOPER OR WITH SOMEONE WHO'S LOOKING TO COME TO TOWN. OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TONY RAMIREZ, IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB BRINGING OPTIONS TO GRAND PRAIRIE. UH, AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, AS WE'VE GROWN, AS WE'VE CHANGED, WE PROBABLY NOW ARE PROBABLY IN A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN BE A LITTLE MORE CHOICEY ABOUT WHO COMES TO GRAND PRAIRIE. UH, WE HAVE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE COMING TO GRAND PRAIRIE. WE'VE GOT OTHER, OTHER, OTHER TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING, THE GRAND PRAIRIE THAT IS GOING TO MAKE US TRULY A LARGE CITY DOWN SOUTH. WE'RE LOOKING AT 50,000 NEW RESIDENTS IN THE GOODLAND AREA. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU THINK ABOUT IT, 50,000 IS THE SIZE OF A MID-SIZED CITY IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW. THAT IS GONNA BE THE CITY WITHIN OUR CITY, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE THE CATALYST THAT AT SOME POINT WILL TAKE GRAND PRAIRIE, OVER 300,000 IN POPULATION. UM, WENT THROUGH GREAT PLANNING AND IDEAS, AND MY PREDECESSOR, MR. ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS, TOM HART, THE DECISION WAS MADE IN 1999 WHEN THE LAW WAS CHANGING TO ANNEX AS MUCH OF THAT PROPERTY SOUTH AS THEY COULD POSSIBLY ANNEX. THAT WAS A GREAT DECISION BECAUSE IT IS WHAT ENABLED ME OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE TO WORK ON AND BRING TO FRUITION THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH PROVIDENCE, WHO PUT, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THEIR OWN MONEY AT RISK TO DO IT. AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HUFFINES, THE HUFFINES GROUP. HUFFINES GROUP IS PUTTING IN [00:10:01] LAKE SONG. YOU'VE GOT PROVIDE AND PUTTING IN GOODLAND, YOU'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL OTHER SMALLER ENTITIES THAT ARE BUILDING HOMES. YOU'VE GOT 3, 400, 500, $700,000 HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT. BUT THE KEY IS IN OUR PLANNING PROCESS, WE'VE ENSURED THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THERE FOR EVERYONE. WE'RE NOT JUST BILLING THE MANSIONS AND THE MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES. WE'RE BUILDING THE 400,000, THE $350,000 HOMES THAT IN THIS DAY AND TIME ARE STARTER HOMES. YES. AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE CATALYST FOR THE SOUTHERN GROWTH OF GRAND PRAIRIE. BUT ONE THING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO MAKE CLEAR IS, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BOND ELECTION COMING UP. A LARGE PART OF THAT BOND ELECTION IS GOING TO BE TO REPAIR THE STREETS IN THE PART OF GRAND PRAIRIE THAT BROUGHT US TO THE DANCE. YES. IN THE OLDER PARTS OF GRAND PRAIRIE. WE'RE NOT FORGETTING FROM WHERE WE CAME, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND STRUCTURE OURSELVES TO BE A PLAYER IN THE METROPLEX IN THE FUTURE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE INDUSTRY IS OR WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS. THANK YOU, BILL AND MAYOR, UH, ALLUDING TO THAT, OUR GOODLAND, UH, AREA FAR SOUTH. WHAT WILL PEOPLE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS FAR AS ER OR WORRY ABOUT, BE CONCERNED ABOUT AS FAR AS SERVICES? WHAT WILL WE OFFER THOSE FOLKS? WELL, WE DID A BIG DEVELOPERS AGREEMENT WITH THEM. AND THE MAJOR PART OF THAT WILL NOT BE ANNEXED IN FOR 20 YEARS, 20 YEARS. BUT DURING THAT TIME, WE WILL PRE PROVIDING POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION. THEY'VE ALREADY BUILT OUR FIRE STATION NUMBER 11. THE INTER THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE, THEN WE, THEY WILL BE PAYING US YES. UH, FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES. 