Frisco, TX

As one of the fasted growing areas in America, Frisco is the boomtown of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The city is home to more than 100,000 residents - which is three times the population in 2000. Frisco's history began when settlers moved to the site of the new St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad route, and in 1903, citizens adopted the railroad's nickname for their new town. Today, the city is rapidly expanding its infrastructure and burnishing its image as one of the premiere cities in North Texas. Recent projects include the development of a town center that includes an architecturally distinctive city hall and a unique heritage park, as well as shopping, dining, residential areas and a senior center.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Some of the most common industries for the residents of Frisco include educational services, healthcare, social assistance, manufacturing, administrative and waste-management services. Frisco has an unemployment rate of 2.3 percent.

Frisco has a diverse business base and is home to a variety of companies. Some of the major employers include T-Mobile, Amerisourcebergen Specialty Group, CLA USA, Sinacola Mario & Sons Excavating, and IKEA.

EDUCATION

Frisco's educational opportunities are a source of pride for the city. In addition to the Frisco Independent School District (with four high schools), Frisco also offers post-secondary education at the Preston Ridge campus of the Collin County Community College District. Satellite campuses of Dallas Baptist University and Amberton University are also located in Frisco.

SPORTS TEAMS

Frisco serves as headquarters for the Dallas Stars National Hockey League, the North American Hockey League and the Southland Conference, an NCAA Division I athletics organization. It's also the home of the Dallas Cup, a major international youth soccer tournament, and the Superdrome, one of the nation's best outdoor velodromes (track cycling arenas). For residents looking for a less sports-specific athletic recreation facility, Frisco offers the Frisco Athletic Center, with long operating hours, upscale exercise equipment and more than 58,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor aquatic space. Under construction is Fieldhouse USA, the first building in a complex called Sports Village USA. This 144,000-square-foot facility will be located east of Pizza Hut Park and will provide Frisco residents with a recreational and competitive sports arena with 12 full-sized hardwood courts, indoor soccer and football fields and training for regional basketball, volleyball, soccer and football players. Sports Village USA will be a 50-acre development with hotel and office space, restaurants, shopping, and medical specialists. An Olympic-level gymnastics training center is also planned.

Frisco is home to several sports teams. Established in 2003, the city's AA Minor League Baseball team, the Frisco RoughRiders, play at Dr. Pepper Ballpark. The city's major league soccer team, FC Dallas (formerly the Dallas Burn) plays at Pizza Hut Park. The city's indoor football team, the Frisco Thunder, and ice hockey team, the Texas Tornado, both play at Deja Blue Arena.

The city is also home to three golf courses:

• Tom Fazio course at Westin Stonebriar: This 18-hole, championship golf course is for hotel guests only.
• Trails of Frisco: This is an 18-hole, par-71 course.
• Plantation Golf Club: This is an 18-hole, par-72 course.

SHOPPING

The city has more than four million square feet of retail space and is full of upscale shopping centers, outdoor malls and retail-friendly developments. Shopping options in Frisco include:

• Stonebriar Centre: A regional mall with 165 stores, 24-screen movie theater, merry-go-round and an indoor ice-skating rink.
• Preston Road: A major north/south thoroughfare in the city, lined with retail shops and restaurants.
• Downtown Frisco: Offers specialty stores, antique markets and the Frisco Farmers' Market.
• The Centre at Preston Ridge: A shopping center with more than 115 stores, shops and restaurants.
• Shops at Starwood: A Mediterranean-inspired, upscale, outdoor mall.
• Stonebriar Commons at Legacy: This features upscale restaurants, shops, a spa and the Sheraton Stonebriar

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Frisco Heritage Museum anchors a park filled with restored historic buildings and houses a collection of interactive exhibits, offering views of Frisco's history as a center of cotton farming and showcasing a collection of vintage cars.
• Texas Sculpture Garden in Hall Office Park is a venue for site-specific sculpture by some of the most important modern sculptors.
• Museum of the American Railroad provides fascinating displays of railroad memorabilia in the Heritage Museum and is developing a site that will feature vintage trains and a restored depot.
• Dr. Pepper Ballpark and Pizza Hut Park are state-of-the-art venues for both sports events and music concerts.

EVENTS

• Winter Games of Texas: Held every January, this sports festival is fashioned after the Olympics and features 14 sports competitions, including basketball, bowling, cheerleading, dance, fencing, figure skating, flag football, gymnastics, ice hockey, rock climbing, soccer, swimming, table tennis, and wrestling.
• Frisco Freedom Fest: The town's Fourth of July festival features live music, a professional soccer game and fireworks.

LOCAL MEDIA

Official newspapers include the Frisco Enterprise and the Dallas Morning News. The city also has an official newsletter, Focal Point, which is delivered inside the monthly magazine All About Frisco, which is free of charge to every city resident. The area is also served by 23 television broadcast stations, 20 FM radio stations and 13 AM radio stations.