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Economy & Jobs

Data center construction in Dallas-Fort Worth faces mechanical workforce shortage

North Texas has become the busiest data center construction market in the United States, with mechanical trades becoming a critical constraint on project timelines. CBRE reported over 765 megawatts under construction in Dallas-Fort Worth in the first half of 2026, with 95% already preleased, but the industry faces a shortage of experienced mechanical, plumbing and controls contractors needed for increasingly complex liquid-cooling systems.

Where
Dallas-Fort Worth, Statewide
When
First half of 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets

Counties: Dallas Tarrant

Taxes and money

The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.

  • Data center capacity under construction765 megawatts1
  • Data center capacity preleased95%1
  • Greenfield data center development planned but not yet started3.7 gigawatts1
  • Year-over-year increase in under-construction inventory in DFW metro81%1
  • Net new construction workers U.S. industry must attract349,0001

Does this affect you?

Who's involved

  • CBRECommercial real estate firm that conducted North America Data Center Trends report
  • Associated Builders and ContractorsTrade group; ABC chief economist Anirban Basu commented on labor demand
  • TDIndustriesDallas-based mechanical contractor recognized for data center projects

The facts

  • North Texas is the busiest data center construction market in the country.1
  • CBRE counted 765 megawatts of data center capacity under construction in Dallas-Fort Worth in first half of 2026.1
  • 95% of data center capacity under construction in DFW is already preleased.1
  • 3.7 gigawatts of greenfield data center development is planned but not yet started in DFW.1
  • Mechanical, plumbing and controls contractors face workforce shortages for data center projects.1
  • Direct-to-chip liquid cooling systems are becoming more common in data centers as AI chips advance.1
  • TDIndustries was named the No. 1 top-performing U.S. contractor for plumbing and HVAC by Associated Builders and Contractors in 2026.1

Who said what

These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.

  • Associated Builders and Contractors chief economist Anirban Basu Most of 2026 labor demand comes from retirements rather than new activity.1
  • Associated Builders and Contractors Demand for electricians with precision skills has risen alongside AI data center build-out.1

How they headlined it

The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.

  • North Texas Data Centers Boom, Mechanical Trades Constrain

    MarketScale

  • Democrats’ Wins Threaten AI Trade and Data Center Boom

    Bloomberg.com

Sources

Outlets: 1 center, 1 not rated Who's covering Texas →

These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.

  1. North Texas Data Centers Boom, Mechanical Trades Constrain MarketScale Not rated, November 2, 2026
  2. Democrats’ Wins Threaten AI Trade and Data Center Boom Bloomberg.com Center, November 4, 2026

This sheet was written by AI from the sources above and adds nothing they don't state. Read the originals for full context.

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All corrections and updates

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Aprio acquires Plano-based Garner Asset Management in wealth advisory deal

Atlanta-based accounting firm Aprio acquired Plano-based Garner Asset Management Corporation, a registered investment adviser, effective November 2. The deal brings Garner into Aprio Wealth Management and establishes Aprio's wealth management presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

$681.3 million for aprio net revenue (FY25)

Aprio, Atlanta-based accounting firm acquiring Garner Asset Management; Garner Asset Management Corporation, Plano-based registered investment adviser being acquired; Robert Garner, Founder of Garner Asset Management, joins Aprio as partner and 1 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

OpenAI partners with Oracle, SoftBank to build Stargate data centers

OpenAI announced Monday it will pilot a "Grid Protectors Program" at a data center in Georgia and is partnering with Oracle and SoftBank to build "Stargate" data centers across multiple states, including two in Texas. OpenAI said its data centers will free up to 1,000 megawatts of power during emergencies.

OpenAI, company building data centers; Oracle, partner in Stargate data center project; SoftBank, partner in Stargate data center project

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Cullen/Frost moves primary stock listing to Texas Stock Exchange

Cullen/Frost Bankers is moving its primary stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to the Texas Stock Exchange. Trading on TXSE begins November 12, with both the company's common stock and depositary shares transferring under the same symbols.

$9.8 billion for market capitalization of Cullen/Frost

Cullen/Frost Bankers, company moving primary listing; Phil Green, Chairman and CEO of Cullen/Frost Bankers; James H. Lee, Chairman and CEO of Texas Stock Exchange

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Fluidstack breaks ground on $4 billion data center project in Cameron County

Fluidstack announced it has begun construction on a $4 billion data center campus on more than 1,100 acres east of Valley International Airport near Rio Hondo in Cameron County. The project received a worksite permit from Cameron County after Harlingen city commissioners tabled a drainage agreement.

Project will add millions of dollars per year to the local tax base with no local property tax breaks.

Fluidstack, company developing the data center project; Kate Franko, Fluidstack spokesperson; Norma Sepulveda, Harlingen Mayor and 5 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

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