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Home My WebLink AboutReporter April 2014TheCityofExcellenceisthe strategicvisionforthe GeorgetownCityCouncil2015 budgetprocess,whichstarted inFebruary.Thefoundationfor theCityofExcellenceisa stronganddiversifiedlocal economy.Thisspecialfeature looksatthebuildingblocksof Georgetown’seconomy,includ- ingsignificantprojectsin recentyearsandothersinthe works.TheCityuses4Aand4B performanceagreementsand othertoolstorecruitand retainqualitybusinesses. Tourism CulturalDistrict:Astudyin2011 ledtoanewtourismmonikerfor Georgetown—TheMostBeautiful TownSquareinTexas.Lastyear GrapeCreekVineyardswineryand ThunderCloudSubsopenedin underusedCitybuildingssoldfor redevelopment.Thefirstfloorofthe historicfirehousewasrenovatedto becometheGeorgetownArtCenter, whichopenedlastyear.In September,theTexasCommission ontheArtsnamedGeorgetown’s downtownasanofficialculturaldis- trict,adesignationthatcanhelp withmarketingforartsandcultural offerings. SummitattheRivery:Plansfora 220-roomSheratonhotelandcon- ferencecenteronRiveryBoulevard werefinalizedthisyear. Constructionisslatedtobeginthis fallonthehoteland16,000square- footconferencecenterwithcomple- tionbytheendof2015.Future phasesoftheprojectwillinclude stores,restaurants,single-family homes,andmultifamilyresidences foranestimatedtotalprojectinvest- mentof$150million. ©CityofGeorgetown,2014 VOL.11•NO.4 APublicationoftheCityofGeorgetown April2014 CityofExcellence:DevelopmentFocus Retail Keepingitlocal:Buyinglocalgoteasierin 2003withtheopeningofHomeDepot andWalmartstoresattheRivery.Twoyears later,Target,Kohl’s,andotherstores openedatWolfRanchTownCenter.One measureofthegrowthintheretailsectoris thatfrom2002to2007,Citysalestaxcol- lectionsgrew96percent.Duetothestruc- tureoftheincentiveagreementforthe project,theCityhascollectedallofthe1 percentsalestaxgeneratedatWolfRanch. Diningandentertainment:TheopeningofCityLightsTheatresin2006 createdadinner-and-a-movienightoptioninGeorgetown.ThePalace Theatercontinuestobeanenginefordowntownanddiningoptionsin townhaveincreasedwithnewchoiceslikeLongHornSteakhouse,El Monumento,TheHollow,andGumbo’s. Manufacturing Themanufacturingsectorisexpand- ing,creatingqualityjobsandincreas- ingthetaxbase.Plasticscomponent makerTasusopenedin2005andis nowplanningamajorexpansion. OthernewindustryincludesTurnco Toolin2006andR&DMoldersin 2007.Aerospacemanufacturer Enfliteandcomputercomponent makerChatsworthProductsboth expandedin2009.AirBorn,anaero- spaceandmedicalmanufacturer,built anewheadquartersherethatopened in2010with400employees. Distribution TexasOutdoorPowerEquipment,a distributioncenterneartheAirport, doubledinsizein2008witha 73,500square-footadditionandis currentlyplanningasecondexpan- sion.Pro-Build,abuildingsupplier onLeanderRoad,hasseensteady growth,creatingsignificantsalestax revenuefortheCity. Biotech TheTexasLife-sciences CollaborationCenterstartedin 2007withthreecompanies.The biotechacceleratorisnowhometo sevencompanies.AnewTLCC buildingcurrentlyunderconstruc- tionwillincludecleanroomspacefor themanufactureofmedicaldevices andotherbiotechnologyproducts. RadiationDetectionCompany,a biotech-relatedfirm,iscurrently buildinga15,000square-footman- ufacturingandheadquartersfacility nexttoTLCC.Inaddition,adevel- operisplanningtostartconstruc- tionthisspringonan80,000 square-footbuildingnearTLCCto providespacefornewbiotechfirms. TLCCbuilding2openssoon. Medical LoneStarCircleofCare,which startedastheGeorgetown CommunityClinicin2002,has growntomorethan25locations. LoneStar’sheadquartersisindown- townGeorgetown.St.David’s GeorgetownHospitalalsohas