Fort Worth in the US state of Texas is the fastest-growing large city in the country, according to an article from the platform Cities Today. Since 2000, Fort Worth’s population has doubled to over 950,000 people. The city is now the 13th biggest in America. To address this rapid growth and its implications, Fort Worth last year appointed its first Chief of Strategy and Innovation, Carlo Capua.
During an interview at the recent Cities Today Institute City Leadership Forum in Long Beach, Capua highlighted that Fort Worth was the first city to mine Bitcoin. “It was to try something new and innovative and to brand Fort Worth as a city that is dynamic and forward-thinking,” he said. He added that as a result, “other cities are looking at Fort Worth to see what we are doing”.
Capua revealed that other innovative projects are underway in Fort Worth, including experimenting with the metaverse. The city will also be home to cultural facilities such as the National Juneteenth Museum, celebrating freedom from slavery in Texas, that will foster connections in local communities, according to Capua.
However, being first also brings potential hazards, such as the energy consumption of Bitcoin. “You have to balance the risk,” he said. “It’s important whenever you are doing something that’s really forward-thinking to learn before. Find a champion in each of those departments.”
Overall, he said, cities need to be able to tell a compelling story. “If you do wonderful, ground-breaking things in your city, but fail to share it with your residents, media and other cities, you’re leaving a ton of opportunity and exposure on the table,” he explained. ce/em