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN OUR CITY. UH, SO WE CAN'T CHARGE 'EM PROPERTY TAXES. BUT DURING THAT PHASE, WE HAVE A DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT. THEY WILL BE PAYING US FOR THAT COVERAGE. AND AT SUCH TIME WHEN THEIR DEBT IS PAID OFF FOR THEM TO DO THEIR MUD AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ANNEX THEM LATER. SO, UH, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, KNOWS HOW MANY HE HAS TO HIRE. UH, CHIEF SES KNOWS HOW MANY HE HAS TO HIRE, AND WE'RE ALREADY WORKING TOWARDS BUDGETING THAT. AND THEN WE, OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED, WE BUILT STATION 11 DOWN THERE RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF 360 AND 2 87. SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, GET THEM FIRE PROTECTION. WE HAVE ALL THE MAJOR CITIES, US, MANSFIELD, ARLINGTON, , WE HAVE IN LOCAL AGREEMENTS FOR BACKUP AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR ESPECIALLY FOR FIRE. AND SO, UM, IT'S GONNA BE LIKE BILL SAYS IT'S GONNA BE A CITY WITHIN A CITY. AND THE SAD PART IS THEY WON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE LIVING IN GRAND PRAIRIE. THEY'RE GONNA BE SO FAR AWAY. THEY, BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT. I USE THE ANALOGY OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN LAS COLINAS. IF YOU EVER HAVE TALKED TO SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN LAS COLINAS AND YOU ASK 'EM, WHERE DO YOU LIVE? THEY DO NOT SAY IRVING. THEY SAY LAS COLINAS, EVEN THOUGH LAS COLINAS IS IN HOLY INSIDE OF IRVING. SO THOSE PEOPLE, AND WHEN I ASK PEOPLE WHERE THEY LIVE, THEN THEY LIVE OUT OF MARY LAGOS. THEY DON'T, IF YOU, I'M, I LIVE IN MARY LAGOS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, UH, IT'S JUST COMMON, UH, FOR, AND I DON'T MIND THAT COMMUNITY LOVE THAT COMMUNITY SPIRIT, BUT IT'S, UM, AS BILL SAYS, IT'S GONNA BE A CITY WITHIN A CITY. AND IT'S TRICKY. I MENTIONED THIS AT THE RIBBON CUTTING THE OTHER DAY. UH, IT WAS NOT EASY FOR US TO MAKE THE DECISION TO ENTER INTO A DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT AND INDEX THEM IN THE FUTURE. HOUSES DO NOT PAY FOR THEMSELVES. OH, THEY DON'T, FOLKS HOUSES DON'T PAY FOR THEMSELVES. THE TAX RATE WE CHARGE. UM, YOU MAY SAY, OH MY GOSH, I'M PAYING SO WELL, THE PORTION YOU GIVE TO THE CITY IS MAYBE A THIRD OF YOUR FULL TAX BILL. AND, AND WE WORKED OUT DEVELOPERS DURING THE DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT TO WHERE WE WOULD ANNEX INTO THE CITY FIRST, THEIR INDUSTRIAL PARK OF ABOUT 700 ACRES, 800, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 850 ACRES. 850 ACRES. BECAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE US IMMEDIATE INCOME [00:15:02] FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES AND ANY SELLS TAXES THAT COME FROM THERE. SO IT'S, IT'S STAFF GETS TIRED OF ME SAYING, THIS IS ALL MATH , IT'S MATH. AND WE HAD TO DO THE MATH BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T AFFORD SOMEBODY GIVING YOU A GIFT BECAUSE THE UPKEEP OF THAT GIFT IS TOO EXPENSIVE. SO IT WASN'T JUST, OH MY GOSH, WE'RE GONNA ANNEX THIS LAND. THERE WAS A LOT THAT WENT INTO IT. AND, UH, SO IT, IT, WE, WE DID THE DUE DILIGENCE AND IT'S, UH, WE'RE HOPING, AND I THINK IN THIS NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'LL BE MAKING SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WE'LL SHOW EVERYBODY YES. THAT WILL BE PAYING NOT ONLY FOR THEIR SHARE OF CITY SERVICES, BUT WILL HELP THE REST OF THE CITY, UH, TOO, BECAUSE THE, THERE'S NOT VERY MANY INDUSTRIAL AREAS AVAILABLE THAT CLOSE TO EVERYTHING STILL. YET YOU HAVE TO GO WAY OUT OF TOWN TO GET 850 ACRES OF INDUSTRIAL PRIME INDUSTRIAL LAND. SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MAKE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR SOME DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE. UM, INDUSTRIAL