Dig Deeper Texas

AT&T Moving Headquarters to Dallas - NYTimes.com

Does anyone else find it ironic that a communication company that is in the business of bringing people closer together electronically is moving because of physical access to certain places? So teleconferencing is okay for the masses but not the 700 or so executives?

I think the move shows two things. First, it’s important for executives to shmooze personally with Congressmen in Washington, one of the cities that they wanted more direct flights for. Hey, amnesty for illegal spying takes some serious face to face time.

Second, I suspect San Antonio could have dozens of daily non-stops to Washington DC and it wouldn’t have mattered (don’t they have a corporate jet or something?) I imagine the 700 executives don’t find the quality of life amenities competitive with those of Dallas. I’m not just talking about pro sports, schools, and symphonies. Have you ever been to Plano’s public recreation center? After all, AT&T may have it’s building in downtown Dallas but I’m pretty sure it’s executives will be making the commute from Plano, Frisco, The Colony, and Carrollton.

Maybe this is a good thing. After all, we’re more interested in taxing outsiders than ourselves to pay for development. But can you really create a city where AT&T executives would want to live in just by taxing them when they come down for Fiesta? Technorati Tags: AT&T, economic development, San Antonio

Filed under: AT&T, Economic development, San Antonio