Document Actions
Center for Economic Development and Research (University of North Texas)
The Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of North Texas was established in 1989 to conduct economic analysis and public policy research and also to provide forecasting and strategic planning services to businesses, governments and non-profit agencies with an interest in economic development.
Internet
Dr. Bernard L. Weinstein is director of the Center and Dr. Terry L. Clower is associate director. The Center works closely with UNT's Institute of Applied Economics, which offers master's degree programs in public policy and economic development.
Interdisciplinary by design, the Center draws upon a wide range of faculty and staff resources across the university as well as outside consultants when the need arises. In many ways, the Center operates like a consulting firm in that most projects are initiated and completed within a three to four month time frame. However, the Center does not normally engage in direct, proprietary consulting. It usually undertakes studies with some public policy dimension, and the Center's clients often release the work product into the public domain.
Since its inception, the Center has prepared more than 60 reports covering a broad range of topics. For example, the Center has assisted the cities of Richland Hills, Lewisville, and Burleson with industrial targeting and long-term strategic economic planning. It has prepared studies for the Alliance for Higher Education on the contribution of higher education to the economy of the North Texas region. Economic impact studies have been prepared for the Fort Worth Health Science Center, the Texas Railroad Commission, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, the City of Irving, and several other clients. The Center assisted the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce with preparation of a long-range strategic plan, and a report was prepared for the City of Arlington on the economic contribution of the General Motors Plant as part of the city's successful effort to convince GM to keep the plant open.
Other clients of the Center for Economic Development and Research have included the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Planned Parenthood of North Texas, the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, the Health Industry Council of the Dallas-Fort Worth Region, the Dallas Zoological Society, the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Workforce Commission. The Center has amassed a sizeable economic, social and demographic data base for the state of Texas and prepares a semi-annual economic forecast for the state and its five largest metropolitan areas.