Frisco Mayor Mark Hill Talks Tax-Base Boom

Summary

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Bloomberg Talks: Frisco Mayor Mark Hill Talks Tax-Base Boom

Host: Nathan Hager (Bloomberg)
Guest: Mark Hill, Mayor of Frisco
Date: July 9, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between Bloomberg’s Nathan Hager and Mark Hill, recently-inaugurated mayor of Frisco, Texas. Their discussion explores the explosive growth in Frisco’s tax base, strategies for managing expansion, the city’s approach to reinvestment, and Hill’s personal vision for maintaining Frisco’s competitive edge among booming Texas suburbs. The episode also reflects on Frisco’s emergence as a sports destination and how Mayor Hill’s background shapes his approach to leadership.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Managing Rapid Growth

Timestamps: 00:54–01:13

• Disciplined Growth: Mayor Hill emphasizes that managing Frisco’s continued growth—on both residential and commercial fronts—requires a disciplined, thoughtful approach.
  • Quote: “You have to make sure that the growth that we have to come, and we are still growing... that we do it in a very disciplined, smart way that helps the current residents of Frisco.” (00:54)

2. Focus Shift: Development to Reinvestment

Timestamps: 01:13–01:54

• Reinvestment in Older Areas: Hill highlights the city’s strategy to prioritize reinvestment in Frisco’s older neighborhoods, balancing new development with revitalizing established districts.
  • Quote: “There are parts of Frisco that are 20, 25, 30 years old right next to places that are brand new...making sure we’re giving them the attention they need.” (01:22)

3. The Attraction of Downtown and Major Projects

Timestamps: 01:54–02:36

• Downtown Renewal: Hill expresses his personal passion for focusing on Frisco’s downtown and the “rail district,” even as the city celebrates high-profile projects like the Star, Toyota Stadium, and Universal Kids Resorts.
  • Quote: “Downtown and the entire, what we call the rail district, is something that will definitely be a focus in the coming years.” (02:10)

4. Pillars of Frisco’s Success

Timestamps: 02:36–03:04

• Community Assets: Hill identifies education, quality schools, and safety as primary drivers behind Frisco’s rapid growth and continued appeal.
  • Quote: “We have an educated community. We have great schools in Frisco, and we also are a very safe community...it creates an environment that people notice and...want to move to.” (02:42)

5. Hill’s Mayoral Vision

Timestamps: 03:04–03:31

• People-Centered Vision: He aims to keep attracting strong families and businesses, considering this the central marker of his success as mayor.
  • Quote: “If we’re successful at that, then I would consider my role and my job a success.” (03:10)

6. Competing with Neighboring Cities

Timestamps: 03:31–04:16

• Staying Ahead: Hill acknowledges the competitive landscape within the Dallas-Fort Worth region but stresses maintaining Frisco’s safety, growth management, infrastructure, and schools as the keys to staying ahead.
  • Quote: “It’s a very competitive environment out there amongst cities right now...as long as we focus on keeping the city of Frisco safe, keeping growth managed...I think we will continue to attract good businesses...” (03:46)

7. Anticipating New Challenges

Timestamps: 04:16–04:29

• Regional Rivalry: Hill notes that other regions are catching up, requiring Frisco to remain innovative and forward-thinking.
  • Quote: “Other cities and states are catching up to Texas as a whole, the city of Frisco. And so we have to make sure we stay ahead of the curve.” (04:20)

8. Addressing Community Divisions

Timestamps: 04:29–05:13

• Unity and Focus: Facing ethnic divisions and contentious meetings, Hill describes a leadership style focused on practical impacts for residents and avoiding unnecessary controversy.
  • Quote: “I just stayed on course. I don’t engage in a lot of issues...outside of what I can control, and I think it’s proven to be successful...” (04:39)

9. Frisco as a Sports Hub

Timestamps: 05:13–05:47

• Brand Value of Sports: Frisco's strategy of embracing major sports teams and facilities has increased the city’s profile and brought economic benefits.
  • Quote: “It puts Frisco on the map and allows us a platform to grow in a lot of other ways...I think it will continue to pay dividends as we grow.” (05:21)

10. Leadership Style and Preparation

Timestamps: 05:47–06:58

• Non-traditional Politician: A career attorney, Hill’s focus on building relationships rather than playing politics shapes his leadership in Frisco.

