Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. Launches Ambassador Program for Downtown Fort Worth
November 13,2017
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. (DFWI) has added Downtown Ambassadors to the services provided by the Downtown Public Improvement District (PID). The Ambassadors will be circulating throughout downtown in their vibrant green pick up, on foot, on bicycles, and on Segways assisting visitors, creating a friendly and welcoming environment, and adding extra eyes and ears on the street.
Downtown Ambassador Launch 
Program: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 12:00 PM
Fort Worth Municipal Court Building Plaza – 1000 Throckmorton Street, 76102
PARTICIPANTS
Mayor Betsy Price
Councilmember Ann Zadeh, District 9
Team of 13 Downtown Ambassadors
DFWI President, Andy Taft
On September 12, 2017, the Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved a downtown PID assessment rate increase from 10 cents per $100 of value on taxable downtown properties to 12.5 cents to fund the program. DFWI manages the PID and has been working with downtown property owners for nearly a year to develop this new program.
DFWI conducted a national search for service providers, and selected Block by Block to manage the program. Block By Block manages services for 94 districts across the county, including Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Uptown Dallas.
“This is a value added service. Downtown has new office space coming on line, new residential developments and hotels being added at record pace and more conventioneers than ever before. We have more people in downtown needing assistance. The Ambassadors will do everything from help with a package and give restaurant recommendations to changing a tire and helping get appropriate social services to those in need,” said DFWI Chair, Rick Baumeister.
“This will also be an ‘observe, report and deter’ team,” said Jed Wagenknecht, PID Advisory Committee Chair. “The Ambassadors will provide additional sets of eyes and ears on the street. They will help the Police and Sheriff’s departments and private security teams by reporting suspicious behavior and they will help discourage bad behavior by their presence.”