10 Things Economic Developers Must Know About Opportunity Zones

GVEC Internet

GVEC began rolling out the fastest internet technology in the world with its pilot Fiber to the Home (FTTH) project in La Vernia, Texas, in 2013. Since then, we’ve completed construction making fiber available to over 21,000 residential and commercial customers in areas of the Guadalupe Valley. With plans to continue expanding its Fiber network, GVEC aims to bring this extreme-speed service to areas in the South Central Texas other providers sometimes neglect.

Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farm

While Gonzales, Texas, is widely known for poultry farming and cattle ranching, something that may not immediately come to mind when thinking of the county is mushrooms. Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farms harvests approximately 225,000 pounds of mushrooms each month to ship to grocery stores, markets and food service providers. In addition to growing a variety of mushroom breeds in a 300,000 square foot climate-controlled facility, they also produce mushroom compost which is a highly beneficial soil additive.

Aisin AW

Aisin AW, a Japan-based Fortune 500 company and global manufacturer of automotive transmission and other products, purchased a 159-acre tract of land from GVEC in 2019 to establish their second U.S. facility. The state-of-the-art plant in Cibolo, Texas, is projected to create over 900 jobs in the region. GVEC worked with the City of Cibolo and Guadalupe County, and garnered support from the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, Governor Greg Abbott’s office and other state agencies, in an effort to foster future growth that will have a substantial economic impact benefiting the Guadalupe Valley.

Come and Film It

Gonzales holds fame in its place in Texas history, but did you know the small town has also had its share of television fame? Gonzales holds a Film Friendly Texas certification, granted by the Texas Film Commission. Production for AMC’s programs The Son and Fear the Walking Dead have filmed in downtown Gonzales and Palmetto State Park, along with an episode of Comedy Central’s docuseries Klepper.

Wild Flowers

Spring is an excellent time to hop in the car and take a road tour through the Guadalupe Valley. Native wildflowers blooming our roadsides have adorned many a greeting card, magnet, coffee table book, and postcard in giftshops across the state. Map your route along Highway 90A from Seguin to Gonzales, and be sure to head down Highways 185 and 77 to see why DeWitt County has been designated the Wildflower Capital of Texas.

Cuero Regional Hospital

Cuero Regional Hospital has been helping to improve the health and lives of patients in DeWitt County since 1970. They celebrated 50 years of the Hospital’s growth and advancement in September 2020 with a time capsule burial ceremony, remembering the facility’s past while looking forward to its progression into the future. GVEC awarded a $20,000 Power Up™ grant to the Hospital EMS in 2018 for the purchase of a New LifePak 15 Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator.

Gretchen Bee Ranch

Gretchen Bee Ranch, headquartered in Seguin, Texas, has hives in Guadalupe, Gonzales and surrounding counties as well. In addition to providing fresh, healthy honey and products produced from local bee farming, the Gretchen Bee Ranch is also committed to help replenish the dwindling bee population in the Guadalupe Valley. This includes strategically placing bee yards in areas where they can help pollinate crops and native plants throughout the region.

TLU

Texas Lutheran University (TLU), founded in Brenham in 1891, has been in Seguin, Texas, since 1912. Rich in history and tradition, the university proposes small class sizes alongside big opportunity and educational value, offering 27 majors, 64 specializations, 4 graduate programs and 12 pre-professional programs. The school has consistently held top rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” selections including “Best Value” and “Social Mobility.”

10 THINGS ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS MUST KNOW ABOUT OPPORTUNITY ZONES