M.L. Leddy’s and the Franklin family are partnering with Parking Systems of America to replace an existing surface parking lot with a four-and-a-half-story structured parking garage on the corner of Ellis Avenue and 25th Street.
“M.L. Leddy’s and the Franklin family have been proud members of the Stockyards community for more than 85 years,” said Mark Dunlap, M.L. Leddy’s general manager in a news release. “As the Stockyards continue to grow, the need for thoughtfully planned parking has become increasingly important; not just for visitors and businesses, but for our surrounding neighbors as well.”
The longtime bootmaking family opened their M.L. Leddy’s Stockyards location with its iconic neon sign in 1941.
The existing surface lot adjacent to M.L. Leddy’s custom boot store at 2455 N. Main St. is one of the most heavily used parking areas in the district. The lot currently provides approximately 55 parking spaces.
The proposed parking garage would add approximately 246 parking spaces — a 32% increase in parking availability on the west side of the Stockyards.
Fort Worth recently installed a new sign on the west side of Exchange Avenue to help draw visitors to that side of the district.
Growth has strengthened the Stockyard’s as a national tourist destination with a reported 10 million visitors annually, but it has also placed increased demand on limited surface parking resources.
“We, along with Parking Systems of America, have initiated the approval process with the city of Fort Worth to build a parking structure that will complement the historic nature of the Stockyards, reduce congestion and add much needed parking capacity,” said Dunlap.
A 2023 city of Fort Worth Stockyards Traffic Study identified severe overcapacity and circulation issues in the Stockyards’ core, particularly along Ellis Avenue, Exchange Avenue, and NW 25th Street. The study further recommended improving parking utilization and leveraging parking resources on the western side of the district to reduce congestion and better distribute demand.
The anticipated construction start for the parking garage is late summer 2026 following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup.
A project open house is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. May 13 at SpringHill Suites Fort Worth Historic Stockyards, 2315 North Main St.
Parker County retail coming
A 15,000-square-foot retail development site situated on 1.82 acres at the intersection of Interstate 20 and Tin Top Road in Weatherford has been sold. The transaction was led by Laurie Carter and Brittany Doyle of LanCarte Commercial.
Manufacturing site acquired
Bradford Commercial Real Estate Services has landed a buyer for Sunair Products Inc.’s former manufacturing site in northeast Fort Worth.
Flannery Inc., a manufacturer of aluminum and steel trims, acquired a 41,780-square-feet site set on 3.02 acres at 2525 Minnis Drive in Haltom City. The company has been leasing space in Fort Worth for five years following the relocation of its headquarters, manufacturing and distribution from California.
Win a trip to … Fort Worth?
To mark the May 15 series premiere of “Yellowstone”-spin-off “Dutton Ranch” on Paramount+, Coors Banquet and Paramount have created an “Earn Your Spurs” campaign, including a custom-designed spur that can open a bottle of Coors Banquet.
“In the west, spurs mean something. They represent the grit, time and effort it takes to earn your place,” said Alyssa Lynner, marketing director of Molson Coors Beverage Company, in a news release. “With ‘Dutton Ranch,’ we saw a natural opportunity to bring that idea to fans in a way that feels true to the brand and the world of the show.”
Fans 21 and older can visit shop.coors.com/products to answer trivia questions tied to “Dutton Ranch” characters and unlock access to purchase the spurs for $120 per pair while supplies last through May 19.
For fans who weren’t able to buy their spurs — there’s still a chance. The “Earn Your Spurs Getaway” sweepstakes will give one lucky winner and a guest a “Dutton Ranch”-inspired trip to Fort Worth along with a pair of Coors Banquet x Dutton Ranch spurs. If you have a trip to Fort Worth on your bucket list, now is your chance. Enter here.
Best by half
Runners vote with their feet, and the Cowtown Half Marathon has been named Best Marathon in Texas by RaceRaves.
RaceRaves, the premier online race finder and reviews community for runners and endurance athletes, announced the winners of its 2026 “Runners Choice: Best Half Marathons in the U.S.” poll. The top half marathon in each state was crowned based on nearly 20,000 votes from
runners across the country, along with finisher ratings and reviews on RaceRaves.com.
“To be recognized by the runners themselves is especially meaningful to us,” said Heidi Swartz, executive director of Cowtown Marathon. “This race is built by a dedicated team, an incredibly supportive community, volunteers and partners who believe in what we’re creating together.”
The 2027 Cowtown weekend — featuring the kids 5K, adults 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, and ultra marathon — will be held Feb. 26-28, 2027, at Will Rogers Memorial Center.
Registration is ongoing and information can be found at cowtownmarathon.org.
Ball hawks
Fort Worth-based Escalante Golf, a boutique owner and operator of luxury golf properties across 17 states, has acquired Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Georgia.
Golf course architect Tripp Davis has been retained to create a masterplan for the club.
Do you have something for the Bob on Business column? Email Bob Francis, business editor for the Fort Worth Report, at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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