Contact Cheryel Carpenter at 817-459-6404
September 10, 2004

Arlington, TX - The Arlington Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Arlington is a 2004 Recipient of the Community Economic Development Award (CEDA), given by the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) each year to 5 population categories.

The Community Economic Development Awards program recognizes exceptional contributions of TEDC member cities toward the economic vitality of their communities and the state of Texas through creativity, leadership, and partnership in the achievement of business retention, business recruitment and community improvement.

Arlington won Category 5 for cities with a population of 100,000 and above. Earlier this year, General Motors Assembly Plant committed to invest more than $160 million into its Arlington truck assembly plant for future production of a new generation of Sport Utility Vehicles – a big win for the community, and a CEDA award for the city.

The CEDA committee received applications from 28 member communities. Nominees were then judged on five criteria: innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits.

The awards will be presented at a special luncheon held Thursday, September 30^th at the TEDC’s Annual Conference at the Hilton Lincoln Centre Hotel in Dallas.

"Our CEDA luncheon is one of the ways in which our organization honors the excellent work done by our communities, their leaders, and their economic development professionals," noted Marie McDermott of Clear Lake, 2004 TEDC Chair. "Each community nominated achieved excellence in economic development and substantially improved the economic base of their respective regions. The recipient communities in each population category were recognized for extraordinary accomplishments in meeting the criteria set forth in the nomination process."

Mr. Carlton Schwab

President/CEO

Texas Economic Development Council

(512) 480-8432