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<br />City of San Marcos
<br />Economic Development Incentives Policy
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<br />A. 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 ambiance. 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 county
<br />in the State A number of factors make San Marcos an appealing place to live and work.
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<br />Qualitv of Life
<br />The clear, 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, fishing 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 outlet
<br />malls combined house more than 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 a 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 the San Marcos area, with 24 colleges and universities located within
<br />a 50-mile radius, providing an educated workforce with broad-based knowledge and skills. San Marcos is
<br />home to Texas State University-San Marcos The university, originally founded in 1903 as a teacher-
<br />preparatory institution, has grown today into a major interdisciplinary university with an enrollment of over
<br />27,000
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<br />Texas State has produced a number of highly successful graduates, including the late President Lyndon
<br />B Johnson who was a 1930 graduate. Among the university's other Distinguished Alumni are Dan Bates,
<br />President and CEO of Southwest Research Institute, Tomas Rivera, a prominent Hispanic author, Gary
<br />Woods, President and CEO of Red McCombs Enterprises and President of the Minnesota Vikings, and
<br />Karen Thompson, technology and science manager for the Exploration Office at NASA1s John F.
<br />Kennedy Space Center
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<br />The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District educates more than 7,000 students on ten
<br />campuses, and a number of private schools and academies are located in the area. Also found in Hays
<br />County are the Hays, Dripping Springs, and Wimberley Independent School Districts. The Gary Job
<br />Corps Center is the largest Job Corps center in the country with an enrollment of up to 1,900 students
<br />between the ages of 16 and 24 Located on an aOO-acre campus just outside of the City, Gary Job Corps
<br />provides instruction in 25 vocational trades
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<br />Transportation Availabilitv
<br />San Marcos is a forward-thinking community ideally located to provide for the economical distribution of
<br />goods and services. Conveniently located on Interstate 35 (the NAFTA 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
<br />terminals are located in San Marcos serving several motor freight lines. Bus service is provided by
<br />Greyhound Lines, Inc.
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