DeSoto economic development team pushes bio life-sciences strategy, says lack of developed space is primary barrier

Matt Carlson, chief executive officer of the DeSoto Development Corporation, told the board that the agency is focusing its economic development work on higher‑paying industries such as bio life‑sciences, aerospace and advanced manufacturing and coupling that effort with workforce training partnerships.

“We're developing strategies to attract professionals in medical technology,” Carlson said, describing work that began in 2023 and continues as the board pursues projects that could bring large payrolls and lower‑turnover jobs to the city.

The EDC report said recruitment activity has included partnership appearances at national trade events — SelectUSA, the ICSC Recon retail show and the BIO International Conference — and outreach coordinated with the Dallas Regional Chamber and other North Texas cities. Carlson said the agency has fielded responses to two requests for proposals that envisioned manufacturing projects valued at about $1 billion and $1.2 billion.

Board members and staff said the biggest near‑term obstacle is a shortage of developed, move‑in ready space. “There is no quick and simple answer … If you can move to market quicker with approvals, great. If we can renovate space that people would want to lease, if we have those spaces, great,” Carlson said, adding that many targeted companies need lab, clean‑room or spec‑built space on a short timetable.

To address that, the Development Corporation has pursued a mix of strategies: creating targeted incentives, working with private property owners to retrofit buildings, acquiring strategic parcels (including the Community Missionary Baptist Church property) and evaluating a “small area plan” to make selected sites shovel‑ready.

Carlson emphasized workforce and training ties as part of attraction efforts. He said a bio life‑sciences cohort run with Panthera and Dallas College just completed an intensive training series and the EDA (Economic Development Administration) recently extended grant funding that could allow additional cohorts. The report also highlighted a new aviation training cohort at Executive Field and continuing human resources roundtables aimed at lowering turnover for local employers.

Antoine Long, economic development manager, outlined small business and entrepreneur supports including work with the Dallas Entrepreneur Center and partner events planned through the summer. Board members urged a parallel focus on smaller development nodes across DeSoto — not only the larger targeted campuses but smaller corners such as Westmoreland and BeltLine, Polk and Pleasant Run, and Cockrell Hill and BeltLine — where developers could more quickly intensify land uses.

Carlson and board members described several recent investments in the city, including solar turbines and Allied Stone, and said the total taxable base in DeSoto is about $7.5 billion. He noted that one large bio manufacturing project could increase that base by roughly 15 percent within 24 months and that average compensation at such facilities could be around $128,000 a year, figures Carlson cited as context for the strategy.

Board members directed staff to continue pursuing a mix of short‑term building retrofits and longer‑term site planning to reduce development friction for targeted industries.