SIZE DEVELOPMENTS. MAYOR, UM, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF OUR VIEWERS, AND THAT'S OUR POLICE AND FIRE. WE BELIEVE AS INSIDERS THAT WE HAVE THE BEST POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE, UH, STATE OF TEXAS AND MAYBE EVEN BEYOND. UH, WOULD YOU BRAG ON THEM JUST A LITTLE BIT? LET OUR CITIZENS KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON THAT? WELL, SURE. UM, MR. HANKS, MY MENTOR USED TO HAVE THIS SAYING, WELL, THAT DATA, IT'S ONLY AN OPINION. AND SO WE COULD SAY WE HAVE THE BEST. WELL, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT THE DATA SHOWS. OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR 11 YEARS STRAIGHT HAS MET THE GOLD STANDARD FOR THE HEART ASSOCIATION. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IF SOMEBODY WAS TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK IN THIS ROOM TODAY, PRAYING IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. BUT IF IT DOES HAPPEN, YOU WANNA BE IN GRAND PRAIRIE. YES. BY THE TIME THEY BREACH THE DOOR AND COME IN AND CONTACT THAT PERSON THAT HAD THE HEART ATTACK, OUR TEAM HAS 90 MINUTES TO GET THEM ON A SLAB WITH A CATHETER IN THEM IN A LOCAL HOSPITAL, 90 MINUTES. NOT TO THE HOSPITAL, NOT BACKED UP TO THE DOOR ON THE SLAB WITH THE CATHETER IN THEM 90 MINUTES. AND TO REACH THE GOLD STANDARD BILL. WE KNOW THIS VERY WELL IN GEORGIA. YOU HAVE TO DO THAT 90% OF THE TIME. OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR PARAMEDICS HAVE DONE IT 100% OF THE TIME FOR 11 STRAIGHT YEARS. IT'S AMAZING. COUNT 'EM 11. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE STATISTICS SHOW WE HAVE THE LOWEST CRIME RATE IN THE HISTORY OF FBI, TAKING THE STATISTICS, THE LOWEST CRIME RATE IN OUR HISTORY. LET ME REPEAT THAT. THE LOWEST CRIME RATE IN OUR HISTORY. AND WE'RE NUMBER ONE IN THE DFW AREA AND WE'RE ALSO THE SAFEST CITY IN TEXAS. WOW. WELL, THAT JUST DOESN'T COME. THAT DOESN'T COME EASY. AND PEOPLE LOOK AT, WELL, HOW CAN, HOW CAN GRAND PRAIRIE DO THAT? WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD CITIZENS IN THIS TOWN. TRULY. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AGGRAVATES ME THE MOST IS WHEN WE HAD DEVELOPERS COME TO TOWN. THEY DO THE FIVE MILE RADIUS AND OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND OUR, OUR INCOME LEVELS WOULDN'T MATCH WHAT THEY NEEDED. AND OF COURSE, HOW DID WE GET IKEA? WHAT WE DID, WE GET DID A 25 MINUTE DRIVE RADIUS AND WE'RE WITHIN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND 25 MILE DRIVE RADIUS. AND THAT'S WHY WE GOT THOSE. BUT I GOT TIRED OF PEOPLE TELLING ME OUR DEMOGRAPHICS DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR A UPSCALE STEAKHOUSE. WE'VE GOT GOOD CITIZENS. WE DON'T MAKE THE MONEY. POSSIBLY THAT'S PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN SOUTHLAKE, DO SOUTH LAKE, BUT OUR CITIZENS ARE HARDWORKING CITIZENS. FOLLOW THE LAW AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER. AND SO I'LL MATCH US UP WITH ANYBODY. BILL, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AND BUILT A LOT TOGETHER. WHERE DO YOU SEE US GOING IN THE FUTURE GENERATIONS? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS CHARGED WITH BY THIS COUNCIL WAS PREPARING US FOR THE FUTURE. OUR FUTURE IS SO BRIGHT. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING IN THE WORLD, THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE, THE WAY THAT THINGS HAPPEN. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING FOR US IS IN GRAND PRAIRIE, WE'VE GOT LAND. