There's something in the air, water and even the soil that
invites businesses to Dallas. Entrepreneurs would be the first to
agree--their growth rates helped propel Dallas to the top of our
list this year, after receiving respectable top 20 finishes in
recent years.
When entrepreneurs arrive, they'll find a well-trained labor
force, leadership that reaches out to businesses, and a city whose
location, international airport and extensive highway network make
it an excellent base for doing business in Latin America. Capital
flows more easily here than in many cities, thanks to a number of
small-business-friendly national banks as well as a boom in local
bank startups over the past five years.
Telecommunications, high-tech, energy, real estate and
restaurants top the list of Dallas' hot industries. And though
some tech companies have taken a beating, laid-off tech workers
aren't rolling over. They're starting businesses--sending
first-quarter 2001 startup stats through the roof.
Content Continues Below
While there's a sweet smell of success in the air, Dallas,
like every rose, has its thorn. Bankruptcies are relatively high,
says Jan Rowland of Dun & Bradstreet, but the impact is
tempered by high economic and small-business growth rates.
Economically depressed South Dallas would not call these boom
times, but there are programs on tap designed to help the south
catch up. The Trinity River Corridor Project, which some expect to
spearhead a construction boom, includes development of 20 miles of
waterfront property in South Dallas into parks and recreational
outlets. Construction on Highway 635 and the development of a
commuter rail system will connect suburban North Dallas with its
poorer southern sibling, which should enable the job-starved to
more easily reach labor-starved entrepreneurs.
-Cynthia E. Griffin
For a complete listing of the top cities and
profiles of our number-one hot spots,
click
here.
Page
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
5 