City of Commerce, Texas
Economic Development Strategic Plan
The Challenge
Commerce is in an enviable economic development position having many of the necessary ingredients for long-term success: home to Texas A&M University-Commerce, proximate to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and host to a significant industrial base, including Tyco Healthcare, Zurn Pex, Alliance Carpet Cushion, and Hydro Aluminum Metal Products. The community also enjoys an authentic downtown, nearby recreation opportunities at area lakes, and an attractive gateway to the community along Highway 50 from Interstate 30. And, a booming population on the western side of Hunt County indicates that growth from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex will ultimately begin to affect Commerce. At the same time, Commerce also faces numerous challenges, including a shortage of adequate housing options, a lack of retail and entertainment options, an aging infrastructure, an insufficient supply of available industrial sites, and a limited tax base. These challenges will be compounded as pending suburbanization spreads eastward from the Metroplex placing additional strains on city services.
The Approach
Recognizing these challenges and opportunities, a coalition of the City of Commerce, the Commerce Economic Development Corporation, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce ISD, the Commerce Chamber, and the Commerce Leadership Institute, hired TIP Strategies, Inc. to assist in crafting a response. The findings and recommendations for the plan were based on the review of existing economic and demographic data, site tours, stakeholder interviews, community visioning session with the city council, focus group meetings, and workshops with the project steering committee.
The Outcome
With the assistance of the project steering committee, TIP Strategies established a vision for Commerce and identified priorities for appropriate goals and supporting strategies. The three primary goals for the plan were enhancing the city’s quality of place, expanding the city’s tax base, and nurturing the city’s talent base. To support the realization of these goals, TIP also identified a number of priority projects, including the establishment of a university/downtown redevelopment corridor, the creation of an entertainment venue, the formation of a Center for Excellence in automotive-related plastics, and the development of alternative business sites to market to prospective employers. Since completion of the plan, TIP has been engaged to assist in building community support for the implementation of several of these priority projects.
Penny A. Belcher, Director Corporate and Community Relations Texas A&M University-Commerce P.O. Box 3011 Binnion Hall Rm. 213 Commerce, TX 75429 (Office) 903.468.8170 (Fax) 903.468.8154 Penny_Belcher@tamu-commerce.edu
