Originally Posted: July 8, 2016
Could Dallas-Fort Worth become the business capital of NAFTA?
The metro area is already a major exporter to Mexico and Canada, the U.S. partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement.
D-FW has a huge transportation network and distribution hub, which are heavily invested in trade that’s often tied to NAFTA. Dozens of companies from the two countries have operations here, and D-FW is a popular target for international home buyers, especially from Mexico.
Dallas is also a leader in finance and business services, part of a growing export sector. Nationwide, service exports to Canada and Mexico rose 38 percent in the five years after the recession, and it’s a good bet that D-FW got its share.
“Many times, I’ve called Dallas the capital of NAFTA,” said James Hollifield, a professor and director of the Tower Center at Southern Methodist University. “Look at trade levels, investment, migration, companies basing their operations in D-FW. It’s all just growing constantly.” READ MORE