About this Event
As Fort Worth’s population continues to boom, residents’ interest in education and workforce development intersect with quality-of-life concerns related to the sustainability of both the environment and culture of North Texas.
Fort Worth Report’s thought-provoking half-day event lines up three dynamic panels designed to provide insight on the issues affecting the city’s future:
- Data center governance
- Intersection in education and workforce development
- Arts and culture funding and conservation
This year’s growth summit will conclude with a luncheon featuring a keynote speaker from Fort Worth’s booming film industry.
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The Looking Forward: 2026 Growth Summit panel sessions are made possible thanks to our sponsors:
- Powered by JPMorgan Chase
- Gold Sponsor: North Texas Community Foundation
- Bronze Sponsor: ONCOR
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As a nonprofit newsroom, the Fort Worth Report relies on community support to keep local journalism thriving. If you have questions or concerns, email us at [email protected].
Agenda
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:45 AM
Check-In and Mingling Session
🕑: 08:45 AM - 09:30 AM
Panel 1: Data Centers in Tarrant County: What comes next?
Host: Cecilia Lenzen
Info: Panelists will discuss the challenges and opportunities for state and local governments to regulate data centers through land use, tax abatements, resource consumption and transparency standards. How will the data center boom shape Tarrant County — and what role does local government play?
🕑: 09:45 AM - 10:30 AM
Panel 2: Building the Workforce Fort Worth Needs
Host: Matthew Sgroi
Info: How are Fort Worth's schools preparing tomorrow's workforce? Panelists will discuss the K-12-to-workforce pipeline, starting with how classrooms ensure students are career-ready before they graduate high school, and how they can carry that work through college and into the job market.
🕑: 10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Panel 3: Funding the Future of Fort Worth Arts
Host: Ismael M. Belkoura
Info: What is the vision to support the growth of local arts in the country's 10th largest city while sustaining the role of major institutions? This panel of experts will discuss what, if anything, needs to change so that Fort Worth’s arts and culture is strengthened for the foreseeable future.
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Mingling Session
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Luncheon and Keynote: Lights, Camera, Cowtown
Info: Select the All Access Pass to explore the fast growing film industry and how it affects the economy and adjacent industries. Luncheon includes choice of entree: Grilled Caprese Chicken, Grilled Beef Filet or Cheese Tortellini.
Event venue & nearby stays
PalmWood Event & Conference, 640 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.