< Previousfind at other major airports but without the hassle of having to share runways with passenger planes. FedEx also operates out of the airport with some 30 daily flights. The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the highest-capacity commercial airport in the world and serves as an economic engine for the entire state. Dallas Love Field is the headquarters of Southwest Airlines. Several other recent investments in the region highlight its attractive assets. The world’s largest tools and storage company, Stanley Black & Decker, opened a new 1.2-million-sq.-ft. regional distribution center in Northlake in March. The warehouse will deliver its products to Central and Southern states and will employ more than 300 workers. Klein Tools also opened a distribution center in Mansfield, where it relocated from Iowa in 2019. Site Selection magazine ranked DFW as the No. 1 most competitive North American city in the food and beverage sector. More than 15,000 food and beverage companies operate in North Texas and account for some 370,000 local jobs. In 2018, Smoothie King moved its headquarters to Irving from Metairie, Louisiana. The company cited the area’s advantage of being a major food and beverage hub. Two of the company’s biggest competitors are also located in the region: Smoothie Factory in Dallas and Jamba Juice in Frisco. North Texas added 9,800 manufacturing jobs last year. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.by SAVANNAH KINGGet Energized in SOUTH TEXASPhoto by Heather Overman78 T E X A S E C O N O MI C DE V E L O P M E N T G U I DErom the sparkling blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the Mexican border, South Texas has become a mecca for business. In Corpus Christi alone, more than $50 billion in industrial projects are either underway or were recently completed. San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the nation and has been lauded by Forbes as “America’s Next Great Metropolis.” The southeastern city of Victoria is known as the “South Texas Crossroads” for its key location among several major highways and transportation assets. To the west, McAllen offers more than 2 million binational citizens and a transportation infrastructure that connects businesses and consumers to Mexico and the U.S. Companies in various industries are investing heavily across the region, but there’s one industry in South Texas that reigns supreme: energy.Cheniere Energy Inc. is the leading producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas in the U.S. and is headquartered in Houston. In 2018, the company invested $15 billion into building a new facility on more than 1,000 acres. Cheniere operates one of the largest liquefaction platforms in the world, consisting of the Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi Liquefaction facilities on the Gulf Coast. “The Lone Star State has long led the nation in domestic oil and gas production,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “This first ever cargo shipment of LNG from Texas represents continued growth in the energy export trade, the creation of new jobs, and the expansion of our international reach. I wish Cheniere continued success as they expand their trade operations, and I look forward to continuing our work to ensure that Texas remains the energy and economic engine of America.”Having considered the area since 2015, Houston-based Agilon Energy announced it would invest up to $125 million into building two electric power plants in Victoria County in 2018. The plants are located at the city’s former water treatment plant site and the Port of Victoria. Both plants will provide power during peak demand, specifically during the summer and winter months, and will operate for about 10 percent of the year. Texas-based solar developer PowerFin Partners and Canadian Fengate Asset Management have invested $100 million to acquire a 9.1-MW direct-current portfolio of operating solar projects in both Austin and San Antonio. The multi-year investment will fund the development and construction of PowerFin’s significant pipeline of solar projects in Texas. In addition, Fengate will exclusively invest in all the partnership’s solar projects over multiple years. FS O U T H T E X A SBrownsville-HarlingenMSA population: 475,631 Workforce population: 142,300Higher education: Texas Southmost College, Texas State Technical College, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyMajor employers: All Star Metals, ESCO Marine, H.E.B. Stores, Keppel Amfels, National Electric Coil, Rich SeaPak, Trico Products, Worldwide Digital Industry clusters: Manufacturing, TransportationCorpus ChristiMSA population: 462,424 Workforce population: 196,300 Higher education: Del Mar College, Texas A&M University-Corpus ChristiMajor employers: Bay Ltd., CITGO, First Data Corporation, Flint Hills Resources, H.E.B. Stores, Kiewit Offshore Services, Sam Kane Beef Processors, Valero Refining Industry clusters: Aerospace & Aviation, Petroleum & Chemical ManufacturingSan Antonio-New BraunfelsMSA population: 2,530,406Workforce population: 1,057,500Higher education: Alamo Community College District, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, The University of Texas at San Antonio, University of the Incarnate WordMajor employers: Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, Clear Channel Communications, Continental Automotive, Cullen/Frost Bankers, GE Oil and Gas, H.E.B Stores, Hunter Industries, IBEX Global, Rackspace, Southwest Research Institute, Standard Aero, Sysco, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Tyson Foods, USAA, Valero EnergyIndustry clusters: Information Technology, Financial