The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) broke ground Thursday morning on UTA West, its highly anticipated campus to be located on the western edge of Fort Worth, during a ceremonial event that marked a major step in the University's expansion.
Situated on a 51-acre site within the Walsh Ranch development on the border of west Fort Worth and Parker County near Aledo, UTA West will feature cutting-edge academic and research facilities that will bring together students, faculty and industry leaders to drive innovation and workforce development.
By fostering collaboration in high-demand fields, the campus will play a crucial role in supplying a highly skilled homegrown workforce to support the region's continued growth. UTA West's strategic location near the intersection of interstates 20 and 30 positions it as a key educational and research hub for the expanding North Texas economy.
"We're standing, literally, at the border of the second-fastest-growing major city in the country. This area is growing fast, and so is the need for access to a top-tier university," said UTA President Jennifer Cowley, emphasizing the importance of this development. "We know the people of Fort Worth and Parker County want a national research university to provide workforce development and R&D support to area businesses—and to keep their great students close by."
UT System Board of Regents Chair Kevin P. Eltife and UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken were scheduled to attend the ceremony, but were unable due to inclement weather. Eltife emphasized the significance of the UTA West campus in expanding access and opportunity.
"That includes growing our UT institutions to meet the needs of a booming region," Eltife said. "The regents and I are especially grateful to President Cowley and the leadership of Fort Worth and Parker County for setting UTA West in motion."
In a statement, Chancellor Milliken added that "At its founding, Fort Worth sat on the physical frontier of a fast-growing young state and country, and today it stands as an epicenter of economic development and prosperity. We are honored to have UT Arlington play a leadership role in opening new fields of opportunity and development of the region."
UTA West is projected to welcome its inaugural class in fall 2028. The campus is designed to expand in step with regional population growth, which is expected to continue well into the next decade. From 2020 to 2024, Parker County's population increased 19.4%, making it the third-fastest-growing county in Texas, while Fort Worth remains one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.
"UTA West will be an economic powerhouse to this region," said John Hall, UTA vice president for administration and economic development. "The first year alone, the campus is projected to generate over $200 million in economic impact. The campus will serve as a hub for innovation, industry partnerships and workforce development, all key drivers of progress in Fort Worth and North Texas."
Ryan Dickerson, CEO of Walsh Companies, said universities create ideas, leaders, opportunities and quality urban development.
"UTA's decision to join Walsh is transformative," Dickerson said. "It is going to make where you're standing today—all of this space—an incredible place to be, visit and learn."
As a Carnegie R1 institution, UTA ranks among the top 5% of research universities in the United States. The establishment of UTA West reflects its commitment to increasing access to high-quality education while driving economic development in the region.
To facilitate community engagement and provide information about the new campus, UTA will open an office later this spring in Willow Park. Prospective students and their families will be able to visit this location to learn about admissions, advising, financial aid and other essential services.
"Our Arlington campus started 130 years ago in a small wood-frame building. The scene probably looked a little like this," Dr. Cowley said. "But we grew alongside the region, becoming a national research university and an engine for growth—academically and economically. That's our shared vision for UTA West."
Cowley acknowledged the vital role of UTA's civic partners in Fort Worth, Aledo, Weatherford, Willow Park, Arlington, and Tarrant and Parker counties in making UTA West a reality. She also recognized the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, Aledo ISD, Weatherford College, Tarrant County College, and the Fort Worth, Parker County, and Weatherford chambers for their support in expanding educational opportunities in the region.
"The desire for a top-tier research university in this region is undeniable," Cowley said.
The new UTA campus expands the University's decades-long partnership with Fort Worth.
In 1986, the UTA Research Institute was established in east Fort Worth. Today, the facility conducts $16 million annually in research focused on advanced controls and sensors, airborne computing networks, automation and intelligent systems, bio-signal processing, biomedical technologies and predictive performance.
In 2007, the UTA Fort Worth Center opened in downtown Fort Worth. The center, focused on serving working professionals by connecting education with careers, offers high-quality academic programs that meet the needs of students and the 21st-century workforce.
In 2023, the UTA Institute of Urban Studies, the principal research center for the College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs, opened at UTA's Fort Worth Center. The Institute's mandated mission is to conduct research and provide technical assistance to city and county governments, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations and to offer education and teaching opportunities to individuals either already in or contemplating public service careers.
With UTA West taking shape, the University is poised to build on its legacy of research excellence and educational access, strengthening North Texas' future for generations to come.
