The Greater San Marcos Story

Greater San Marcos, Texas. On any given day, partners stand in line for a place on her dance card. Her secret lies in her ability to step lively with regional partners from Austin to San Antonio, international visitors from Mexico and beyond. Without missing a beat – or stepping on anyone’s toes – she continues to grow a local economy in an uncertain market.

Since February 2009, 33 leaders in the Greater San Marcos Area - including both Hays and Caldwell Counties - have poured over results from 12 focus groups, 26 one-on-one interviews with community leaders, and more than 1,000 community surveys.  They also looked at the organizational structure for economic development, statistics and demographics about the region, learned about global, national and regional economic trends – all to choreograph the best plan to keep the Greater San Marcos Area economy moving forward.

Taking the lead in this dance was Market Street Services, an Atlanta-based firm specializing in community and economic development planning.  These professionals paired with community leaders for a flawlessly coordinated effort: the first comprehensive economic development plan ever attempted here. Not only does this research name conditions in a way that helps planners develop a road map to the future, but it also signals a new day for collaboration that showcases the many gifts and graces of the entire Greater San Marcos region.

The leaders invested $150,000 – despite a down economy – and formed a regional public-private partnership, Partners for Progress, in early January to oversee the economic development strategic planning process.  More recently, they created a new organization, Greater San Marcos Economic Development, to oversee a four-year implementation plan.  Founding members include the City of San Marcos, Economic Development San Marcos, San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, Central Texas Medical Center, Texas State University, Hays County, Gary Job Corp, San Marcos CISD, Caldwell County, Lockhart EDC, Luling EDC, and Prime Outlets.

In Spring 2010, they are stepping out with the most aggressive economic development effort in the history of the Greater San Marcos Area.

We Compiled the Information

• We DOCUMENTED our strengths:
  • Texas State University
  • San Marcos River
  • Stunning beauty and environment
  • Education – variety and quality of options
  • Location
  • People
  • Retail dominance
  • Small town feel
  • Outdoor recreation
  • Low cost of living
  • Diversity
  

• We ACCEPTED our challenges:
  • Low wages, job quality
  • Poor infrastructure
  • Traffic congestion
  • Poverty
  • Housing costs and availability
  • Perceptions of K-12 education
  • Awareness of Greater San Marcos economic development initiatives
  • Access to venture capital and entrepreneur resources
  • Shortage of workforce development and education programs
  

• We IDENTIFIED our target industries:
  • Health care
  • Corporate and professional operations
  • Material science and advanced manufacturing
  • Supply chain management

• We RECOGNIZED three unique opportunities:
  • Tourism
  • Downtown development
  • Green industries

We are Recruiting Partners

Between the Strategy’s completion in September 2009 and its official launch in early Spring 2010, the community must prepare organizationally and financially for implementation. The Partners for Progress will take the lead on these preparations. They need the full support of community stakeholders for momentum to continue. A progressive new program proposed in the Strategy requires an injection of energy, funding and additional staff resources into Greater San Marcos Economic Development (GSMED). The Strategy calls on GSMED to increase capacity to support business development, business retention, workforce, education, research and marketing. Approximately $4 Million is needed over the next five years to support the implementation of the strategy. Each year, $800,000 must be generated by investors from the private sector, government, and academic institutions. Market Street Services believes that this represents the very basic requirements of an economic development campaign, and could be even further expanded on as the initiative matures. We have only begun this never-ending journey to strengthen our Greater San Marcos community and provide the economic environment and quality of life that our residents and businesses deserve. We need partners to make it happen.

See the Plan

www.greatersanmarcosplan.com

To find out more about how to become a Partner with Greater San Marcos Economic Development, please contact:

Amy Madison
Economic Development Executive Director
(512) 393-5907

amym@sanmarcostexas.com
ecodevsanmarcos.org

sanmarcostexas.com