< Previous108 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E R E G I O N P R O F I L E — U P P E R R I O G R A N D E by RON STARNER TWO STATES, TWO COUNTRIES MEET IN EL PASO About 97% of the people of the Upper Rio Grande Region live in El Paso County. Photo: Getty Images Source: Texas ComptrollerTE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 109 There is perhaps no more scenic place in Texas than the majestic Upper Rio Grande Region. Covering 21,700 square miles and stretching from the Mexico border and the New Mexico state line along the Rio Grande past Big Bend and around the area of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, this region has captivated the American imagination for centuries. Six counties form the foundation of this region, with the El Paso MSA serving as the dominant metro area. In 2019, about 865,000 people called the Upper Rio Grande Region home. This represents an increase of 40,000 people (5%) since the 2010 census. Major industries in the region include leather and allied product manufacturing; apparel manufacturing; law enforcement; truck transportation; petroleum and coal products manufacturing; museums and historical sites; administration of housing programs, urban planning and community development; heavy and civil engineering construction; primary metal manufacturing; and rental and leasing services. In 2020, Greater El Paso landed 11 corporate facility expansion projects. The biggest deal came from Amazon, which announced a $191.7 million capital investment to build a distribution warehouse and hire 700 workers in El Paso. The TJX Companies, meanwhile, announced a $150 million investment to build a warehouse and hire 950 people in El Paso; and Marmaxx Operating Corp. announced a $90 million investment to build office and distribution space and hire 950 people in the area. The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is the largest college in the region and educates more than 25,000 students each year. The National Science Foundation has designated UTEP as a Model Institution for Excellence, one of just six schools in the nation to receive that honor. UTEP is also one of only 11 universities in America to receive a $5 million Teachers for a New Era (TNE) research grant from the Carnegie Corp. El Paso is served by Interstates 10 and 110, as well as four U.S. highways — 54, 62, 85 and 180. BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. serve as the dominant rail carriers in the region. SECTOR PROJECTS TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 4 BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES 3 LIFE SCIENCES 3 MACHINERY, EQUIP. & CONST. 3 IT & COMM. 1 CHEMICALS & PLASTICS 1 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 1 2020 EL PASO’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS Source: Conway Data Guadalupe Mountains National Park Courtesy of Travel Texasby RON STARNER 110 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E S P OR T S & RE C RE A TI ON POSSI BLE Making the Impossible Toyota Statium in Frisco, home to FC DallasTE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 111 On April 5, 2021, the sports world was treated to two remarkable sights, courtesy of the state of Texas. First, the Texas Rangers opened the 2021 Major League Baseball season to a packed house at new Globe Life Field in Arlington — the first sold-out major sports event in the country since the advent of the global pandemic in March of 2020. Secondly, the Baylor Bears stunned the sports world by upsetting and demolishing the previously undefeated and heavily favored Gonzaga Bulldogs in the National Championship Game of the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis later that evening. Just a little over a year ago, both occurrences seemed highly unlikely. America, like the rest of the world, was struggling to gain control over the spread of the deadly coronavirus, prompting shutdown orders nationwide that left sporting venues silent and vacant. Bears and Rangers prove it can happen in Texas. by RON STARNER POSSI BLE112 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E Meanwhile, new head basketball coach Scott Drew was still building a program that had been moth-balled just a handful of years ago. The experts predicted that Baylor would field a competitive squad in the 2020-2021 college basketball season, but no one knew whether a complete season was even possible, given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and its effect on various teams. And certainly no one was forecasting that Drew and his players would be cutting down the nets in Indy come April 5. Yet, both things happened. Some 32,238 fans entered the turnstiles at Globe Life Field to cheer on the Rangers and usher in a season of MLB in Texas. A few hours later, Baylor players, coaches and fans alike celebrated wildly as the clock ticked down to double zeros, capping a lopsided win over the No. 1-ranked Zags. To understand how these unlikely events could happen, you must know the psyche of Texas. Ingrained into the DNA of Texans is an unmatched desire to excel and be the best at anything. From football and soccer to hockey and golf and virtually every other sport, Texans take great pride in being the best and in winning championships — both on the field and off. That is why the legacy of Texas is replete