FORT WORTH, Texas — The Fort Worth City Council Tuesday approved an agreement with UT-Arlington that will allow the city to give up to $4 million to the university for infrastructure work associated with constructing a new campus in West Fort Worth.
The UT System Board of Regents approved a plan earlier this month to buy 51 acres of land at the intersection of I-30 and I-20 in Parker County within the Walsh Ranch development for the new campus, dubbed UTA West. The new campus is expected to begin welcoming students as soon as fall 2028.
As part of the agreement approved Tuesday, Fort Worth would provide a total of $4 million from its Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF), with one payment of $2 million occurring after the formal execution of the interlocal agreement and the other $2 million serving as reimbursement after all infrastructure improvements have been completed.
Also as part of the agreement, UTA will commit to install public service utilities (water lines and sanitary sewer lines) across the northern part of the campus, building an inner campus road, as well as lighting, frontage road approaches and more, as well as other utilities, including electric, gas and telecom.
“On behalf of The University of Texas at Arlington, we are very appreciative to the city of Fort Worth, Mayor Parker and City Council members for their support of UTA West,” said UTA President Jennifer Cowley. “UTA is a top supplier of talent to many companies across Fort Worth. UTA West expands our decades-long partnership with Fort Worth.”
UTA has an enrollment of 41,000 students, according to their website, and is the second-largest institution in the UT System.
“The expansion of UTA Fort Worth into Parker County shows that not only is UTA growing and thriving, but so is Fort Worth,” said Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership. “At the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, we are proud to have helped make this possible. And we look forward to continuing to work with UTA as together we make Fort Worth a destination place for those seeking to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Walsh, in the area of the planned new campus west of Downtown Fort Worth where I-20 and I-30 merge, was established in 2017. Now home to more than 2,500 residents, it’s one of the largest developments underway in the country within 12 minutes of a major city center.