NTC History

In the early Seventies, there were only a handful of corporate headquarters in North Texas and DFW Airport had not yet seen its first flight. In fact, in those days this sprawling assortment of communities was not even known as the Metroplex. On July 29, 1971, a group of civic leaders from across North Texas joined together to form the North Texas Commission (NTC), an agreement which would change the course of history in our region. With DFW Airport under construction, it was agreed that a regionally-unifying force was necessary if North Texas was ever to take its place among the nationally and internationally prominent regions of the world. Founders of the North Texas Commission shared what was then a unique vision of a regional marketing organization for the entire North Texas area. C.A. Tatum, Jr., the first volunteer leader of NTC, often remarked, "Our strength is the spirit and unity of the people of our region." The North Texas Commission was chartered as a non-profit, membership-supported organization which would work to unify the North Texas Region to maximize the visibility of the area as an excellent place to live and do business. In February of 1972, NTC copyrighted the term "Southwest Metroplex," which users later shortened to simply "Metroplex," in order to establish the identity of the allied communities of North Texas. Throughout its history, the North Texas Commission has worked to address regional problems and opportunities while focusing on ways to unify the North Texas Region. As we move further into the new and challenging century, the North Texas Commission will continue to identify regional solutions and continue to "Build the Region of Choice."