  • Quote: “You are in the perspective of how do I develop a relationship, how do I strengthen a relationship? And that’s something that I think will help not just me in my role of mayor, but also in partnerships with future business...” (05:59)

• Experience Advantage: His prior roles as Economic Development Corporation director and school board president give him a foundational understanding of the magnets powering Frisco’s growth.

  • Quote: “Those are two of the things that I think right now in 2026 are magnets to the city of Frisco. And those are two things that I have personal knowledge of recently and right now.” (06:37)

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Notable Quotes

• On Growth Discipline:
  “We do it in a very disciplined, smart way that helps the current residents of Frisco.” — Mayor Mark Hill (00:54)
• On Focusing Downtown:
  “It’s something that during my time I’m definitely going to make a focus of just because it’s unique...” — Mayor Mark Hill (02:10)
• On Frisco’s Strengths:
  “We have great schools in Frisco, and we also are a very safe community. And you combine those two things over time...” — Mayor Mark Hill (02:42)
• On Leadership Philosophy:
  “I just stayed on course. I don’t engage in a lot of issues that I think are outside of what I can control...” — Mayor Mark Hill (04:39)
• On Non-traditional Approach:
  “You are in the perspective of how do I develop a relationship, how do I strengthen a relationship?” — Mayor Mark Hill (05:59)

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Memorable Moments

• Hill’s commitment to shifting city attention toward reinvestment in older neighborhoods stands out as a theme of balancing progress with preservation.
• A candid acknowledgment of past divisions in city politics and Hill’s stated resolve to focus on what’s best for residents underscores his practical, measured approach to leadership (04:39).

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Important Timestamps & Segments

• Growth Management: 00:54–01:13
• Development to Reinvestment: 01:13–01:54
• Downtown/Rail District Focus: 01:54–02:36
• Reasons for Growth: 02:36–03:04
• Mayoral Vision: 03:04–03:31
• Regional Competition: 03:31–04:16
• Challenges Ahead: 04:16–04:29
• Unity, Handling Divisions: 04:29–05:13
• Sports Destination: 05:13–05:47
• Leadership Style: 05:47–06:30
• Preparation & Experience: 06:30–06:58

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Conclusion

This episode provides valuable insight into Frisco’s growth strategies and the thoughtful, locally-focused leadership of Mayor Mark Hill. From his disciplined development philosophy to his emphasis on reinvesting in established neighborhoods and cultivating community unity, Hill outlines a vision for sustainable progress that keeps residents and businesses at the forefront. His experience outside of traditional politics and deep roots in community development position him as a pragmatic and community-oriented leader guiding Frisco into its next phase.

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Transcript

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[Nathan Hager]

Radio News how do you handle that growth moving forward?

[Mayor of Frisco]

In a very disciplined way, I think we've been growing for so long. You have to make sure that the growth that we have to come and we are still growing, both from a residence and a commercial side, that we do it in a very disciplined, smart way that helps the current residents of Frisco.

[Nathan Hager]

One thing I found very interesting about your platform was shifting new development to reinvestment. What does that look like?

[Mayor of Frisco]

You know, Frisco's grown so fast, but there are parts of frisco that are 20, 25, 30 years old right next to places that are brand new or within the last five years. And so city leadership and there's already a plan for this in place. We'll definitely be spending time and focus on making sure we're paying attention to some of the areas of Frisco that are a little bit older, that were built at a different time in Frisco and making sure we're giving them the attention they need.

[Nathan Hager]

When you look at something like the star, you have the star. Then you have Toyota Stadium, you have FC Dallas playing there, of course you have the Soccer hall of Fame. Now you have universal kids resorts. Is it time really to focus more on the downtown?

