The Fort Worth Chamber's North Area Council brought together business and community leaders on May 14 at Andretti Indoor Karting for the latest installment of the Chamber Confidential luncheon series. The members-only program delivered a packed agenda of hyper-local economic intelligence, public sector updates, and a front-row look at some of the most significant developments shaping North Fort Worth's future. 

North Area Board Chair and Vice President of Keller Corporate Banking at Frost Bank, Ben Johnson, opened the program before welcoming Fort Worth Chamber President & CEO Steve Montgomery to the podium to recognize the elected officials in attendance, including newly elected District 10 City Council Member Chris Jamieson and Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores. 

Council members representing North Fort Worth's districts provided updates on initiatives, investments, and priorities within their communities. Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores spoke on behalf of District 2, followed by Booker Thomas, District Director for Council Member Charlie Lauersdorf of District 4, and former Council Member and Texas House candidate Alan Blaylock, who offered his perspective on the area's continued momentum. 

A highlight of the program was a four-year look at North Fort Worth's business climate, presented by former North Area Board Chair and SVP of Operations & Accounting at Hillwood, Vishal Gandhi. Tracking sentiment from 2022 through 2025, the data illustrated how the area's business community has shifted from post-pandemic recovery concerns toward questions of infrastructure and long-term growth—a clear signal of a maturing and expanding economic corridor. 

Jessica Heer, Executive Vice President of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, followed with a market update underscoring just how significant that growth has been. Fort Worth now ranks as the 10th largest city in the United States and the fastest-growing large city in the country, with a population projected to reach 1.2 million by 2035. Between 2023 and 2025, the FWEDP helped generate 11,000 new jobs and attract $9.7 billion in new capital investment—with notable North Fort Worth wins including SGS Studios, Wistron, Ariat International, MTU Maintenance, and the expansion of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. 

Officer Jacob Calkins of the Fort Worth Police Department's Neighborhood Police Officer program provided a public safety update specific to North Fort Worth, giving attendees a data-driven look at crime trends across the North Division—the city's largest by both population and geographic area. 

Phillip Michael Smart, Economic Development Coordinator with the City of Fort Worth, then shared an update on the North Main Street USA Revitalization initiative, spotlighting ongoing efforts to reinvest in one of the corridor's most historically significant stretches. 

The program closed with an in-depth presentation from Jack Barkley, VP of Industrial at Hillwood, on AllianceTexas and its continued economic impact on the region. Since its founding, AllianceTexas has generated $142.9 billion in economic impact, supported more than 73,000 direct jobs, and attracted 602 corporate residents to its 27,000-acre master-planned development. Barkley also introduced attendees to SGS Studios—Texas' largest production studio at 450,000 square feet—which currently houses four active Paramount productions, including Landman, Lioness, and The Madison. The studio's first four productions have booked more than 75,000 hotel room nights in Fort Worth, with Landman Season 2 alone employing nearly 3,900 cast, crew, and extras. 

The May 14 luncheon reinforced what has become a consistent theme for North Fort Worth: the area is no longer just growing; it is emerging as one of the most strategically significant economic corridors in the state of Texas. The Chamber Confidential series continues to serve as the premier forum for members to engage directly with the leaders, data, and decisions driving that story forward. 

Looking ahead, the next Chamber Confidential luncheon on June 11^th will tackle one of the most pressing concerns raised at this year's Workforce Summit—the soft skills gap. Employers across Fort Worth are struggling to find entry-level talent with strong communication, reliability, and problem-solving skills, and our next session will connect you with local experts and readily available solutions to help.