Arlington has seen a lot in 2026. Massive global events, large-development announcements and new amenities for residents have all graced the American Dream City over the past 10 months.
The blueprint for these projects and events wasn’t just laid out recently, Mayor Jim Ross said. The vision started 150 years ago, when settlers formed the city and took risks to bring it where it is now.
Scores of business owners, civic leaders and elected officials gathered Thursday at Esports Stadium Arlington to reflect on the city’s accomplishments and look to the future during the annual State of the City address.
Arlington has adopted a campaign over the past months to celebrate its 150th birthday this year. Ross began his address by looking at how the city came to be and the developments that shaped it.
“That’s 150 years of people coming together and 150 years of something that has never changed: the belief that Arlington can be something more,” Ross said.
He made references to the mineral wells that first attracted outsiders, and the birth of Arlington ISD as well as what is now the University of Texas at Arlington as inception points.
Ross also pointed to Mayor Tom Vandergriff, whose impact on the city includes the presence of the Arlington General Motors plant, Six Flags Over Texas and Major League Baseball.
“He understood that Arlington could no longer think of itself simply as a small town between Dallas and Fort Worth,” Ross said as images of “the boy mayor” Vandergriff were displayed behind him. “He believed that Arlington could be so much more.”
In talking about the history of the city, Ross also pointed to those who have documented its history, presenting the Mayor’s American Dream award to Geraldine Mills. She has served as the director of the Arlington Historical Society and the Fielder Museum for 26 years.
Ross also mentioned Mayors Elzie Odom and Robert Cluck, who both died within the last year. The two had different backgrounds and approaches to their jobs but shared one thing in common, he said.
“They believed in Arlington, and they understood that leadership means looking beyond the moment you are in and preparing the city for those who come after you,” Ross said.
Alongside the trip through history, Ross spoke about recent milestone moments for the city.
He applauded the recent sporting and entertainment events held in the Entertainment District as moving the city forward, referencing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, BTS concerts and the Grand Prix of Arlington.
Stephen Jones, CEO and director of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, said Ross plays a large role in bringing events like these to the city when introducing him ahead of the address.
This year, the city agreed to a lease extension for the team, which will see the city pay roughly $273 million toward maintenance and operation of AT&T Stadium, while the Jones family will look to make further improvements at the city-owned property.
“He has built partnerships that serve Arlington’s interests and growth while delivering real good events for the community,” Jones said. “Our family and the Cowboys are committed to Arlington for the long haul, and we’re excited about what we can continue to build together.”
Ross also pointed to two new developments — one in the downtown area and the other off Interstate 30 — as well as the growth of businesses as major investments in Arlington.
“These are not isolated projects,” Ross said. “They are part of an economic ecosystem.”
As his address wound down, Ross pointed to increases in public safety, citing the 12% decrease in crime between 2024 and 2025, announcing a 13% decrease between 2025 and September 2026, and the opening of Fire Station 8 in north Arlington.
In the final moments, Ross circled back to the city’s birthday. He specifically referred to the celebrations of the 150th year and the tree-planting initiative the city has undertaken.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross stands onstage with Arlington children after his State of the City address on Oct. 29, 2026. The remarks tied in to the history over the last 150 years and how the city will continue to grow and develop. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
He said the trees were a symbol of the future.
“You plant them, knowing you may not be here when they reach their full height,” Ross said. “You plant them because someone else will enjoy the shade, someone else’s children will climb their branches, someone else’s grandchildren will sit beneath them. Planting things for people we will never meet.”
Ross couldn’t say what the city’s future holds.
“But I do know this: we will change, we will grow, we will face challenges we cannot yet predict, we will have opportunities we cannot yet imagine,” Ross said. “If Arlington’s first 150 years teach us anything, it is that our future will be shaped by the choices we make together.”
“The first 150 years belong to those who came before us, but the next chapter belongs to all of us.”
Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org.
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