Eric Johnson called claims of fading confidence in downtown Dallas “a bunch of bull” as city officials weighed incentives tied to a proposed $1.3 billion office tower.
Johnson argued Dallas is still attracting major employers, citing Goldman Sachs’ planned 5,000-job campus, Frontier Communications’ headquarters move and Morgan Stanley’s possible regional-hub expansion.
He acknowledged setbacks including Neiman Marcus’ downtown closure and relocations by Fifth Third and the Mavericks, but said FIFA chose downtown Dallas for its World Cup international broadcast center.
Johnson tied Dallas’ pitch to a broader Texas business boom, contrasting it with high-tax states and saying upcoming budget cuts, a public-safety bond package and pension fixes remain unfinished work.