💰 $625 Million, 3,100 Jobs, and One Big Question for Frisco

The Frisco Economic Development Corporation reported that fiscal year 2025 brought over $625 million in capital investment, with 14 corporate office relocations and expansions creating or retaining more than 3,100 jobs.

Nine of those deals happened without the city offering financial incentives, which tells you something about how attractive Frisco has become on its own.

The numbers:

Companies moving in or expanding: SoFi, Deloitte, Toyota Financial Services, and Chobani.

The FEDC also launched Origin, a new innovation hub for startups and entrepreneurs.

With 10 master-planned mixed-use developments projected to add at least 10 million square feet of office space over the next 15 years, this growth trajectory isn't slowing down.

As someone who works at JP Morgan Chase in Legacy West, I see this expansion firsthand every day on my commute. More jobs, more families, more restaurants, more traffic. The question isn't whether Frisco is growing. It's whether the infrastructure, schools, and community culture can keep up with it.

At the Feb. 3 City Council meeting, residents shared differing views on immigration, H-1B visas, and how the city is evolving.

The growth: Frisco has grown from about 34,000 residents in 2000 to more than 230,000 today. About 33% of Frisco residents are now Asian, up from 26% in 2020 and just 10% in 2010.

Mayor Jeff Cheney, whose term ends in a few months, said the work he's most proud of during his time as mayor was the city's cultural committee and its efforts to make every resident feel welcome.

The city has expanded what it celebrates publicly: Christmas traditions alongside menorah lightings in Simpson Plaza, Holi, Ramadan observances, MLK Day celebrations, and Lunar New Year festivities.

Cheney pointed out that Frisco is largely a city of transplants. Most of us chose to move here from somewhere else. That includes my family, who landed here in 2023.

His message: "When you choose to call Frisco home, it will always be our mission that you feel welcome here and you feel safe here."

My daughters will grow up in Frisco ISD alongside kids from all over the world. The city's approach seems to be about building community across differences, which matters when you're raising kids here.

Here's one that matters if you have school-age kids or plan to homeschool.

The Texas State Board of Education is working on a mandatory reading list for K-12 students, set to take effect in the 2030-31 school year.

What's on it: The TEA compiled nearly 300 English and Spanish literary works, ranging from nursery rhymes in early grades to classical literature and 19th-century speeches in high school. The proposal includes some religious excerpts with a Christian focus, such as the Parable of the Prodigal Son and David and Goliath.

The debate: Some board members want a shorter list to allow more local control. Others want more diverse authors represented. During the 2024-25 school year, Hispanic children made up 53% of Texas' student population, while 25% were white and 13% were African American.

What parents need to know:

The board postponed the decision until April to gather more feedback.

This matters because my daughters will be in Frisco ISD someday (or reading similar material if we homeschool). April's meeting will be worth watching.

🚰 Water maintenance alert: The North Texas Municipal Water District is temporarily changing its disinfectant from chloramine to chlorine-only from March 2-30. It's routine maintenance, totally safe, but the water might taste or smell more like chlorine. Add a slice of citrus to your water pitcher or throw it in the fridge overnight to help.

🐕 Animal shelter costs: Frisco approved a $649,942 agreement with Collin County for animal shelter services through September 30, 2026. We're the largest contributor among participating cities based on population.

🚴 New trail coming: The city approved a $368,003 amendment to design the Cottonwood Creek Trail Extension, which will create a continuous 2.3-mile trail corridor connecting Sports Village Road to Dallas Parkway. My 4-year-old is obsessed with bike rides, so this is going on our list.

🎭 Nack Theater for sale: The 200-seat theater in the Rail District is listed for $2.7 million. Owner Donny Churchman said "the community didn't embrace it the way we thought they would," which is tough to hear. Hoping someone buys it and keeps it as a performance space.

🚭 Smoke shop rules: Frisco now prohibits smoke shops within 1,000 feet of residences, schools, places of worship, hospitals, childcare centers, or other smoke shops. Existing shops are grandfathered in but can't expand.