Fort Worth, Texas, is a dynamic and
growing hospitality market that seamlessly blends its rich Western heritage
with a modern urban appeal. Known as the "City of Cowboys and Culture," it
attracts a diverse mix of leisure and business travelers drawn to its vibrant
downtown, cultural districts, and significant events, such as the Fort Worth
Stock Show & Rodeo. The city benefits from its proximity to Dallas-Fort
Worth International Airport and strong regional economic growth, which have
fueled consistent demand for hotels, restaurants, and event venues. With a
balanced mix of corporate, convention, and tourism segments, Fort Worth's
hospitality market continues to see investment in both upscale and lifestyle
properties, reflecting its evolution into one of Texas's most attractive and
resilient destinations.
As the 11th largest city in the U.S., Fort Worth
continues to experience exceptional growth, driven by population gains, a
strategic central location, and a diversified economy. Its strong business
climate, anchored by major corporations, robust transportation networks, and
top-tier universities, including the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas
Christian University, supports a steady workforce and economic expansion. The
city's thriving sectors, including tourism, trade and logistics, financial services,
defense, and technology, are fueling billions of dollars in investment and
creating thousands of new jobs, reinforcing Fort Worth's status as one of the
fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the nation.
- Tourism is a growing pillar of Fort Worth's economy, generating $3.5 billion in economic impact from 11 million annual visitors. A $700 million expansion of the Fort Worth Convention Center aims to attract larger events and generate an estimated $6.9 billion in new spending over the next 30 years. The area has also been recognized as a top sports event city with AT&T Stadium at Arlington, hosting major events such as the 2026 World Cup Semi-finals.
- Known as the "Aviation and Defense Capital of Texas," Fort Worth is home to Naval Air Station Joint Base Fort Worth and hosts key military and aerospace operations from Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, and Bell Textron. Recent investments from Embraer ($70 million), MTU Maintenance ($120 million), and Bell Textron ($429 million) will create nearly 2,000 new aerospace jobs over the next few years.
- Fort Worth's tech ecosystem is rapidly scaling, highlighted by Siemens' new $190 million manufacturing facility, creating up to 800 jobs by 2026. Additionally, a $687 million partnership between Wistron and Nvidia to build AI supercomputer plants will add 888 new jobs, solidifying Fort Worth as a rising tech manufacturing hub.
Year-to-Date Trends:
According to CoStar, the Fort Worth/Arlington market's
RevPAR grew 0.8% as of September 2025, with ADR up 0.3% year-over-year, while
occupancy increased 1.2%. The market benefits from entertainment attractions,
such as Six Flags Over Texas, AT&T Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys), Global
Life Field (home of the Texas Rangers), and the Texas Live! Entertainment
complex. Furthermore, the area also attracts significant group business, which
increased 24% in the Arlington market over the past 12 months, largely due to
the opening of the new Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center in February
2024.
New Supply:
The pipeline has slowed following the delivery of over 1,000
rooms last year (the opening of Loews brought 888 keys), but has ramped up
rooms under construction across twelve properties as of August. In September
2025, the Cambria Hotel Fort Worth - Medical Center celebrated its grand
opening. The majority of new supply scheduled to open in 2026 is upper midscale
to upscale in nature.
Transactions:
Texas is a non-disclosure state; however, according to
CoStar, there have been 20 sales in the last 12 months, with an average
price/key of $128,000 and an average cap rate of 8.0%. The majority of the
transactions were in the economy and upper-midscale sectors.
The region's appeal to investors is also unmistakable; the
broader Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex was ranked the top U.S. market for
commercial real estate investment in CBRE's 2025 survey, recognizing its growth
trajectory and gateway-city stature. Despite the current national economic
environment, Fort Worth's diverse demand base, anchored by corporate, leisure,
and group travel, provides a degree of stability relative to more volatile
markets. With limited new supply and steady long-term population and employment
growth, the market offers a foundation for sustained performance.
