Bastrop County Open for business
BUSINESS and TOURISM FIND SYNERGY AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE BRINGS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE and AFFORDABLE LAND HELP WRITE SUCCESS STORies | www.BastropCountyTexas.com | Photo: Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative Corporate Headquarters
Destination: Bastrop County
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ith its unique blend of city convenience and rural charm, Bastrop County is a destination of choice for both business and tourism. The county is just a 30-minute drive from Austin, one of the nation’s hippest, fastest-growing cities. According to Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape, that proximity fuels dramatic businessfriendly growth. “In the 30 years I’ve lived here, our population has tripled,” Pape says. “Our growth is going to accelerate as Austin continues to be a magnet for business and industry.”
San Antonio and Houston are also within easy reach, giving Bastrop County businesses ready access to major markets. And, of course, big cities mean many other benefits: a diverse and educated workforce, ample support services, and amenities for
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employees, to name a few. But Bastrop County’s appeal isn’t just about proximity. The county itself has plenty to attract businesses. Cooperative Culture “We have a supportive culture for economic development. When businesses come in, we try to do as much work as we can for them,” says Rachel Clampffer, the county’s director of planning and economic development. That culture starts with a cooperative relationship between local governments and business-focused organizations. These groups have created an economic development alliance called BEST: Bastrop – Elgin – Smithville, Texas, named for the county’s three cities. BEST members meet monthly to brainstorm business-friendly initiatives and encourage connections between high-level officials, business owners and developers.
Bastrop County Courthouse Built in 1883, the courthouse serves as a symbol of Bastrop County strength.
In addition, both city and county governments have financial incentives for new or expanding businesses. Bastrop County participates in Texas’ 381 Economic Development Agreement plan, which allows local governments to reward job creators with tax abatements, grants, sales tax payments and other assistance. The county and the City of Elgin have cooperatively created a designated TIRZ (tax increment reinvestment zone). Taxes from businesses that invest in this zone are earmarked for infrastructure improvements that directly benefit those businesses. Wide-Open Spaces Judge Pape also points to the county’s abundant land as one of its key assets. “We still have 1,000-acre ranches that can be transformed into anything anyone can dream of doing,” he says. “They’re like blank canvases. There aren’t too many places left in the country where you can do that.” For businesses looking for smaller properties, the county also has many shovel-ready sites with electricity and water service already in place. Both are supplied by large, long-established utility cooperatives that are accustomed to working closely with businesses. Other assets include a regional airport, one U.S. and four state highways, a new Austin Community College campus and a relaxed, rural lifestyle that appeals to employees. Destination: Tourism and Business Bastrop County also has several features that make it ideal for tourists and the businesses that serve them. The county is a recreation paradise, with three Lower Colorado River Authority parks, the stunning Lost Pines Forest and two state parks. “People from all over the state have childhood memories of hiking in our
forests or fishing here,” Pape says. “Our natural beauty makes us a great destination for vacationers and travelers.” The area’s rich history is likewise a big draw: the town of Bastrop, founded in 1832, is one of the oldest in the state. The National Register of Historic Places lists more than 300 Bastrop County sites, including the 1883 Bastrop County courthouse and several historic districts. Tourists also choose Bastrop County for its convenient, low-traffic proximity to major Austin events such as concerts and Formula One races at the nearby Circuit of the Americas. Visitors can stay at one of many hotels in the area, including the four-star Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa. The county also has numerous chain and family-owned restaurants, as well as boutiques that sell handmade jewelry, pottery and Texas specialties such as custom boots. But there’s plenty of room for more destination businesses. “Our hotels are often completely full, especially on event weekends,” Rachel Clampffer says. “You won’t have to be a pioneer if you open a destination business in Bastrop County – the market is already here.” To encourage travel-sector growth, the county offers attractive benefits to destination business owners. The hotel occupancy tax, for instance, is reinvested in the lodging industry – the Bastrop County Tourism Office recently purchased Texas Hotel and Lodging Association memberships for the county’s hoteliers. Overall, Clampffer says, these kinds of features make Bastrop County a great place for business. “We’re well-centered,” she says. “It’s a good time to develop here – we’re excited about welcoming businesses.”
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Control Room Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s control room shows the distribution of power as it is provided throughout Bastrop County.
Art Foundry Deep in the Heart Art Foundry, located in the Bastrop Industrial Park, works beside other innovative companies that enjoy the easy business climate that Bastrop County offers.
