Dallas Cowboys from WFAA Sports
FW neighborhood eyes benefits from Cowboys stadium 
09:39 AM CDT on Thursday, June 18, 2009
ARLINGTON — Everyone wants to get in on Cowboys fever; not the excitement over the team, but the team's new stadium and the money-making opportunities surrounding it.
The potential boom even has folks in neighborhing Fort Worth seeing growth — and green.
The historic Handley community in East Fort Worth, established more than 130 years ago, has proudly preserved its character. "People are now starting to find out that Old Town Handley is here," said business owner Kirk Lancaster.
Lancaster and fellow businessman Bill Ryan are shifting their focus to the future. They opened an art gallery in February.
"With the Cowboys Stadium not being too far away, I think we could all benefit from that," Ryan said.
The benefit? A buzz from game patrons who may want to come back for a visit. "Let's go to Historic Handley and enjoy the evening there," Ryan suggested.
The Historic Handley Development Corporation met with Fort Worth city leaders on Wednesday night. They laid out some ideas on how to bring new restaurants and boutiques to the neighborhood. The key is a proposed rail station.
"Whether it's this year, next year, five years from now — the rail is coming through Handley," said District 5 city council member Frank Moss.
The key to any massive economic growth will be where that rail station is built. The T already has plans for a bus terminal in the historic district; it's likely going to be the location for the train stop, but that has not been nailed down yet.
"We need to be sure that we take advantage of it so that the businesses here can benefit from it, and so that we're not just transferring people somewhere else in Fort Worth in order for people to spend their dollars — spend it here in Handley," Moss said.
Business leaders are keen to spur growth, but they also want to maintain the historic charm of the area.
The next step is putting together a master plan to tempt potential developers.
E-mail dmiles@wfaa.com