with some of the most hallowed names in sport: Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett, Troy Aikman, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Nolan Ryan, Kevin Durant, Sheryl Swoopes, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Ben Hogan, Doak Walker, Ernie Banks, George Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, in Arlington TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 113 SOME 32,238 fans entered the turnstiles at GLOBE LIFE FIELD TO CHEER ON THE RANGERS and usher in a season of MLB in Texas. Foreman, Mean Joe Greene, Tom Landry, A.J. Foyt, Lee Trevino, Mia Hamm. These are just a handful of the legends who once roamed the fields, courts and racetracks of Texas. Today, hundreds of stellar athletes carry on their legacy at venues in places like Frisco, Arlington, Houston, Sugarland, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, College Station, Lubbock, Austin, El Paso, San Antonio and plenty of other cities throughout the Lone Star State. Soccer lovers fill stadiums in Frisco and Houston to cheer on FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer, and they will soon be flocking to a new stadium in Austin. Football fans fill college stadiums as well as giant venues in Houston and Arlington to root for the Texans, Cowboys and other teams. MLB fans can choose between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. Hockey lovers put on their sweaters to bang the glass for the Dallas Stars. NBA arenas in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas cater to fans of the Spurs, Rockets and Mavericks. On top of that, recreational enthusiasts travel to the state each year to engage in hunting, fishing, backpacking, camping, boating, snorkeling, beachcombing, surfing, sailing, skiing, bike riding, running, hiking, rock climbing and plenty of other pastimes. The common denominator in all these pursuits is a state that drives people toward excellence and having more than a little fun in the process. What happened on April 5 — in two cities — was but the latest evidence of that. 114 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E Companies aren’t the only ones packing up shop and moving to Texas. In recent years, people from all over the globe are moving to Texas. In 2019, Texas ranked No. 2 in the nation for relocation activity, according to the 2021 edition of the Texas Relocation Report released by Texas Realtors. The report analyzes the latest migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U-Haul. According to the census estimates, Texas welcomed 537,000 — 582,000 new residents in 2019. This is the seventh year in a row that Texas attracted more than 500,000 new residents from out of state. The census also estimated 435,000 — 471,000 Texans moved to other states, yielding a net gain of approximately 100,000 people. Most of those new Texans relocated from California and 7 Reasons to Move to the Lone Star State by SAVANNAH KING Gone Texas Q U A LIT Y O F LIF E View from Enchanted Rock, Fredricksburg Photo by Heather Overman toTE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 115 Florida, respectively. Other top states for people moving to Texas included Louisiana, Illinois, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Georgia and Arizona. Additionally, Texas welcomed approximately 192,000 — 222,000 new residents from outside the country in 2019. Interestingly, California ranked first in the United States for the number of residents moving out of state in 2019, with Texas coming in second. The most popular out-of-state relocation destinations for people moving out of Texas included California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia. While California was the top state new Texans moved from, and existing Texans moved to, about double the number of Californians moved to Texas compared to Texans’ migration to California. Here are seven reasons to make the move to Texas this year: Economic opportunity: Texas rang in the 2021 New Year by becoming the world’s ninth-largest economy. It also recently celebrated its ninth consecutive year winning Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup award — a clear indication of the state’s ability to attract businesses and opportunity for its residents. Affordability: Texas offers an affordable cost of living. According to ABOVE LEFT: Dixie Dude Cattle Ranch, Bandera, Texas Photo by Carmyn Rio TOP: Lake Marble Falls reservoir on the Colorado River, Texas Hill Country Photo by Heather Overman ABOVE: Texas state flower, the Bluebonnet Photo by Heather Overman116 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E TOP: Mural in Austin Photo by Carmyn Rio ABOVE: The Percy V. Pennybacker Jr. Bridge, Austin Photo by Shay La’Vee ABOVE RIGHT: Cattle grazing in the Hill Country Photo by Heather Overman Best Places, Texas boasts a cost of living index of 93.9, compared to the U.S. average of 100. According to Zillow, homes are more affordable in Texas than states along the east and west coasts, with an average home value of $228,255. No income tax: Businesses aren’t the only ones benefiting from the Lone Star State’s low taxes and affordability. Not only are there no corporate income taxes, but Texans also enjoy having no personal income tax and keeping more money in their wallets. 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