Industry Leader
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ne of Bastrop County’s most valuable assets is the Bastrop Industrial Park, a 263-acre complex that’s fostering success for both existing and expanding businesses. Putting Down Roots The Coghlan Group, which distributes pharmaceuticals and other materials for clinical trials, moved into the park in 2000. Thanks to nearby U.S. and state highways and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the company can ship easily to its clients on both U.S. coasts and overseas. Founder and CEO Terry Coghlan says the park’s wide-open spaces are another advantage. His four-plus acres have allowed him to expand his original facility from 6,000 to 20,000 square feet over the years, and he’s now preparing to add a 30,000-squarefoot warehouse. “All this land lets us have a convenient, campus-type setting instead of having buildings in different parts of town or even in different sections of the park,” he says. Even more convenient is the assistance he’s received from the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation (BEDC). “They’re extremely helpful to people who are interested in moving into the Bastrop Industrial Park, always willing to listen to ideas for fulfilling the needs of a particular client so they can relocate,” he says. “And in Bastrop, permitting is seamless; it’s all prearranged for you.” Expanding for Success It’s no wonder, then, that businesses like JAMCo are coming to Bastrop.
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The Atlanta-based company, which manufactures and installs high-rise building envelopes, is expanding to Bastrop Industrial Park in late 2013. “We see a large amount of quality work coming out in Texas, and if we’re going to accept work in Texas, then we want to create jobs in Texas,” says JAMCo President Phil Greeves. The company’s Texas clients are located primarily in Austin, Houston and Dallas, so the centrally located Bastrop Industrial Park was a logical choice. Greeves says that the nearby highways and airport make it easy to move materials to those three cities. And, like Coghlan, Greeves found a willing partner in the Bastrop EDC and the city of Bastrop. They helped JAMCo design an expandable facility and offered the company free land in exchange for meeting certain employment targets. “They were extremely easy to work with, and that makes a big difference when you’re trying to accomplish something from a distance,” Greeves says. “We felt like they genuinely wanted us to be here.” Both Greeves and Coghlan have also found that Bastrop and nearby Austin supply a plentiful skilled workforce, and the area’s quality of life makes workers willing to relocate. “This is a very robust community, but as it’s growing and progressing, it’s keeping what makes it unique,” Coghlan says. “I would encourage everyone to come to Bastrop and make your fortune – it can definitely be done here.” For more information about the Bastrop Industrial Park and the Bastrop EDC, visit www.bastropedc.org.
Austin Community College: Workforce Partner
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hanks to Austin Community College’s new 98-acre Elgin campus, Bastrop County residents and businesses alike enjoy easy access to higher education and workforce development. ACC Elgin, located next to U.S. 290 and County Line Road, enrolled its first crop of students recently for fall 2013. The 65,000-square-foot campus currently has space for 1,500 students, but Campus Manager (and Elgin resident) Betsy Erwin expects the location to expand as enrollment increases. “The Elgin campus will make higher education more convenient for residents throughout the Bastrop County area,” Erwin says. “In fact, we’re expecting to draw enrollment not only from Elgin but also from the communities of Manor and Bastrop.” Expanding to Elgin was a partnership effort. A citizen committee approached ACC about joining the college’s taxing district, and voters in Elgin ISD approved annexation in 2010. The annexation touched off a 60 percent increase in enrollment by Elgin students, and the new campus wasn’t far behind. Classes for College, Career and Beyond From the word go, ACC Elgin is offering comprehensive classes and services to help students achieve their college and career goals. Students have access to foundation skills, core curriculum, and workforce courses in subjects like writing, history, computer science and website design. The campus also has academic and financial aid
Austin Community College – Elgin Campus In addition to ACC’s outstanding workforce preparation courses, this new 98-acre campus debuts ACC’s only sustainable agriculture classes.
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counseling, a learning lab staffed by free tutors, science and computer labs, and a library. Erwin is particularly excited about two programs that will be unique to the Elgin location. One, a noncredit sequence on sustainable agriculture, debuted for fall 2013. The other, a veterinary technician program, is currently undergoing accreditation. Erwin also expects the Elgin campus to participate in ACC’s Early College Start program for ambitious high school students. “A community college gives all residents an opportunity to improve their lives, whether they want to train for a new career, take transferable classes or add to their resumes. It also creates a skilled workforce – something that employers need,” Erwin says. Given those benefits, it’s no surprise that community response has been overwhelmingly positive. About 1,000 residents attended a college fair and business expo held at the campus over the summer, and Erwin says that residents, local businesses, the Elgin city government and the chamber of commerce have all been extremely supportive. But it’s no more than she expected. “This is a very special area,” Erwin says. “Bastrop County is charming and well-positioned for economic development and growth. Austin Community College is proud to be part of this community.” For more information about ACC’s Elgin campus, visit www.austincc.edu/elgin.
