<\/p>\n
Tarrant County College<\/p>\n
Anna M. Tinsley<\/p>\n
atinsley@star-telegram.com<\/p>\n
There are moments in public service when the facts are so clear that the real question becomes why action is not being taken. North Richland Hills<\/a> and Tarrant County are facing one of those moments right now.<\/p>\n For years, about 40 acres at the southwest corner of the Tarrant County College Northeast Campus<\/a> has sat largely unused. This is land that has hosted a gas well and a dirt fill site<\/a>, with parts of it listed for sale since 2018.<\/p>\n Today, the land is the subject of a serious offer from a highly sought-after and nationally recognized retailer. The company is prepared to invest tens of millions of dollars into our community and pay millions for property that currently generates no property tax revenue.<\/p>\n That alone should get everyone\u2019s attention. But this opportunity is about far more than a land sale.<\/p>\n About 30% of the Northeast Campus remains undeveloped, and the college has no current plan to use the land in question. Its own 2022 Master Plan and Facility Utilization Report<\/a> shows that current classroom and lab space is significantly underutilized, operating at about 44% capacity. The report also shows that 11 of 18 buildings on the Northeast Campus are in poor to critical condition. So, while ample building space exists, it\u2019s been neglected. The report makes no mention of the undeveloped southwest corner for future plans or facilities.<\/p>\n This is not land being held for an imminent educational need. It is land sitting idle.<\/p>\n Now consider what is being proposed.<\/p>\n The college would receive well over $10 million in direct proceeds from the sale. The project would bring roughly $50 million in private investment into the local economy. It would create about 200 permanent jobs with strong wages and benefits. It would also generate an estimated $5.5 million in property tax revenue over the next decade for local entities, including schools, the city, and healthcare systems.<\/p>\n This is the kind of project cities compete for.<\/p>\n It also creates practical advantages. Students would have access to nearby employment. The college could partner on workforce development. Revenue would be generated without increasing the tax burden.<\/p>\n So let\u2019s call this what it is: a rare opportunity that would benefit students, taxpayers and the college itself.<\/p>\n Rumors that the city of North Richland Hills wants to buy the land or that a company is just \u201ckicking the tires\u201d are not true. City and college staff and business representatives<\/a> have met several times over a few months, going through the proper channels, to discuss a possible deal. All of these meetings occurred well before any of us recently commented publicly on the proposal.<\/p>\n Which brings us back to the central question. Why would Tarrant County College not move forward?<\/p>\n This is not a choice between education and economic development. This proposal would strengthen the college\u2019s mission by generating immediate capital that can be reinvested into much-needed facility maintenance, programs and student success, while avoiding the long-term cost of maintaining underutilized land.<\/p>\n At a time when demographics are shifting and enrollment models are evolving, holding onto unused property without a defined plan is not strategy.<\/p>\n It is stagnation.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, homeowners across Tarrant County continue to feel the pressure of rising property values and tax bills<\/a>. Expanding the commercial tax base remains one of the few ways to help offset that burden.<\/p>\n This project would do exactly that. But the window to act is not unlimited. Opportunities like this do not remain available indefinitely.<\/p>\n The data is clear. The benefits are measurable. Now, it comes down to leadership.<\/p>\n I urge the Tarrant County College Board to fully and transparently evaluate this opportunity and make a decision that reflects not only institutional priorities but also the broader needs of the students, taxpayers and communities that the trustees serve.<\/p>\n When a multimillion-dollar offer is made for idle land and the result would be jobs, investment and long-term tax relief, doing nothing is not a neutral decision. It is a choice.<\/p>\n And it is one the public is right to question.<\/p>\n Jack McCarty is mayor of North Richland Hills.<\/p>\n We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news \u2014 and to publish those views in the Opinion section.<\/p>\n \u2022 Letters should be no more than 150 words. <\/p>\n \u2022 Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. <\/p>\n \u2022 Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. <\/p>\n You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: <\/p>\n \u2022 Email letters@star-telegram.com<\/a> (preferred).<\/p>\n Jack McCarty Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! <\/p>\n