The Texas city of Grand Prairie is situated in the mid-cities region and sits within three different counties: Ellis, Tarrant and Dallas. At present, it has a population of around 176,000, making it the 15th biggest city in Texas.
The city of Grand Prairie has a really convenient, central place between Fort Worth and Dallas. Dallas lies only 12 miles east of downtown and Fort Worth City is located 15 miles west. The DFW International Airport is located a mere five minutes north of the city of grand Prairie. The Interstate 30, Interstate 20, Loop 12, Spur 303 and State Highway 360 are easily accessible from the city, allowing inhabitants access to practically anywhere in the state of Texas. Currently being built is a ten mile extension of State Highway 161 to Interstate 20. Its estimated completion date is in the year 2012. When completed, it would connect with east-west freeways between Fort Worth and Dallas, like for example Interstate 30, the State Highway 130 and Interstate 20.
Within the city, there are 58 parks situated within, having an approximate area totaling 5,000 acres. Located within these 58 parks are a senior centre, five baseball and softball complexes, 32 tennis courts, five public swimming pools, a campground, 18 soccer fields and two beaches on Joe Pool Lake. The city has some competitive athletic programs.
1/4 sales tax that the city has established has been put towards park improvements. With this $125 million, 20-year plan Grand Prairie aims to enhance every park while continuing to expand and add more park land.
Although Grand Prairie City does offer some private golf courses and a county club Grand Prairie City likewise has two remarkable and affordable public golf courses. Tangle Ridge is renowned for its bentgrass greens and Hill Country atmosphere. The largest practice putting green in Texas State could be found at Prairie lakes, that has one of the very best golf values in the region.
The leading companies within the city of Grand Prairie, as of 2008, are: Grand Prairie Independent School District, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Poly-America, Inc., Bell Helicopter-Textron, City of Grand Prairie, Vought Aircraft Industries and Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie.
Six Flags, the well-known amusement park, runs its corporate office within the city. The headquarters for American Eurocopter is likewise situated within Grand Prairie City.
During 1978, American Airlines relocated from New York City to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They leased two large office buildings for their new head office. The move to the city of Fort Worth was completed when the airline left its Grand Prairie facility on the 17th of January, 1983.