This Is What Dallas Looked Like in the 1990s — Before the Boom of the New Millennium

The 1990s began with Dallas picking up the pieces from a difficult decade. The Texas economy had been shaken by the sharp drop in oil prices in 1986, an event that sent ripples through the entire state. This oil bust, combined with a nationwide Savings and Loan crisis, hit Dallas especially hard, as many local banks collapsed and real estate values fell. The crisis forced the city to look beyond its traditional reliance on energy and real estate for its economic future.

This need for a new direction led to the rise of the “Silicon Prairie,” a nickname for the booming technology scene in North Texas. The economic downturn of the 1980s had an unexpected side effect: it made Dallas an affordable place for businesses, with plenty of low-cost land and a large available workforce. This environment was perfect for the growing computer and telecommunications industries, which began to move in and expand.

The heart of this new tech hub was the Telecom Corridor, a stretch of land in the northern suburb of Richardson. The area experienced explosive growth in the late 1990s, becoming home to over 5,700 companies, including 600 technology firms that occupied 25 million square feet of office space and employed more than 130,000 people. In 1992, the Richardson Chamber of Commerce officially trademarked the “Telecom Corridor” name. Major global companies like Nortel, Fujitsu, Ericsson, and Alcatel established significant operations there, joining long-time Dallas tech giant Texas Instruments. At the height of the boom, the Dallas-Fort Worth area was responsible for 45 percent of all information technology jobs in Texas.

This rapid expansion was not an accident. The region had a foundation in technology that dated back decades, with companies like Texas Instruments and Collins Radio operating since the 1950s and 60s. The deregulation of the telecommunications industry in the 1980s also helped fuel the growth. Local universities, including the University of Texas at Dallas and Southern Methodist University, supplied a steady stream of skilled engineers and innovators.

The tech boom transformed the city’s economy. High-tech employment in Texas grew at more than twice the national rate during the 1990s. This growth created a wave of prosperity that lifted other sectors. The demand for new offices, warehouses, and homes for the influx of workers led to a surge in construction. The decade was marked by a feeling of opportunity, with low unemployment, high growth, and a renewed sense of confidence.

Mayors, Mandates, and the 14-1 System

As Dallas reshaped its economy, it also transformed its political structure. For years, the city’s government was run through a system that limited the influence of its growing minority communities. The City Council was elected using a mix of single-member districts and at-large seats, a method that consistently diluted the voting power of Black and Hispanic residents.

This system was challenged in 1988 through a federal voting rights lawsuit, Williams v. Dallas. In March 1990, a judge ruled that the city’s 8-3 election system was unconstitutional because it prevented minority groups from having an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The ruling triggered a period of political debate. Voters narrowly rejected one proposed plan, and the U.S. Department of Justice blocked another. Finally, a federal judge ordered the city to adopt a new system: 14 single-member districts, with the mayor being the only official elected citywide. This “14-1” plan received support from civic groups like the Dallas Citizens Council.

In November 1991, Dallas held its first elections under the new 14-1 system. The results immediately changed the face of the City Council. The newly elected body consisted of nine white, four Black, and two Latino members, and for the first time, included four women. This shift marked the end of an era where a small group of business leaders had guided city politics and began a new chapter of more neighborhood-focused representation that better reflected the city’s diverse population.

Steve Bartlett, a former U.S. Congressman, became the first mayor elected under this new system, serving from 1991 to 1995. His administration focused on stabilizing the city after the turmoil of the late 80s and the political restructuring. Bartlett’s key policies included a major effort to reduce violent crime and the adoption of a $5 billion capital improvements plan to upgrade city infrastructure. He also pushed for economic revitalization and a downtown renaissance, which included plans for 30,000 new homes in and around the city center.

In 1995, Ron Kirk was elected as the city’s first African American mayor, a landmark event that signaled the city’s new political reality. Kirk, who served until 2001, was known for his ability to build coalitions among diverse groups. With the city’s economy now booming, his agenda shifted from recovery to ambitious growth. He passed seven city budgets that either maintained or lowered taxes while increasing the public safety budget. During his time as mayor, Dallas saw its lowest crime rate in 20 years and secured over $3.5 billion in new investment, which created more than 45,000 jobs. Kirk also introduced the “Dallas Plan,” a long-term vision for the city that included the ambitious and controversial Trinity River Project, a large-scale plan to develop a network of parks and toll roads in the river’s floodplain.

Connecting the Metroplex: The Rise of DART and a New Arena

The 1990s were also a time of major investment in public infrastructure, aimed at connecting the sprawling metroplex and revitalizing the urban core. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) authority, which was formed in 1983, began construction on its light rail system in October 1990.

On June 14, 1996, the first 11.2 miles of DART light rail opened to the public, establishing the first modern light rail system in the Southwest. The initial service consisted of two lines: the Red Line, running from Westmoreland Station in west Oak Cliff, and the Blue Line, starting at Illinois Station in south Oak Cliff. Both lines converged downtown at the Pearl/Arts District Station. The system was an immediate success, with daily ridership quickly exceeding projections by thousands. In 1997, the starter system was completed with a three-mile extension of the Blue Line deeper into South Oak Cliff.

In addition to light rail, DART launched a commuter rail line to connect Dallas with its western neighbors. The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) began service in December 1996, with a 10-mile line linking Union Station in downtown Dallas to Irving. These transit projects represented a significant step toward addressing the challenges of urban sprawl in a car-dependent region.