Services, Insurance, Aerospace & AviationLaredoMSA population: 303,060 Workforce population: 104,200 Higher education: Laredo Community College, Texas A&M International UniversityMajor employers: Convergys, FedEx Freight, H.E.B. Stores, International Bank of Commerce, Laredo Medical Center Industry cluster: Transportation & LogisticsMcAllen-Edinburg-MissionMSA population: 955,781 Workforce population: 259,700Higher education: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, South Texas College, Texas A&M-McAllenMajor employers: Duro Bag Manufacturing, Frito-Lay Inc., H.E.B Stores, Hi-Tech Plastics Inc., Mission Paving, Mission Shippers, T-Mobile USA, Texas Citrus Exchange Industry clusters: Food & Beverage Production, TransportationVictoriaMSA population: 99,879 Workforce population: 42,300 Higher education: University of Houston-Victoria, Victoria CollegeMajor employers: Caterpillar, DOW Seadrift Operations, Formosa Plastics, Integrated Bagging Systems, INVISTA, The Inteplast GroupIndustry clusters: Industrial Manufacturing, Metals Manufacturing, Petroleum & Chemical Manufacturing, Plastics & Materials ManufacturingS O UT H T E X A SToyota is proud to call Texas home. With its pro-business approach, educated workforce and central location in the U.S., the environment in the Lone Star State is built for growth and success.”– Jim Lentz, CEO, Toyota Motor North America, San AntonioT E X A S E C O N O MI C DE V E L O P M E N T G U I DE 80 T E X A S E C O N O MI C DE V E L O P M E N T G U I DErom the state capital to the Barbecue Capital of Texas, and from the largest military installations in the free world to the best cities for small business, Central Texas is a diverse region. Central Texas stretches from San Marcos to Waco along the I-35 NAFTA Corridor that runs from Mexico to Canada. Some of the fastest-growing cities in the state are in the region that has long been known for its dynamic business ecosystem. by SAVANNAH KINGFC E NT R A L TE X A SCentral Texas: A Capital Idea Photo by Shay La’VeeT E X A S E C O N O MI C DE V E L O P M E N T G U I DE 81Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in 1885.Several major recent investments underline the region’s advantages. Internet job search company Indeed is expanding its operations in Austin with the addition of as many as 3,000 new jobs in the city over the next few years. The company has described Austin as a “global technical hub” for its operations and currently employs 1,600 employees in the city. The U.S. Army selected Austin as the headquarters for its Futures Command operation. Austin was the first choice on a list of 15 possible sites for its innovative, creative and diverse community. In addition to having access to a technical workforce, the Army wanted a place where people wanted to live. Austin-Round Rock Population: 2,175,847 Workforce population: 1,040,800 Higher education: Austin Community College, St. Edward’s University, Texas State University, The University of Texas at Austin Major employers: 3M, Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon, Apple, Applied Materials, Cirrus Logic, Cypress Semiconductor, Dell Technologies, Flextronics International, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, National Instruments, NXP Semiconductor, Pfizer, Samsung Austin SemiconductorIndustry clusters: Financial Services, Information Technology, Manufacturing, DefenseKilleen-TemplePopulation: 484,703 Workforce population: 148,700Higher education: Central Texas College District, Temple College, Texas A&M University-Central TexasMajor employers: Advanced Electrical Systems, Blackhawk Management Corporation, EG&G Technical Services, McLane Southwest, Pactiv, Pepsi Cola South, Raytheon, Teleperformance, Wilsonart Industry clusters: Aerospace & Aviation, Materials Manufacturing, Financial ServicesWacoPopulation: 269,936 Workforce population: 118,400Higher education: Baylor University; McLennan Community College, Texas State Technical CollegeMajor employers: Alco Fastening Systems, Allergan, Cargill Foods, H.E.B. Stores, L-3 Integrated Systems, Mars Chocolate North America, Pilgrims’ Pride, Sanderson Farms Industry clusters: Manufacturing, Food & Beverage ProductionC E N TR A L T E X A SWe are committed to growing in Austin, a city that is a proven tech hub with excellent access to talent and a community that encourages innovation. As one of Indeed’s founding cities, it has been a great place to grow our organization over the past 13 years as we’ve helped millions of job seekers fi nd new opportunities.”— Chris Hyams, President of Indeed, Austin T E X A S E C O N O MI C DE V E L O P M E N T G U I DET E X A S E C O N O MI C DE V E L O P M E N T G U I DE 83 Austin is the No. 1 Best City for Entrepreneurs – Yahoo FinanceIn Lockhart, Vision Fiber Technologies Inc. (VFT) is establishing its global headquarters, R&D and manufacturing facility in a 30,000-sq.-ft. facility. The company cited the city’s tech talent and geographic proximity to economic hubs like Austin, San Antonio and Houston as reasons for selecting the city. The world’s largest bitcoin mining and equipment maker, Bitmain, is constructing a new blockchain data center and cryptocurrency mining facility in the city of Rockdale. The facility is expected to create 400 new jobs and represents an investment of more than $500 million over a period of seven years. The company is inside an abandoned aluminum smelter plant and has promised to work with local schools to prepare students with the technical and professional skills needed for careers at the data facility. Austin is the No. 1 Best Place to Live – Best Places Rankings U.S. News & World Report Next >