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE LAND, A LOT OF THE MORE INNOVATIVE THINGS [00:20:01] THAT ARE COMING TO PLAY, SUCH AS YOUR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION, YOU HEAR ABOUT PUTTING THINGS IN THE CLOUD, ALL OF THAT, THE INDUSTRY THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMUNICATION IS COMING. WE HAVE JUST BROUGHT IN A NEW COMPANY CALLED BODINE. THEY MAKE AIR CONDITIONERS FOR DATA CENTERS. HEY, I LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON MAKING GRAND PRAIRIE ONE OF THE STRONGEST TECHNOLOGICAL AREAS OF THE METROPLEX BECAUSE WE HAVE THE LAND TO INVITE AND BRING THOSE TYPE OF INDUSTRIES HERE. I KNOW THE MAYOR ALWAYS LIKES TO TALK ABOUT HEB . MY CITIZENS ASK ME THAT EVERY DAY BECAUSE FOLKS ARE ALWAYS ASKING ABOUT HEB. YES, GROCERY STORES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS THE GREATEST SUPPORT FOR A CITY IS OUR INDUSTRIAL BASE. THEY ARE OUR FINANCIAL FOUNDATION. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON, IS BRINGING NEW INDUSTRY IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDS TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND NOT ONLY WILL IT BRING A NEW INDUSTRY, BUT IT'LL ALSO HELP US TO BETTER TRAIN SOME OF OUR YOUTH IN THE INDUSTRIES THAT WILL CARRY THEM FORWARD THROUGH LIFE AND BE ABLE TO HELP THEM CONTINUE TO LIVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE AND STILL BE ABLE TO RAISE THE FAMILY AND ENJOY THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT GRAND PRAIRIE HAS TO OFFER. GRAND PRAIRIE'S GOTTA LIKE, WE'VE GOT EPIC CENTRAL WE WILL HAVE DOWNTOWN SOON. WE'VE GOT SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS AND SO MUCH ENTERTAINMENT. AND MORE THAN THAT, WE HAVE A CULTURAL MIX THAT IS SECOND TO NONE. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T. WE ALL GET ALONG. AND THAT'S A BLESSING. THAT'S A HUGE BLESSING. THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY VISION FOR THE FUTURE. AND MY PLANS ARE WHENEVER I DO GIVE UP, I WILL BE HERE TO WATCH IT GO. THANK YOU. AND LET'S TALK ABOUT HEB. LET'S DO . UH, UH, FOLKS, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE SITE SELECTOR FOR HEB. SHE WAS VERY CONSIDERATE, SHARP. SHE KNEW THE DATA ABOUT GRAND PRAIRIE. UH, WE MET HER IN A VISION ROOM AND WE'VE KEPT, WE'VE GIVEN HER THE DATA SHE WANTED. UM, SHE TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY STARTING WITH A JOVIE. WE TOLD HER WE'D LOVE A JOVIE AND WOULD HELP HER BRING ONE HERE, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF TOWN OR ANYWHERE IN NORTH GRAND PRAIRIE. SO WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH HEB. WILL WE EVER GET AN HEB? I'M NOT ABOUT TO TELL YOU. WE WILL AND WE WON'T. UH, BJ'S WHOLESALE CLUB TOUTS GROCERIES. YOU CAN SAVE GROCERIES HERE. SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS AND YOU NEED TO USE THE OPTIONS WE HAVE. AND SOMEDAY WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET AN HEB, BUT I'M NOT GIVING YOU A DATE ON IT AND I'M NOT GIVING ODDS ON IT. NOW, MAYOR, THIS, UM, PARTICULAR SHOW WILL, UM, COME ON THE AIR AFTER YOUR BIG STATE OF THE CITY. MM-HMM . EVENT. UM, NOW WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR STATE OF THE CITY, WHAT WILL BE SOME OF YOUR, SOME OF YOUR BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS? WELL, I'M NOT GONNA BE ANNOUNCING ANYTHING NEW. YOU ARE AWARE, AND BILL AND I ARE AWARE OF A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT IS PROBABLY COMING WITHIN 30 DAYS, BUT THEY'RE NOT LETTING US ANNOUNCE IT YET. IT, UH, IF WE, IF AND WHEN WE ANNOUNCE IT, YOU'LL KNOW IT. UH, IT'LL BE THE BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT WE'VE EVER HAD FOR GRAND PRAIRIE. YES, IT WILL. UH, WOULD IT BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? UH, AND SO, UH, IT'S COMING. THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A CLUE OF HOW HARD IT IS TO BRING THINGS TO FRUITION. IT ALL TAKES MONEY AS THE JOKE IS FOLLOW THE MONEY OR THE OTHER WAY. SHOW ME THE MONEY THAT WAS ON TV. YES. AND THE MOVIE, YOU KNOW, SHOW ME THE MONEY . UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE BRING GREAT