Monday Morning Report
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The Executive Committee of the Austin-San Antonio Corridor will meet this Wednesday, May 21 at 2pm at the Corridor Council offices in San Marcos. Please RSVP if you haven’t done so to council@thecorridor.org or call 512-558-7360 for more information.
Infrastructure
The San Antonio Mobility Coalition will host a “Let’s Rebuild America” luncheon on June 18 featuring US Chamber of Commerce senior lobbyist Janet Kavinoky. Ms. Kavinoky is Executive Director of the American for Transportation Mobility group which supports increased Federal investment in transportation infrastructure. Details here.
A construction consortium led by Fluor and Balfour-Beatty says they can construct San Antonio's 8-miles of new toll road north of Loop 1604 on US 281 in three years and eight months once a Federal lawsuit over the project is resolved. The guaranteed price for design and construction is $330 million, which beat out a $394 million bid by a Zachry Construction-led consortium. Construction could begin this fall. Details.
The US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee took testimony last week 95/14) on a $14.5 billion measure (HR 6003) that would add billions for Amtrak, put $500 million into State-led intercity rail projects, and launch a private-sector process for developing true high speed rail in the US. Most previous similar legislation has had a 'pie in the sky' aspect, but this is different because of the powerful members who introduced it - they control the purse strings - and the Democratic majority is in a mood for some serious infrastructure funding. President Bush would veto but he's out in eight months. Keep an eye on this.
Austin's CAMPO voted last week to give $10 million (including the local match) to the Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail District in Fiscal Years 2009-10 - corresponding to the first portion of a total $20 million commitment from the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization made earlier. This project is gathering steam. Read more from the Austin Business Journal here.
Temple will borrow $13.97 million in the form of tax and revenue certificates of obligation to fund previously planned projects on the city’s capital improvement plan. For a complete list of the projects, click here.
We missed this story earlier this month from the Post-Register about developments on State Highway 130 in Lockhart and Caldwell County, but it's worth a read if you want to keep up with construction on the project's final leg down to Seguin.
Economic Development
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs unveiled a new Web portal for economic resources in Texas that is designed to be a “one-stop shop” for businesses, local governments and economic development professionals in the state. The Web portal is called Texas Ahead (www.texasahead.org) and it contains information that could be used in making a decision on where to build or expand facilities in Texas.
According to hotel room-booking requests made by Priceline Inc., Downtown San Antonio earned the No. 8 spot on Priceline.com’s list of Top 50 destinations this Memorial Day Weekend for American travelers.
Construction began this week on the $295 million W Austin Hotel & Residences downtown. The mixed-use, 37-story project will feature 165 condo units, a 252-room W Hotel, and 2,480-seat theater that will serve as the new home for Austin City Limits. The project should be complete by early 2011.
Chip-maker Freescale Semiconductor Holdings will close a Tempe, Ariz. Factory later this year, cutting 100 jobs. The company employs 23,000 people, including about 5,000 in Austin.
Helotes Mayor Tom Schoolcraft announced that his city will commit to buying all of its power through CPS Energy from 100% renewable sources. Helotes will officially sign up for CPS Energy’s Windtricity program, thus becoming an Environmental Protection Agency-recognized Green Power Partner.
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
- Edward R(oscoe) Murrow