PLANO, Texas — The implosion of the historic Electronic Data Systems campus on Sunday marked the end of an era for a corporate giant that transformed North Texas into a major technology hub.
According to historical records from the Texas State Historical Association, Ross Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962 with $1,000 borrowed from his wife. Perot pioneered the concept of information technology outsourcing, leasing unused computer time on large mainframes to manage data processing for businesses and government agencies.
According to company archives, EDS grew rapidly over the next two decades, going public in 1968. General Motors acquired the company for $2.5 billion in 1984, operating it as a subsidiary before spinning it back off as an independent enterprise in 1996.
During that period of explosive growth, Perot purchased 2,600 acres in Plano to build a dedicated headquarters. As documented by the City of Plano, EDS opened its sprawling campus along Legacy Drive in stages starting in 1985, completing the main complex in 1993. The development served as the anchor for Legacy Business Park, sparking Plano's transformation from a bedroom community into a corporate destination for Fortune 500 companies.
Corporate restructurings and shifting technology demands eventually reshaped the organization. According to Reuters reports, Hewlett-Packard purchased EDS for $13.9 billion in 2008, gradually phasing out the EDS name in favor of HP Enterprise Services. Following further corporate spin-offs, HP Enterprise Services merged with Computer Sciences Corporation in 2017 to form DXC Technology.
As remote work expanded and tech operations scaled down, DXC Technology consolidated its physical footprint and moved remaining workforce operations to newer office facilities. The 54-acre Plano campus sat vacant for seven years before developers finalized plans to clear the property. According to CBS News Texas, the site will now house a $1.3 billion corporate headquarters for AT&T, bringing roughly 10,000 employees to the area.
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