grownandin2010theAustin AvenueMedicalPlazaopenedwith 17medicaloffices.AnewScottand Whitecliniciscurrentlyundercon- structiononRiveryBoulevard. Thisyearthefirsttwobehavior healthhospitalsinWilliamson Countyareunderconstructionand willopeninsouthGeorgetown. RockSpringsisa51,000square footfacilitythatwillemploy150 andtheGeorgetownBehavioral HealthInstituteisa73,500square footfacilitythatwillhave300 employees. Datacenters WhenCiticorpopenedtheir305,000 square-footdatacenterinsouth Georgetownin 2008,itbecame oneoftheCity’s majorelectric customers,gen- eratingutility revenuethat helpstosupport thegeneral fund.Thedatacenterisoneofthe largestintheregionwithinfrastruc- tureforadditionaldatacenters. Discoverthelatestnewsaboutthecityat www.georgetown.org AprilEvents FirstFriday,April4 Downtownlivemusic,shops,and restaurantsareopenlate.Seethe DowntownGeorgetown Associationwebsiteat TheGeorgetownSquare.com. ThePalaceTheater MoonOverBuffalo, April11–May4.Detailsat GeorgetownPalace.com,orcall (512)869-7469. Eggstravganza,April12 Freeannualegghuntwith 25,000candyeggsatMcMaster AthleticComplexonN.College Street.Thestarthornsounds promptlyat9a.m.Arriveby8:45 a.m.Agecategoriesare2and under,3-4,5-6,7-8,and9-10. Eachagedivisionhastheirown hunt. MarketDays,April12 Handmadeartsandcrafts,food, andmoreontheSquarefrom9 a.m.to4p.m.Detailsat TheGeorgetownSquare.com. AnimalShelterGarage Sale,April17–19 Thebenefitsaleforthe GeorgetownAnimalShelterisat theCommunityCenterfrom 8a.m.to1p.m.onFridayand Saturdaywithnoadmissionfee. AspecialEarlyBirdSaleon Thurs.,April17is5to7p.m.— $10admissionfee. SymphonySociety Concert,April27 TheGeorgetownSymphony SocietypresentstheTemple SymphonyOrchestraperforming anAfternoonofSibeliusand BeethovenattheGHSKlett CenterforthePerformingArts,4 p.m.Ticketsatwww.gsstx.org andbothGeorgetownHEBs, theSunCityCAoffice,orat thedoor. CityCouncil Election Earlyin-personvotingfortheMay 10CityCouncilelectionisApril28 throughMay6.TheMay10elec- tionincludesracesforCityCouncil candidatesfromDistrict2,District 6,andformayor.Thelastdayto registertovoteintheMayelection isApril11.Forupdatesaboutthe citycouncilelection,gotogeorge- town.org. The15thannualRedPoppyFestivalisApril25–27. ThemusicstartsFridaynightwithDysfunkshunJunkshun!Saturdaynight featuresCurtisGrimesandtheBellamyBrotherswithBrandonRhyderon Sunday.TheRedPoppyBikeRideisSaturdayat8a.m.,theRedPoppy ParadeisSaturdayat10a.m.,andtheCarShowisSaturdayat11a.m.Go toRedPoppyFestival.comforallthedetails. ThesecondannualChasetheChief5KandFunRunis Sunday,April13from1to5p.m.inSanGabrielPark. TheeventissponsoredbytheGeorgetownISD CouncilofPTAsandtheGeorgetownPolice DepartmentandpresentedbytheGeorgetownHealth Foundation.ChasetheChieffeaturesa5K,FunRun, andnewthisyear–aTotTrot.Otheractivitiesinclude policedepartmentobstaclecourses,afitnessfair,a GISDSchoolNurses’Fair,andhealthyfoodsand snacks.Registrationis$5forstudentsand$10for adults.Fordetailsortoregister,goto GeorgetownCouncilPTA.org. The GeorgetownCityReporter isa publicationoftheCityofGeorgetown PublicCommunicationsDepartment, P.O.Box409,Georgetown,Texas,78627. Forquestionsorcomments,contactKeith Hutchinson,publiccommunications manager,at(512)930-3690orbyemail atkeith.hutchinson@georgetown.org. RedPoppyFestival TheGeorgetown PublicLibrary staff’sselection forthe2014 Georgetown Reads!pro- gramis Animal,Vegetable, Miracle:AYearofFoodLife,by BarbaraKingsolver.Copiesofthe printandaudiobookwillbeavailable forcheckoutatthelibrarystarting inAprilwithactivitieshappeningin May.Startreadingnow! ChiefNeroandkids atstartof5K. Photocredit: AmandaChron ChasetheChief5K Georgetown Reads!