Room for growth

Dallas leads the U.S. for number of new hotels underway, says new report

Dallas' hotel scene is booming, thanks to new ones like the forthcoming JW Marriott Dallas Arts District.

Rendering courtesy of JW Marriott Dallas Arts District

A hotel boom is underway in the Dallas area.

As of the second quarter of 2022, 173 hotel projects with 20,707 guest rooms were in the planning or development stages in the Dallas area, according to a new report published by hospitality data provider Lodging Econometrics.

Dallas leads all U.S. regions based on the number of hotel projects in the pipeline, followed by Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, and Nashville, the report says.

“While some might expect Miami or New York City to lead the U.S. in terms of the number of hotel projects underway, that distinction actually belongs to Dallas … ,” says The Points Guy travel blog.

Among the city’s highly anticipated hotels are the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District, set to open in 2023, and the Four Seasons Dallas, on track to debut in 2025.

The Points Guy points out that Dallas has led all U.S. locations in hotel development for four consecutive quarters.

Brian Hughes, managing director of JLL Hotels & Hospitality, tells the travel blog that “a heavy trend of corporate and population migration to Texas” has lifted hotel performance in Dallas as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes.

Another plus for Dallas, it says, is Texas’ business-friendly tax structure. This draws companies to the state, which then feeds demand for hotel rooms to accommodate business travelers.

Other regions of the state also are benefiting from the moving-to-Texas trend when it comes to hotel development. But Dallas far and away leads the state’s pack in this regard. And Big D’s hotel sector stands to enjoy even more of a boost when the city’s new $2 billion, 2.5-million-square-foot convention center is completed in 2029, reports say.

In the Lodging Econometrics survey, Fort Worth-Arlington ranks 15th for the number of hotels in the pipeline — 65 projects with 8,005 rooms. Elsewhere in Texas:

Houston ties for seventh place, with 94 projects featuring 10,247 guest rooms
Austin ranks 10th, with 80 projects featuring 10,306 guest rooms
San Antonio ranks 21st, with 46 projects featuring 5,116 guest rooms

“Encouraged by 2022’s upward trend in hotel performance, owners, management groups, developers, and investors are moving forward with development plans as evidenced by increasing counts at every stage of construction,” Lodging Econometrics says.

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Airport News

DFW Airport seeks local restaurants to fill 14 new open slots

Manning

DFW Airport restaurants

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is seeking new restaurants who want to open a location on the premises. According to a release, the airport has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting local brands and flavors to apply for 14 retail and dining locations across multiple terminals.

“As we build new gates, reimagine existing spaces and construct a new Terminal F, DFW Airport is committed to showcasing our region through our shops and restaurants so that when people travel through our terminals, there’s no denying they have arrived in the heart of Dallas and Fort Worth,” says DFW Chief Revenue Officer Ken Buchanan in a statement. “DFW serves tens of millions of travelers each year, and this is a chance for local businesses to help create an incredible sense of place within our terminals.”

The RFP is open for submissions now through February 2, 2026, and includes 11 food and beverage opportunities and three specialty retail locations across Terminals A, B, E, and F.

Concepts range from fast-casual, fast-food, and grab-and-go concepts to frozen treats, popcorn, cosmetics, and specialty retail.

All proposal submissions must be made through the Bonfire Procurement Platform.

DFW welcomed approximately 87 million customers in 2024, with continued growth projected to surpass 100 million passengers per year before 2030.

The latest RFP opportunity comes as DFW continues to make progress on its $12 billion capital improvement plan, DFW Forward, which is transforming terminals, expanding gate capacity and enhancing the customer experience across the entire airport. In addition to the new Terminal F, DFW is rebuilding Terminal C and expanding gate areas in Terminals A and C – projects that will introduce modern spaces, new amenities and a stronger platform for small and local businesses to grow inside one of the world’s busiest airports.

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