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Population: 355,000 Located in Tarrant County
With a population fast approaching 360,000, Arlington is the third largest city in north Texas, the seventh in the state and the fifty-seventh in the United States.
Major Employers in the private sector include General Motors, ElectroCom Automation, National Semiconductor, Hughes Training and Doskocil, several of whom announced major expansions in the last 12 months; Arlington's tax structure is competitive, and city and state financial incentives can help qualifying companies reduce their tax burden, especially in Arlington's two enterprise zones. A strategic location midway between Dallas and Fort Worth enables a huge and diverse workforce to take advantage of employment opportunities in Arlington. The costs of accessing this workforce are very competitive compared to other metropolitan areas, thanks to a low cost of living, high productivity and no local or state personal income tax.
The "Entertainment Capital of Texas", Arlington is home to the Ballpark in Arlington, the Texas Rangers Baseball Club, Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and Hurricane Harbor water park. Visitors to these and other attractions in Arlington numbered over six million 1996. The City's 48 parks provide plenty of recreation opportunities. Arlington is home to two private golf courses and three municipal courses. Professional sports in the area include the NFL Dallas Cowboys, the NBA Dallas Mavericks and the NHL Dallas Stars.
The Metroplex offers virtually any kind of cultural entertainment. Symphony, opera, jazz, ballet, art galleries, dramatic and musical theater, museums of art and science, planetarium, Omni Theatre and much more are available at places such as the Kimbell Art Museum, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, the Museum of Modern Art, the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, the Museum of Science and History, and the Omni Theater. Named after the Virginia hometown of Civil War hero Robert E. Lee, the City of Arlington has enjoyed a colorful past that dates back to 5,000 B.C., when the Caddo Indians occupied the land. Colonel Tate Johnson established a trading post that became a regular stopping point for stagecoaches, the mail and travelers including national politicians, and ultimately came to be known as Johnson Station.
Texas and Pacific Railway soon built a rail through this region, with Johnson Station becoming the ideal location as a stop to serve all the smaller settlements growing around the area now known as Tarrant County named after General E.H. Tarrant who had opened up the territory for settlers.
Incorporated in 1884, one year after its first newspaper was established, Arlington began to experience dramatic growth in the 1950s, when the population rose from 8,000 to 45,000 under the leadership of Judge Tom Vandergriff, a man who would serve a Mayor for twenty-five years. While attending the University of Southern California, Mr. Vandergriff watched Walt Disney build the dream of Disneyland. He was fascinated with the opportunities for Arlington and saw the city's geographic location in north central Texas as the ideal location for a similar family theme park venture.
In 1961, the original Six Flags Over Texas was opened to the public and now draws over 3 million visitors a year while remaining the biggest family theme park in the central states and the southwest. Wet 'n Wild Park followed Six Flags Over Texas, ultimately purchased by Six Flags and today operates as Hurricane Harbor, the largest water park in the southwest.
The Ballpark in Arlington was established as a stunning tribute to the great ballparks of the past and is now home to the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball Club. Arlington's Entertainment District has grown over the last forty years specializing in good quality, affordable & safe family fun, excellent food and great memories for over 6.5 million visitors a year.
Not many cities can compare with the quality of life offered in Arlington. From beautiful neighborhoods and bucolic lakes to American League Baseball and world class amusement parks, Arlington has something for everyone. Courtesy of www.arlingtontx.com
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