The GOOD Things in Life
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astrop County is where to find the good things in life – both for visitors and the businesses that serve them. Rich in history and natural beauty, Bastrop County is a relaxing getaway from the pressures and grind of city life. “This is a casual, rural area, so you don’t have to make a big plan before you come here or worry about everything being booked,” says Adena Lewis, a Smithville native and the county’s tourism coordinator. “You can be as self-structured – or not – as you want to be.” Eat, Play, Learn
Colorado River The Colorado River is just one of the recreational opportunities offered for Bastrop County tourists and residents.
photo by bastrop river company
Historic tourism is one of the area’s biggest draws. History buffs can stroll beautifully preserved Main Street districts in all three of the county’s cities – Bastrop, Smithville and Elgin – or visit one of the county’s 100-plus buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bastrop County Historical Society operates a museum with rotating exhibits and a calendar of historyrelated activities. Visitors seeking major events can visit the nearby Circuit of the Americas, which hosts arena-style concerts as well as Formula One races. Foodies can munch on famous Texas barbecue at Southside Market & Barbecue or Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse; fine dining and farm-to-table eateries also dot the county. And film fans can enjoy a jaunt around Smithville, Texas’ first Film-Friendly City, which appears in Hope Floats, The Tree of Life and many other movies. Bastrop County has plenty for outdoor types, too. Bastrop and Buescher state parks and the Lost Pines Forest are all ideal for hiking, biking, birding and camping. The Colorado River also snakes through Bastrop County, providing fishing and watersports opportunities.
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Lee Harle, a lifelong Texan, owns and operates river outfitter Bastrop River Company. He left an Austin banking job to enjoy the rural Bastrop County lifestyle. “I kept looking forward to the weekends when I could run off to the river. Finally, I visited Bastrop and thought, ‘This is a pretty cool little town. Why don’t I just live here?’,” he says. Harle’s company is a river outfitter with a twist: in addition to familiar pastimes like canoeing and kayaking, Bastrop River Company also outfits visitors for overnight camping, tubing and stand-up paddleboarding. And Harle treks the river regularly so he can give his customers up-to-date information about landmarks, routes and safety. Friendly Support Harle may have come for the fun, but he’s stayed because Bastrop County is friendly to him and his business. “The county is really pro-business,” he says. “There are a lot of wise people in high positions, and there’s not a whole lot of red tape; if you have a business that needs to grow, there’s a lot of support for that.” Adena Lewis says it’s easy for Bastrop County to support destination businesses because the area lures a plentiful and diverse group of visitors from nearby Austin, Houston and San Antonio. “There are no rules about how you enjoy your experience here as a business owner. You can be eclectic, conventional or anywhere in between, and we have a base of people to support you,” she says. Both Harle and Lewis say that the people of Bastrop are what tie the whole package together. Residents have a genuine desire to help visitors and businesses alike enjoy the Bastrop County experience. “We either know you or we want to get to know you,” Lewis says. “Every visitor and every business is precious to us – we enjoy personal relationships with all of them. It’s that friendliness and sincere interest that captures what every day in Bastrop County really is.”
Automation Robotics: Cutting edge technology can be found all over Bastrop County. From the Brick Capital of the Southwest, Elgin, to the biotech campuses in Bastrop and Smithville.
Build it in Bastrop County
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n Bastrop County, solid infrastructure and affordable land are helping businesses to build their own success stories. State and U.S. highways connect the county to Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. For points beyond, there are the nearby Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and eastern Bastrop County’s Smithville Crawford Municipal Airport. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, headquartered in the city of Bastrop, is another key part of the county’s robust, business-friendly infrastructure. The cooperative has community representatives who work with economic development agencies, local governments and developers to meet business’ needs. “Our goal is reliable, safe and cost-competitive electricity for our members,” says Will Holford, Bluebonnet’s manager of public affairs. “We have a first-class distribution system, and we feel that we can compete with any utility in terms of rates and reliability.” Bastrop County also draws businesses with abundant, affordable land. “We’re still at price per acre here, not price per square foot,” says Smithville City Manager Tex Middlebrook. “We’re surrounded by properties that can host any number or type of businesses.”
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Those properties are easy to develop, too, thanks to a permitting process that combines speed, clarity and direct access to decision-making officials like Middlebrook. Success, Texas-Size It’s no wonder, then, that Bastrop County already has a number of business success stories. One is Spiradrill, a Smithville-based commercial drill manufacturer. Local highways help Spiradrill move people and heavy equipment efficiently throughout the region. Bastrop County is also home to the Virginia Harris Cockrell Cancer Research Center, a division of the world-famous MD Anderson Cancer Center. Located just outside Smithville, the center specializes in researching the origins and prevention of cancer. “The cancer research center shows that we have a very educated workforce,” Middlebrook says. “It also shows that, no matter what type of business you’re in, you can succeed here in Bastrop County.” Will Holford agrees. “In Bastrop County, we have historic downtowns with mom-and-pop businesses and newer areas with big-box and chain stores, and all those businesses are doing well,” he says. “The folks in Bastrop County welcome everyone.”