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<br />City of San Marcos
<br />Economic Development Incentives Policy
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<br />Community Overview
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<br />The City of San Marcos is a culturally diverse, rapidly growing community that prides itself on its Texas-
<br />friendly ambience. A part of the beautiful Central Texas Hill Country, San Marcos serves as the Hays
<br />County seat and is located half way between Austin, the State Capitol, and its southern cousin, San
<br />Antonio. Hays County is the fastest growing County in Central Texas and the sixth fastest growing
<br />County in the State. A number of factors make San Marcos an appealing place in which to live and work.
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<br />Quality of Life
<br />The spring-fed San Marcos River meanders through the city and is the focus of many of the city's
<br />recreation activities including kayaking, snorkeling, and "tubing" Local museums and four historic
<br />districts preserve the city's rich history The Downtown Historic District on the Courthouse Square offers
<br />a potpourri of shops referred to as the "Texas Natural" marketplace, as well as a variety of clubs and
<br />restaurants. Dance, theater, sports events, art exhibits and concerts are regularly staged throughout the
<br />community.
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<br />Also calling San Marcos home are the internationally recognized Tanger Outlet Center and Prime Outlets
<br />San Marcos Situated adjacent to each other on over 200 acres along Interstate IH-35, these two malls
<br />combined house approximately 200 retail outlets and numerous restaurants are located on separate
<br />"pad" sites Together the two outlet malls employ over 2,500 people and attract visitors from every state
<br />and numerous foreign countries In 2003 the malls attracted over 8 million shoppers
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<br />A variety of special events draw crowds to San Marcos each year including the Central Texas Golf Fest in
<br />April, Cinco de Mayo and Texas Natural Western Swing Festival in May, Texas Water Safari in June, the
<br />Republic of Texas Chilympiad Chili Cook-off in September, and the Sights and Sounds of Christmas held
<br />on the banks of the San Marcos River in December
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<br />Educated Workforce
<br />Educational opportunities abound in San Marcos with 24 colleges and universities located within a 50-
<br />mile radius, providing an educated workforce with broad-based knowledge and skills. San Marcos is
<br />home to Texas State University, San Marcos, formerly known as Southwest Texas State. The university
<br />was originally founded in 1903 as a small teacher-preparatory institution and has grown into a major
<br />multi-purpose University with a current enrollment of over 26,000
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<br />The university has produced a number of highly successful graduates including the late President Lyndon
<br />B Johnson who was a 1930 graduate The most recent inductees into the Distinguished Alumni
<br />Association include Dan Bates, President and CEO of Southwest Research Institute, Tony Dieste,
<br />President and Founder of Dieste, Harmel and Partners, a national advertising firm, Gary Woods,
<br />President and CEO of Red McCombs Enterprises and President of the Minnesota Vikings, and Colonel
<br />James Rogers, an inductee to both the U S Army Ranger Hall of Fame and the Infantry OCS Hall of
<br />Fame
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<br />The San Marcos CISD educates more than 7,000 students on ten campuses, and a number of private
<br />schools and academies are located in the area Also found in Hays County are the Hays, Dripping
<br />Springs, and Wimberley Independent School Districts The Gary Job Corps Center is the largest of the
<br />119 Job Corps centers in the country with an enrollment of up to 1,900 students between the ages of 16
<br />and 24 Located on an 800-acre campus just outside of the City, Gary Job Corps provides instruction in
<br />25 vocational trades
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<br />Transportation Availability
<br />San Marcos is a forward-thinking community ideally situated to provide for the economical distribution of
<br />goods and services. Conveniently located on Interstate 35 (the NAFT A Highway), the central avenue for
<br />trade between Canada, the United States, and Mexico, San Marcos is also only minutes away from
<br />Interstate 10, the vital transportation link between the east and west coasts. Three motor freight carrier
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