More than 140 developers, brokers, investors, and city leaders packed Buda City Hall on Tuesday morning for a rare joint appearance by six economic development leaders from Hays and Caldwell Counties. The event, hosted by the Buda Economic Development Corporation, underscored a deliberate shift toward regional collaboration as the Austin-San Antonio Innovation Corridor emerges as Central Texas’ next defining economic opportunity.
The panel featured Jennifer L. Storm of the Buda EDC; Victoria Vargas of the City of Kyle; Helen Ramirez of the City of San Marcos; Holly Malish of the Lockhart EDC; Ari Arias of the Luling EDC; and Mike Kamerlander of the Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership. Organizer Tim Dowling of The Roundabout in Buda noted the turnout was the largest in the meetup’s four-year history, reflecting intense market interest in the people shaping local investment. “Getting six regional economic development leaders in the same room, all sharing their real priorities for where their communities are headed, is a rare opportunity,” Dowling said.
The significance lies in the coordinated message: one region, two counties, five communities. Rather than competing for deals, the leaders presented a unified front, emphasizing that companies gain choice across distinct communities while benefiting from shared infrastructure, permitting support, and a regional labor market of more than 2.7 million workers within a 60-minute drive. Storm framed Buda’s role as “Austin access without Austin friction,” citing roughly three million square feet of Class A industrial space available or under construction and the planned early-2027 opening of The Depot on Main, a revitalized historic train depot designed as a launchpad for makers and retail startups.
Community highlights illustrated how complementary the corridor has become. Kyle pointed to healthcare expansion, including St. David’s new emergency center and ACC’s growing health sciences presence, plus new Class A industrial inventory at Kyle Commerce Center. San Marcos described itself as the region’s education and innovation powerhouse, anchored by Texas State University, STAR Park, the regional airport, and an advancing aerospace and defense ecosystem. Lockhart celebrated Hill Country Foodworks’ expansion from 10,000 to 62,000 square feet and new downtown redevelopment frameworks. Luling, gateway to I-10, spotlighted X-Bow’s production campus and a widening aerospace and retail footprint.
Leaders repeatedly returned to partnership over competition, describing economic development as job creation, honest deal-making, and “dot connecting,” not blank checks. Workforce readiness, regional job fairs, career and technical education, and business retention emerged as shared priorities. Small business support to microloan partnerships was celebrated as essential to the quality of place that draws and keeps talent.
Kamerlander and colleagues positioned the Austin-San Antonio Innovation Corridor as Central Texas’ next defining opportunity, with aerospace and dual-use defense technology accelerating alongside advanced manufacturing, retail, and hospitality. The tone was confident and collegial: leaders, backed by regional partnership, presenting not as rivals but as a coordinated front.
The Hays (Caldwell) Commercial Real Estate Meetup meets the second Tuesday of each month and serves professionals shaping commercial real estate and economic growth across Hays County, Caldwell County, and the Texas Innovation Corridor.