IDEAS TO US AND WE GET REALLY CLOSE AND THEN THERE'S A BLIP IN THE ECONOMY, OR THE FED DOES THIS OR SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THE MONEY THAT WAS ANTICIPATED GOES AWAY. AND THAT'S WHY I DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED GETTING IKEA, BASS PRO, ANDREA'S TOPGOLF. LOOK AT THOSE FACILITIES. THOSE ARE VERY, [00:25:01] VERY EXPENSIVE. IKEA OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD, ALL THEY GET FROM THE CITY WAS $5 MILLION SPREAD OVER 10 YEARS. THAT DIDN'T MAKE THEM BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUILD THAT. IT WAS WHAT ARLINGTON WAS OFFERING THEM AND OTHERS. WE OFFERED THE SAME THING AND HELPED THEM COME HERE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, BILL AND I HAVE BOTH SAID IT TODAY, THEY HAVE TO PUT THEIR MONEY AT RISK. 'CAUSE IT IS ALWAYS AT RISK. YOU NEVER KNOW. LOOK AROUND HOW MANY VACANT BUILDINGS. OUR CONS MOVED DOWN HERE AND OPEN STORES ALL OVER THE METROPLEX. THEY'RE ALL VACANT RIGHT NOW. MM-HMM . IT'S NOT EASY, FOLKS. AND SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, I WILL BE TALKING MAINLY ABOUT WE, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. OF COURSE, I WILL SAY WE'RE WORKING ON SOME MAJOR THINGS. YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME GOING TO MAJOR EVENTS OF EVERYBODY. 'CAUSE WE WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL WELCOME IN OUR CITY, EVERYONE. ABSOLUTELY. AND, UM, INCLUSIVE, WE'RE AN INCLUSIVE CITY. AND, UH, AND, AND THAT'S IT. AND MAYOR AND BILL HILLS, WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND DOING SUCH A FABULOUS JOB. WE COULD NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH. THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP IS, I'M SORRY FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE AS GRATEFUL FOR YOU AS OTHERS WHO REALIZE THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. IT AIN'T EASY. , UH, WE'RE THE 16TH OR 17TH LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. UM, I, I, I'LL, I'LL ADMIT IT. UH, I CHOSE BILL. MM-HMM . UM, WE WERE AT A TIME WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION QUICK. WE COULD HAVE GONE OUT, GOT AN INTERIM AND TRIED TO HUNT SOMEBODY FOR SIX MONTHS. I TRUSTED BILL. YES. I KNEW HE HAD LEADERSHIP QUALITIES. AND, UM, HE'S THE RIGHT MAN AT THE RIGHT TIME. THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME. UM, AND, UM, WE'RE BLESSED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SAY YES BECAUSE, UH, LEADERSHIP, UM, AGAIN, LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. UM, AND IT ISN'T EASY TO PICK GOOD LEADERS. SOMETIMES THERE'S CITIES THAT WE KNOW OF THAT HAVE HAD THEM, AND AFTER SIX MONTHS THEY REALIZED, OH, WE MADE A MISTAKE. MM-HMM . SO, UM, IT, UH, WE'RE LUCKY. I'M LUCKY AS MAYOR, I HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT I CAN TALK TO DAILY ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU'LL NEVER KNOW. UM, REBECCA KNOWS BILL KNOWS THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, TO HELP EACH OTHER THAT NEVER COME TO THE SURFACE. AND I, I JUST AM BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH BILL. WHAT A WONDERFUL TEAM, DYNAMIC DUO. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY TO COME AND SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS, THE STATE OF THE CITY. WE'RE EXCITED. WE KNOW THE BEST IS YET TO COME, AND WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. AND GOD BLESS YOU BOTH. THANK YOU, GEORGIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY TO REMEMBER THAT NOT ONLY IS IT HAPPENING IN GRAND PRIX, THIS IS THE STATE OF THE CITY AND WE'RE DEEP IN THE HEART OF EVERYTHING. SO GOD BLESS YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE 2026 EDITION OF THE STATE OF THE CITY. * 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.