FRISCO, Texas — On Main Street in Frisco, construction surges forward and some local businesses are feeling the strain. Rodreguis "Brooklyn" Smith, a barber who depends on his regular clientele, says the disruption is taking a toll on his income.
"The money I've lost from this time last year is insane," Smith explains.
Smith, like many others, is dealing with the chaos brought on by nearby construction. It started a few blocks away and gradually moved toward his shop. Now, dust, congestion and the constant roar of trucks are part of everyday life on Main Street.
"Everything is happening at once," says Shannon Hammond, owner of The Gameshow Experience. "Our foot traffic has significantly been impacted."
Two major downtown projects are underway, with a third on the horizon. One of the key initiatives is widening the walkway on Main Street, a plan to make downtown "walkable" that's scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2026. The other Rail District projects include a parking garage and a 4th Street park/plaza, which will be located next to each other.
"Our goal is to finish all these projects by summer of 2026. This was on the books before the World Cup was announced," Jason Brodigan, Director of Engineering confirms to WFAA.
The long-term vision is to transform Downtown Frisco into a prime destination, anchored by the historic Rail District, but many business owners are uncertain they'll survive the transition. The pressure has only increased since Frisco was named a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
To help ease the pain, the City of Frisco and its Economic Development Corporation have hired a specialist to listen to the concerns of local merchants and address them. Plans are underway to improve signage and increase visibility to draw more foot traffic. A special meeting is scheduled for Wednesday morning, October 23.
"We want to make sure we can drive as much foot traffic here as possible," said Jason Ford, President of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation. "We've been listening to the merchants downtown. We feel their pain. Our goal is to make this transition as painless as possible," Ford said.
The EDC has launched a downtown incentive program designed to improve buildings themselves. The Frisco Chamber Foundation has also unveiled a competition to encourage shopping local.
"The Receipt Race is a fun competition open to PTAs with 501(c)(3) status. Beginning [September] through December 31, 2024, participants shop, dine, or do business at any Rail District establishment, save their receipts, and submit them to their selected PTA. The PTA with the highest number of collected, counted and turned-in receipts will earn a $5,000 prize for their school, while second place wins $3,000, and three runner-up PTAs will each receive $1,000," read a statement from the city of Frisco.
But for now, Rodreguis Smith has already had to let go of two barbers and is staying open every day just to make up for a two-thirds reduction in revenue. Smith is hopeful the city can help financially with the loss of income, but Ford tells WFAA there are no current plans for that.
"We can’t sustain this for 15 to 18 months. The businesses down Main Street just can’t," Hammond says.
Despite the challenges, there's excitement for what’s to come in Frisco. These local businesses are hopeful they'll still be around when the vision is finally realized.