What do you know about Sundance Square?
Beyond the obvious answers of, “It’s located in Downtown Fort Worth,” and “I see it a lot on TV when ESPN comes to the Metroplex'” what else do you know?
Did you know that Sundance Square comprises 35 city blocks in the downtown area? That there are over 4,000,000 square feet of retail, residential, and office space combined. That in November 2017, over 760,000 people visited the area? Did you know that the Dallas Morning News called it “the No. 1 place in Dallas to get engaged!” (Do you think they know it’s not in Dallas?)
If you haven’t visited this magical locale lately, you are missing out.
Your 55,000-Square-Foot Living Room
Located within Sundance Square you will find a 55,000-square-foot, open-air area called Sundance Square Plaza.
Created in 2013, the Plaza is host to over 160 events annually, and is a the perfect place for people of all ages to gather and enjoy a truly unique downtown experience.
On any given day at the Plaza you can find children splashing in the fountains (no swimming please), live music performances, friends enjoying any number of restaurants that spill into the sun-soaked Plaza, or individuals enjoying just people watching.
During the holidays, the Plaza is home to an enormous Christmas tree and Santa Claus. In 2017 the Santa photo exhibit raised over $85,000 for the non-profit organization, Fort Worth Sister Cities International.
The Full Shopping Experience
In the past Sundance Square was weighted heavily toward restaurants and bars. While that’s good for the business crowd, to make it a truly beneficial experience, retail needed to be more prevalent.
That is exactly what is happening currently throughout Sundance Square. New shops — large brands and local boutique shops — are populating the landscape more and more.
With a weekly average foot traffic count of 150,000 people, retail sales in Sundance Square has gone from 17 million sales in 1992 to over 97 million sales in 2017! Obviously retailers see this area as vibrant, growing and attracting the right types of clientele for success.
In 2017, Sundance Square was the largest property tax payer in the entire city of Fort Worth. Businesses are taking advantage of the draw of the area and so are the local tax coffers.
Improvement Still Needed
While Fort Worth is on a path to success, there is still plenty of work to be done to get the city the recognition deserved as a world-class, international city of culture, commerce, and desirability.
Did you know that the city of Farmers Branch has had MORE corporate headquarter relocation than Fort Worth over the past years! I’m sure Farmers Branch is a wonderful place, but as the nations 16th largest city, that is entirely unacceptable for Fort Worth.
The leadership of Sundance Square continues to work with organizations and government bodies to highlight and promote all that Fort Worth has to offer — throughout the city, not just around Sundance Square.
Hopefully with recent additions to the organizations responsible for promoting Fort Worth and attracting corporations, the next time a report is created, Farmers Branch will be in Fort Worth’s rear view mirror!
It’s not rocket science: stop over-taxing property owners, de-centralize the school system, realize we’re in the 21st Century, provide real mass transit options, create updated zoning regulations for market demands, get forward thinkers in power, and make the first Friday of each month “Free Ice Cream Day.” Simple!
Now You Know About Sundance Square
There is so much more to learn and experience. The next time you are looking for something fun and unique to do, consider going to Sundance Square and enjoy walking around downtown, shopping at local retailers, eating world-class foods, and experience the great city of Fort Worth. You’ll thank me!
Well that’s all from Tarrant County this week, Dirty Readers. Remember, if you have comments, questions, or ideas for future stories – I’m always here to listen! Bring it.
Seth Fowler is a licensed real estate sales professional with Williams Trew Real Estate in Fort Worth. Statements and opinions are his own. Seth has been involved in the home sales and real estate business in DFW since 2004. He and his family have lived in the Fort Worth area for over 15 years. Also, Seth loves bow ties. You can reach Seth at 817.980.6636 or [email protected].
