"Frisco evolving into destination city" (Dallas, Fort Worth: home, high school)

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

As interesting as all this is, though, I see this thread has gotten pretty off topic. It might make for a great thread of its own though.

You're right. I just looked at the topic! Sorry everyone!

[case44]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Frisco is fine. It's almost all new. It's a consumer's paradise. The schools are above average. Most of the residents are not natives to Dallas. The downsides are the traffic, the road construction, the shifting school attendance zones, the lack of mom and pop places, the distance and toll fees to get to downtown Dallas and back, the underdeveloped trees, the foreclosures, the crazy strict homeowners associations, the long wait for a table at a chain restaurant on Saturday nights and the seemingly daily poop in the community pools.

Because Frisco is new, it's such a tremendous advantage from an upkeep standpoint. You don't have to worry about run-down structures or building code violations.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

Plano is much more so the major branch in the north. That's why it's the Dallas-Irving-Plano branch of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex in official US census records.

Census designation is based on population. Plano undoubtedly has a much larger population than Frisco at the present. All the berating of Frisco on this thread would be minimized if people had read the link posted by the OP.

The term "destination city" means people are driving to that city and spending retail, entertainment and convention dollars in that city. The money pouring into Frisco from outside Frisco is from its convention center, The Rough Riders ball park, the Star Center, Pizza Hut Park which not only hosts the MLS team but hosts many concerts as well, the only IKEA in this part of Texas as well as one of the most visited malls in north Texas --- all of this brings $$$ into the city. For a city its size, none of the surrounding burbs can compare and while the article is saying nothing about Frisco overtaking Dallas or Fort Worth anytime soon, it is a destination city because of these attractions nonetheless.

I am sure this makes it a source of pride for its residents and especially for the city Fathers, but it doesn't mean it has arrived by any means. This article from the Dallas Business Journal simply means that Frisco has attracted a fair amount of entertainment options and retail attractions that similar suburbs haven't that make it as a city a "destination" for others in the metroplex and around the region.

The only other ones in the metroplex that could compare would be Grapevine with the Mills mall, the Gaylord and the other complex with the indoor water park (is it Great Wolf Lodge?) and Arlington with Six Flags, and various other water parks and attractions, the Rangers and now the Cowboys Stadium (along with a couple of malls).

The other arguments on here about school systems and housing prices and people choosing to live in suburbia vs. the central city are all fine and good discussions, but have nothing to do with this destination status. I am sure Carrollton and Lewisville and Flower Mound and McKinney and Wylie and Rockwall and numerous other burbs have good housing at lower price points and good school systems, but none of these have a major league soccer stadium, a minor league ball park or some of the other attractions Frisco has. Frisco has done this in a short while and it is quite an accomplishment.

So, this has nothing to do with Census numbers, Plano currently has almost 3 times the population of Frisco. However Plano is about 98% built out and there are still vast acres of prairie left to be built on in Frisco.

As an aside, I have read that McKinney actually has enough land area in its ETJ to one day be over 400,000 which would make it the third most populous city in the metroplex.

[MomInFrisco]

I'm late to this discussion but wanted to answer your question. I live in Frisco and am a Dallas native. Our neighborhood has a mix, though I would say the majority of our neighbors aren't from North Texas.

We love Frisco for its schools, parks, activities and people. They're not robots or Stepford wives, but I'm sure the posters here didn't really mean to be so insulting.

[TXLara]

I lived right on the border of Plano/Frisco for 5 years. It was a great place to be. Everything I wanted was right there. When it came time to buy a house, however, we couldn't afford to live in that neighborhood, so we packed it up and headed up north to Little Elm.

I've lived in Garland, Plano, Lewisville, Dallas, Plano/Frisco, and now Little Elm. Left Garland after I grew up and good riddance. HATED Lewisville. Little Elm isn't bad- there's no traffic b/c we don't commute to Dallas either. I head for Denton and the Huz goes to Ft. Worth. But it's a little quiet for me out here, and we usually end up going into Frisco to do our shopping and stuff. It'd be nice to have a dog park and other things like we used to have.

And just for the record...I encountered just as many snotty people living in Dallas as I did in Frisco. And just as many nice people.

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by TXLara

And just for the record...I encountered just as many snotty people living in Dallas as I did in Frisco. And just as many nice people.

I definitely agree with that. Every city is going to have its share of snotty/stuck up people and its share of really nice people. I don't know of any city where there is not a mix of both.

[Grainraiser]

Maybe I am in the minority but I have never seen a need to go to Frisco for entertainment or shopping. I do enjoy going to the Ikea twice a year but other than that I personally have not had a need to go. This is not a slam on Frisco but I don't hear many people say they are going to Frisco for shopping,entertainment or to dinner. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

Maybe I am in the minority but I have never seen a need to go to Frisco for entertainment or shopping. I do enjoy going to the Ikea twice a year but other than that I personally have not had a need to go. This is not a slam on Frisco but I don't hear many people say they are going to Frisco for shopping,entertainment or to dinner. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

If you live in Plano or north of there it's a good place to go. If you live in real Dallas or a nearby suburb there are far superior places you can go without driving 30+ miles.

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

Maybe I am in the minority but I have never seen a need to go to Frisco for entertainment or shopping. I do enjoy going to the Ikea twice a year but other than that I personally have not had a need to go. This is not a slam on Frisco but I don't hear many people say they are going to Frisco for shopping,entertainment or to dinner. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

As far as shopping goes, I agree. If you live in Dallas(just an example), then you wouldn't need to go to Frisco for anything really because Dallas has the same stuff Frisco has basically. The only thins I can think of that a lot of people come here for are Ikea(because it's the only one in this area) and Sam Moon. I do think that a lot of people did go to Stonebriar Mall from all around to check it out because it was the "newest" mall at that time.

Entertainment wise, A LOT of people come here from all over the area for different events (sports, concerts, shows, conferences, etc).

[Grainraiser]

I will give Frisco credit for bringing in all types of entertainment. I have heard that they will also be getting the Mavericks development team. If I were local I would certainly be taking the kids to see the Rough Riders or Jr. Mavericks. Cheap local entertainment is a good thing in my book.