When companies evaluate Fort Worth for major investments, the Fort Worth EDP designs highly coordinated visits that showcase the city’s real estate options, workforce, infrastructure, and business community.
Katie McConnell | March 18, 2026
The economic development equivalent to a “hometown date,” site visits provide company leadership and site consultants much more than a visit to potential real estate sites. Company representatives meet with a spectrum of experts, including landowners and real estate brokers, education partners, civic staff at the city, county, and state levels, subject-matter experts on topics ranging from environmental regulations to construction costs, and other business and community leaders who can speak to the specific aspects of a potential project.
While these site visits can be one-and-done, they can also be spread out over several months or even years. In Q1 2026, multiple projects operated on accelerated timelines, leading to 4+ site visits within 45 days. While NDAs limit what we can share, this offers a behind-the-scenes look at Fort Worth EDP site visits and how local partners help the city shine in these pivotal moments.
From First Contact to Site Visit
To understand site visits, it helps to look at where they fall in the life cycle of an economic development project. When the Fort Worth EDP works with a company interested in expanding or relocating to Fort Worth, the project has usually arrived in one of two ways: either it was shared with the EDP from an external source (an “inbound project”), or the Fort Worth EDP proactively reached out to the company because of its alignment with Fort Worth’s strategic growth priorities.
Whether the project began with an inbound inquiry or through proactive outreach, there is typically a preliminary exchange of information before scheduling a visit to Fort Worth. Companies share information about the anticipated capital investment, job creation totals, expected average salaries, real estate specifications, and other water and power needs. In turn, cities share information about available real estate options, electricity costs, educational institutions, cost of living, workforce demographics, and potential public support mechanisms.
If both the company and the city decide to continue the evaluation after this stage, it’s time to visit Fort Worth.
A Day in the Life of a Site Visit
Companies often visit Fort Worth several times throughout the evaluation process, frequently bringing different members of their internal teams each time.
Sometimes an initial visit focuses on narrowing in on available real estate options. Other times, companies focus first on factors such as workforce availability or educational resources before narrowing in on a specific site. Regardless of the focus area, a typical site visit day might look something like this:
The Morning
The Fort Worth EDP team meets the company at their hotel and escorts them to the day’s first meeting, whether at the EDP offices, a local boardroom, or a prospective site. Routes are designed to highlight key assets and infrastructure along the way. At that first stop, EDP staff typically provides a Fort Worth overview before diving into the day’s agenda.
After morning meetings, the EDP often hosts lunch, teaming up with Visit Fort Worth to tap into standout local restaurants and create a dining experience that brings a true taste of the city to the table.
Local business leaders often join these lunches, giving visiting teams a firsthand perspective. Companies may also request meetings with specific industries or roles, which the EDP helps coordinate.
These conversations are often the most valuable part of a visit. Hearing directly from Fort Worth leaders about workforce, hiring, culture, and growth provides insights that go beyond any presentation or data sheet.
The Afternoon
In the afternoon, companies typically participate in a series of meetings with city, county, and state partners covering topics such as permitting, economic development incentives, and workforce development. In other cases, companies may visit infrastructure assets or other landmarks related to the potential project.
On later site visits, a helicopter tour can provide a powerful bird’s-eye view of the DFW region’s extensive transportation infrastructure—an unforgettable way for project teams to understand the scale and connectivity of North Texas.
If the company isn’t headed home at the end of the day, the EDP may host dinner or attend a local event, such as a concert at Dickies Arena, giving visitors another opportunity to experience the culture and energy that defines Fort Worth.
A Community Effort
Each site visit is customized to the needs of the company, the stage of the project, and what is happening in Fort Worth at that moment. It’s not uncommon for companies to visit four or five times before making a final decision. At every stage, the Fort Worth EDP works to curate thoughtful, informative experiences for companies whose investments could create generational impact for our city.
The generous support of our investors and community partners allows us to showcase Fort Worth at its best—from coordinating meetings with industry leaders to introducing visitors to the culture, hospitality, and energy that define our city. Most site visits are organized with just 7–10 days’ notice, making it essential that we maintain strong relationships with partners across Fort Worth who are willing to step in, share their expertise, and help tell our community’s story.
Planning hospitable, efficient tours and meetings is possible because Fort Worth’s business and civic leaders consistently step up to help make things happen. Their willingness to share time, experience, and perspective continues to be one of Fort Worth’s greatest competitive advantages.
Have ideas for how we can showcase Fort Worth or know a business with a great story to tell? We’d be glad to connect!
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Katie McConnell is the Director of Legal & Research at the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership. The Fort Worth EDP works directly with companies, site selection consultants, and corporate real estate professionals who are interested in moving or expanding to Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and the surrounding areas. If you’d like to learn more about Fort Worth, please schedule a meeting with us or check out our Why Fort Worth page.
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