Jack Matthews

Matthews gained local attention for his early bet on Dallas’ Cedars neighborhood, converting a former Sears warehouse into South Side on Lamar, a large mixed‑use district that helped catalyze subsequent investment nearby. 

Born and raised in Canada, Matthews began his career in his family’s construction business, rising to lead the firm before launching Matthews Southwest in 1988 to establish an American development presence. In 1994 he moved the company’s headquarters to the Dallas area, focusing on commercial, residential and mixed‑use projects. He’s played a prominent role in shaping Dallas’s urban landscape and now operates internationally across North America, Europe and the Middle East.

His firm also delivered the Omni Dallas Hotel adjacent to the convention center and has since expanded its portfolio to include entertainment venues, multifamily developments and large‑scale redevelopment opportunities.

The company, now known as Matthews, has diversified into multiple divisions and maintains long‑term development commitments that involve complex financing, community partnerships and large‑scale urban projects. The city of Dallas chose Matthews as the lead developer for its convention center expansion, for which the city plans to issue $2.2 billion in long-term bonds.

— Rachel Stone