Tom Leppert

In Madrid and Valencia, the delegation will promote the City of Dallas Regional Center (CDRC), a key Dallas initiative to encourage foreign direct investment and corporate relocations. The CDRC program provides access to U.S. visas to qualified high net worth foreign nationals who make substantial investments into approved, job-creating economic development projects within the Dallas. In Paris, the delegation will be meeting with several French businesses with operations in the U.S. that are or may be considering establishing or expanding operations in Dallas.

The Mayor will be joined by Councilmember Ron Natinsky, the chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee and Economic Development Director Karl Zavitkovsky. In addition, the delegation will include State Representative Rafael Anchia, and Jason T. Barnes, both representing Civitas Capital Management, LLC, the asset management firm that manages the CDRC program on behalf of the City.
For more information on CDRC: http://www.dallas-ecodev.org/international/eb-5/

In addition to the CDRC and corporate development meetings, the delegation will attend a formal signing ceremony for a unique three-year partnership between the Prado Museum in Madrid and the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University. The agreement includes the loan of major paintings and an internship exchange program between the two museums. Pentecost, a major El Greco painting is currently on loan to the Meadows Museum.

In addition, members of the delegation – which includes several Dallas diplomatic, business and cultural leaders – will visit the City of Arts & Sciences in Valencia, an urban redevelopment project designed by Santiago Calatrava. Calatrava also designed the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge being built over the Trinity River, as well as the Margaret McDermott I-30 Bridge which is still in the planning stages.

The delegation will depart DFW International Airport on Saturday afternoon, October 2 and return Sunday, October 10.
No taxpayer funds will be used to pay for this trip. Instead, Mayor Leppert has raised money for a special World Affairs Council fund which will finance the trip. This fund facilitates trade and cultural travel for city officials.

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We need to think about Dallas, not just now but in the future. Raising taxes is not a good way to grow the economy. Thanks to everyone who has called, written, emailed and spoken to all of us at City Hall.