[Mayor of Frisco]

Yes, I think you can do both. Downtown focus is certainly a passion of mine. It's a desire, frankly, of many in the city. It's something that during my time I'm definitely going to make a focus of just because it's unique. You mentioned all these big projects and big things that are great for the city of Frisco. Downtown and the entire, what we call the rail district is something that will definitely be a focus in the coming years.

[Nathan Hager]

What do you think is the reason that Frisco was able to grow so quickly?

[Mayor of Frisco]

A few things. We have an educated community. We have Great schools in Frisco, and we also are a very safe community. And you combine those two things over time. It creates an environment that people notice and that people want to move to. And I think we've seen that for years, and we're experiencing that even to this day.

[Nathan Hager]

Overall, the big vision. Let's look at your time in office, your big vision.

[Mayor of Frisco]

Goodness. You know, we've had so much success and so much growth. I really want to make sure we, as a city stay focused on what we're doing to attract good families to the city of Frisco and good businesses. And so if we're successful at that, then I would consider my role and my job a success.

[Nathan Hager]

You know, you're surrounded by large cities. You've got Plano, of course, the city of Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington. What is it like competing, and how do you get that edge to get the businesses to come to Frisco?

[Mayor of Frisco]

It's like I mentioned, you know, we have certain advantages that we have to make sure we keep to your point. It's a very competitive environment out there amongst cities right now. And so as long as we focus on keeping the city of Frisco safe, keeping growth managed, disciplined, keeping our infrastructure up to speed, keeping our schools in Frisco strong, I think we will continue to attract good businesses to the city.

[Nathan Hager]

Biggest challenges moving ahead, competition.

[Mayor of Frisco]

I think other cities and states are catching up to Texas as a whole, the city of Frisco. And so we have to make sure we stay ahead of the curve.

[Nathan Hager]

You know, you come into this you want to run off. There have been some ethnic divisions. There have been some very heated meetings in your city. What do you do to bring everybody together?

[Mayor of Frisco]

You stay focused on how you improve the lives of the residents of the city of Frisco, on how we as city leadership can improve and help and make smart decisions that improve the lives of our residents. And, you know, I have to your point, through either the campaign or even now, I've kind of just stayed on course. I don't engage in a lot of issues that I think are outside of what I can control, and I think it's proven to be successful, and that's certainly something I intend to do.

[Nathan Hager]

Before we let you go, it is interesting to see how Frisco has really become an area. It's a destination for sports, for people that love sports.

[Mayor of Frisco]

Yes. Yeah, I think that's been beneficial to the city. I think you talk about, like, with FIFA right now in the soccer hall of Fame, or you think about the star, it puts Frisco on the map and allows us a platform to grow in a lot of other ways. And so I think it's been a very smart initiative by the city for years, and I think it will continue to pay dividends as we grow.

[Nathan Hager]

We talked to you a little bit earlier. You are an attorney by trade, and you specifically said, I'm not a politician.

[Mayor of Frisco]

Yes.

[Nathan Hager]

So I'd like to know, as you're getting sworn in and you're looking out, you know, what goes through your mind,

[Mayor of Frisco]

you know, when you don't come from a place of politics for a long time, you know, you are in the perspective of how do I develop a relationship, how do I strengthen a relationship? And that's something that I think will help not just me in my role of mayor, but also in partnerships with future business, working with our regional partners, working with our other elected officials. I hope that that ends up being a benefit to the city of Frisco and something that I can bring to the table.

[Nathan Hager]

Well, as a former director of the Economic Development Corporation, you were the president of the school board. Do you feel that prepared you?

[Mayor of Frisco]

Absolutely. Those are two of the things that I think right now in 2026 are magnets to the city of Frisco. And those are two things that I have personal knowledge of recently and right now. And so I certainly hope it's prepared me. I think it has, and I think it makes the potential for Frisco very high.

[Nathan Hager]

Thank you so much, Mayor.

[Mayor of Frisco]

Thank you for your time.

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[Nathan Hager]

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