At the same time, city leaders and sports franchises were planning for the future of downtown entertainment. By the early 1990s, Reunion Arena, which had opened in 1980, was considered too small and outdated to serve the city’s professional sports teams. A coalition of groups, including the Greater Dallas Chamber and the Dallas Mavericks, began working on a plan for a new, state-of-the-art arena. The planning process moved forward throughout the decade, with various design and construction firms submitting technical proposals to the city. A major step was taken on October 8, 1997, when the Dallas City Council approved a Letter of Intent with the Mavericks to move forward with the project. This decision paved the way for the construction of the American Airlines Center, a modern venue designed to anchor a revitalized downtown district, which would open its doors in 2001.

A Decade of Dynasties: How Dallas Became “Title Town”

While the economy and political landscape were changing, Dallas sports teams gave the city a new identity on the national stage. The 1990s were a golden era for the city’s professional sports franchises, cementing Dallas’s reputation as a “city of champions.”

The Dallas Cowboys, under owner Jerry Jones and coach Jimmy Johnson, built one of the most dominant dynasties in NFL history. The team was powered by a trio of superstars known as “The Triplets”: quarterback Troy Aikman, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin. This core group led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl championships in just four seasons. They defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII (1992) and Super Bowl XXVIII (1993). After coach Barry Switzer took over for Johnson, the team won its third title of the decade, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX (1995). This run of success reaffirmed the team’s nickname as “America’s Team” and became a major source of civic pride.

Hockey also found a championship home in Dallas. The Minnesota North Stars relocated to the city in 1993, becoming the Dallas Stars and playing at Reunion Arena. The team quickly built a loyal following and a competitive roster. During the 1998-99 season, the Stars had the best record in the NHL, winning the Presidents’ Trophy. They went on to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, defeating the Buffalo Sabres in a dramatic six-game series. The championship team was filled with stars, including Mike Modano, Brett Hull, Joe Nieuwendyk, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, and goaltender Ed Belfour.

The city’s basketball team, however, told a different story. While the Cowboys and Stars were winning championships, the Dallas Mavericks spent the 1990s in a difficult rebuilding period. After being a consistent playoff team in the 1980s, the Mavericks failed to make the postseason for the entire decade. The team struggled through multiple coaching changes and had some of the worst records in the league, including a season in 1992-93 where they won only 11 games. The franchise tried to build around a young core of players known as the “Three J’s”—Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn, and Jim Jackson—but the effort did not lead to winning seasons. The long decade of struggle finally ended with a move that would define the team’s future: in the 1998 NBA draft, the Mavericks acquired the rights to a young German player named Dirk Nowitzki, setting the stage for a new era of success in the 2000s.

The City’s Soundtrack: Deep Ellum’s Resurgence and Local Music

Away from the corporate towers of the Telecom Corridor and the stadiums of the city’s sports dynasties, a different kind of energy was revitalizing one of Dallas’s oldest neighborhoods. In the 1990s, Deep Ellum, a historic district just east of downtown, was reborn as the epicenter of the city’s music and arts scene. Once a dormant area of warehouses, by 1991 it was home to 57 bars, nightclubs, and music venues.

Several iconic venues became the anchors of the neighborhood. Trees, which opened in May 1990, quickly grew into one of Deep Ellum’s most famous clubs. It became a key stop for major national touring acts, hosting legendary performances by bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Radiohead on their way to stardom. Club Dada, one of the area’s original venues, remained a staple with its diverse lineup of performers and popular outdoor patio. The neighborhood offered a wide range of musical experiences, from the country and blues at Adair’s Saloon to the punk rock shows at Three Links.

This vibrant scene gave rise to a generation of local bands that gained national recognition. The raw, guitar-driven sound of rock bands like The Toadies, Tripping Daisy, and Deep Blue Something emerged from Deep Ellum’s clubs and went on to have major hits. Other influential Dallas-based acts from the era included the alt-country pioneers Old 97’s and the psychobilly band The Reverend Horton Heat. The creative atmosphere of the neighborhood also fostered cultural events, such as the annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival, which celebrated the area’s mix of music, art, and street culture. This grassroots arts movement provided an important counterpoint to the city’s more corporate and mainstream successes, proving that Dallas in the 1990s had a multifaceted identity with a thriving, independent spirit.

A Changing Face: Population and Community in the Metroplex

The economic boom and cultural energy of the 1990s were set against a backdrop of dramatic demographic change. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex experienced a massive population surge during the decade. Dallas County’s population grew from just over 1.85 million in 1990 to more than 2.2 million by 2000. The city of Dallas itself crossed the one-million mark in 1990 and continued to grow throughout the decade. This growth was part of a statewide trend, as Texas’s population expanded at a faster rate than the rest of the nation.

A key driver of this growth was a significant increase in racial and ethnic diversity. The Hispanic population in Texas grew by nearly 54 percent during the 1990s. In the city of Dallas, this shift was even more pronounced. In 1990, about one in five residents was Hispanic; by 2000, that number had grown to more than one in three. This was largely due to a 131-percent increase in the city’s foreign-born population, with almost 75 percent of new immigrants coming from Mexico.

While the city of Dallas became a major gateway for new immigrants, a different trend was unfolding across the wider region. The suburbs surrounding Dallas grew at a staggering rate of 40 percent, more than double the city’s growth rate of 18 percent. Throughout the 1990s, Dallas County saw a net loss of domestic residents, as many people moved to rapidly growing suburban counties like Collin, Denton, and Tarrant. The city’s white population declined during this period.

These population shifts had significant social and economic consequences. The influx of immigrant families caused the average household size in Dallas to increase, a trend that ran counter to what was happening in the rest of the country. The region also saw a sharp rise in the number of rental housing units. Despite the decade’s overall prosperity, deep economic disparities remained. The typical household income for Black and Hispanic families was thousands of dollars lower than that of white households, and homeownership rates for minorities did not improve. The decade’s growth, therefore, created a complex picture of a region expanding and diversifying, while also grappling with new patterns of segregation and inequality.