Challenge Once considered a sleepy college town on the outskirts of the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex, Denton has experienced extensive growth since the city’s last comprehensive economic development plan in 2003. Since then, City leaders have made investments in the downtown district and an industrial park that put Denton squarely […]
Challenge One of a handful of US cities recognized around the world for its vivid history and cultural richness, San Antonio combines relatively affordable housing with a variety of amenities and entertainment options, an array of postsecondary institutions, and diverse career opportunities. Yet despite its many advantages, San Antonio’s track
Challenge Led by a resurgence in energy and petrochemicals, the greater Houston region experienced an extended period of unprecedented growth. With almost $20 billion in investment in new plants and facilities announced along the Gulf Coast, the region was in an enviable position. Employers, however, were concerned that the region
Challenge The sharp downturn in economic activity precipitated by the global COVID-19 pandemic brought the need for recovery and resiliency planning into sharp relief for communities, regions, and states in 2020. Faced with the immediate need of helping member communities deal with recovery planning from the current economic upheaval, and
Challenge While the population and demand for services in rural Central Texas have continued to grow post-pandemic, regional employers have struggled to hire, and rural workers have struggled to access the training and support needed to thrive. Seeking to address this deepening disconnect, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) applied
Challenge Despite being part of one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, Kaufman, Texas, was falling behind its Dallas-area peers in 2016. An analysis of trends revealed little population growth, a declining supply of housing, and lagging incomes and home values. Commuting patterns suggested the city was neither a stand-out
Challenge Tampa Bay’s strong economic base, high-profile developments, diverse culture, and desirable amenities have made it one of the country’s fastest-growing regions. Guided by its 2017 strategic plan, the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (TBEDC), formerly the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, has been instrumental in several regional transformations. Despite
Challenge The Northern Colorado region of Larimer and Weld Counties benefits from years of collaboration among chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and local governments. In 2019, the two county governments, along with selected towns and municipalities executed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on economic development activities that promote
Challenge Interstate 68 (I-68) is a 113-mile, east-west highway that travels through mountainous and rural areas to connect I-70 in Hancock, Maryland, to I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia. In 2016, the counties and cities that share I-68 as a common asset formed the I-68 Regional Economic Partnership (REP). While the
Challenge Situated just north of Houston in Montgomery County, Texas, Conroe’s employment situation in the latter half of the 2010s mirrored national trends. The county’s unemployment levels reached historic levels—as low as 2.8 percent in May 2019—and job growth in the county was outpacing the growth of the local labor
