FORT WORTH -- Just after opening its first In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Fort Worth, the California-based chain is seeking a tax abatement to locate its regional distribution center in the city at CentrePort Business Park near Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.
The Fort Worth City Council was briefed Tuesday on a proposed 10-year, 60 percent tax abatement for 25 acres.Under the proposal, the city would grant a tax abatement worth $840,000 and In-N-Out would spend $21 million in capital investments.In-N-Out would also create 100 jobs by December 2018, with half created by the end of 2013.The regional center would include a meatpacking facility that would support expansion across Texas and possibly into neighboring states, said Jeff Russell, In-N-Out's regional real estate manager.The Baldwin Park, Calif., company has a temporary meatpacking facility in Cockrell Hill.City officials also briefed the council on two other abatement proposals that are contingent on support from the Texas Enterprise Fund.Frac Tech Services Llc. of Cisco is considering a state-of-the-art manufacturing, repair and testing facility of 550,000 square feet at 4601 Gold Spike Drive in the Railhead Industrial Park.Frac Tech, which provides hydraulic fracturing and other services to the U.S. oil and natural gas industry, has more than 3,400 employees, about 630 of them in Tarrant and Parker counties.For the 10-year, 65 percent abatement, Frac Tech would invest $61.4 million and create 200 jobs by 2013 and 450 by December 2021.The estimated total public investment would be $3.1 million.The company is also considering sites in Oklahoma and Louisiana, said Robert Sturns, Fort Worth economic development manager.Sturns also discussed a proposed five-year, 40 percent abatement for Ferris Manufacturing to move its headquarters from Burr Ridge, Ill., to Fort Worth.The company, which has 50 employees and $35 million in annual sales, makes anti-microbial dressings, wound fillers and foams for hospitals, clinics and sports facilities.The proposed location in the Alliance Gateway Development at 13001 Park Vista Blvd. would include manufacturing and engineering space, labs, warehouse/distribution space and room to expand.Under the proposed abatement, Ferris would spend $3.5 million and create 60 jobs by December 2012.The city's estimated participation would be about $50,000. The company is also considering other sites including St. Louis, Albuquerque and Richmond, Va.The council is expected to vote on all the abatements next month.Bill Hanna, 817-390-7698Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
