83R19807 JH-D By: Button, Davis of Dallas, Branch, Geren, H.C.R. No. 97 Anchia CONCURRENT RESOLUTION WHEREAS, Communication and transportation are integral to the economy of the 21st century, and communities that have focused development around these key factors will continue to be thriving centers of activity in the decades ahead; and WHEREAS, A portion of North Texas has emerged as an especially important "connectivity hub" of this type; situated within the Metropolitan Planning Area of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, this region contains well-developed mass transit facilities and a broad range of companies that specialize in telecommunications technology; and WHEREAS, The comprehensive transportation resources available in the NCTCOG Metropolitan Planning Area include the Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus and light-rail system, the Trinity Railway Express service, the T bus service managed by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, and the A-train and bus services operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority; area communities are also served by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and its flagship carrier, American Airlines, and Dallas Love Field, headquarters of Southwest Airlines; moreover, the region is a national leader in product distribution and features two facilities specializing in multi-modal transportation access, the Alliance Global Logistics Hub and the Dallas Logistics Hub; and WHEREAS, Renowned as a center for innovation, the area is home to more than 60 major corporations involved in different aspects of telecommunications, including cloud computing, semiconductor manufacturing, and wireless and VoIP communication; its impressive lineup of industry leaders includes such Fortune 500 companies as AT&T, Texas Instruments, and MetroPCS Communications, and the achievements of the region's skilled workforce are driving development in this essential sector of the American economy; and WHEREAS, With its combination of dynamic business operations and future-focused infrastructure, the NCTCOG Metropolitan Planning Area has become an influential location for technology and transportation, and its ongoing accomplishments are pointing the way to a prosperous future for the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate the North Central Texas Council of Governments Metropolitan Planning Area as the official Texas Connectivity Hub.