San Angelo Mayor Tom Thompson outlined the city’s strategic growth potential in a recent episode of The Building Texas Show, emphasizing performance-based incentives and long-term infrastructure projects as key drivers for economic development in this West Texas hub.
Thompson highlighted a third-generation data center currently under consideration, valued between $7 billion and $12 billion. Such a facility would generate substantial tax revenue without the public safety or infrastructure strain typically associated with residential growth. ‘Economic development really subsidizes all the improvements that move your city forward,’ Thompson said. The city uses 380 agreements to ensure these projects are performance-based, protecting taxpayers while funding green spaces, parks, and roads.
Transportation remains a critical focus. San Angelo is the largest town in Texas without an interstate, a status Thompson is working to change through the Ports to Plains and I-14 corridor projects. This 20-to-30-year vision aims to create a diagonal commerce route from Mexico to Canada, providing relief for the congested I-35 corridor. Meanwhile, the San Angelo Regional Airport is expanding, supported by the Angelo State University flight program and international training partnerships with the Canadian Air Force.
Water security is another priority. The city is aggressively pursuing a reclamation project on the Concho River, aiming to reduce daily groundwater reliance by 40-60% through reuse. ‘Water is economic development,’ Thompson noted, ensuring the city remains resilient regardless of rainfall patterns.
Education and talent retention are bolstered by Angelo State University, which has over 10,000 students and a nationally recognized cybersecurity program. The synergy between the university, Goodfellow Air Force Base, and recent FBI investments creates a robust ecosystem for engineering and intel-based careers.
Thompson concluded, ‘San Angelo is a can-do city. People are ready and willing to make the investment to move forward. Economic development provides the revenue to subsidize those improvements.’
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