Despite the pandemic, Texas is attracting company relocations and expansions. Austin in particular is on track to set some records. 2020 could be the best year on record for number of jobs brought to the city as cited in this Austin Business Journal article:

Austin could set a record in 2020 for the amount of jobs brought to the city through corporate relocations, according to Opportunity Austin, the economic development initiative of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Twenty-eight relocating companies have announced 9,325 new jobs so far this year, compared to 58 such companies announcing 4,658 new jobs in 2019. The best year on record, going back to 2004, was 2018, with 9,424 jobs announced.

Austin’s year-over-year decline of 2.7%, or 29,800 jobs, makes it the best performing among the 50 largest metro areas. This Culture Map article cites our economy report:

From August 2019 to August 2020, the metro area saw an employment loss of 2.7 percent, or 29,800 jobs, according to a report published September 22 by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. Despite that massive dip, it still makes Austin the best-performing city for jobs among the country’s 50 largest metro areas.

For our full report of job growth and unemployment, check out our latest CenTex Economy Report.

Site Selection Magazine's September issue takes a look at Tesla's selection of Travis County for its newest Gigafactory. Two of our Opportunity Austin leaders were featured throughout the piece. Opportunity Austin Chair Gary Farmer shared:

“Tesla’s decision to locate its newest Gigafactory in Austin will expand and enhance our innovative culture while also providing new and exciting career opportunities for all segments of our Central Texas workforce,” said Gary Farmer, chair of Opportunity Austin, the economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment in the five-county Central Texas region.

Austin Chamber/Opportunity Austin Senior Vice President of Economic Development Charisse Bodisch is also quoted:

Taking up where Egan left off, Charisse Bodisch of the Greater Austin Chamber says a lot of people think Austin is all tech, “but tech is involved in solar and batteries and EVs — all these other things that feed into an industry like this. We’ve always been one of the strong locations for semiconductors as well. People don’t think about how many semiconductor chips go into a vehicle like this.”

The Tesla project moved as fast as one of its super-charged cars. “That’s indicative of the company itself,” she says. “They mobilize very quickly, are very efficient, and are some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever worked with. Their team is absolutely amazing, with the number of things they covered and different relationships and partnerships they’ve announced, all in the span of this year.”

We couldn't help adding the featured compliments for Charisse and the team from LGBT Chamber President and CEO Tina Cannon:

Cannon compliments the work of Charisse Bodisch and her team: “She is fantastic at what she does,” she says, and the chamber team is “good about pulling in at an early stage the area minority chambers, for early engagement with whatever company they’re talking to, as part of the relationship-building phase, to make sure they’re a good fit with the community.”

Bobby Jenkins, chairman of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority board of directors, shared his vision for the future of Austin's regional mobility in this Austin Business Journal article. As stated in the article:

“In 2018, the Mobility Authority was awarded the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Environmental Champion Award for its investment in sustainability, innovation, and leadership in the transportation industry, most notably due to the SH 45SW Project. This now open toll road also received Gold in the Environmental category for 2020 American Council of Engineering Companies, Texas Chapter.”

For more on regional mobility, join us on October 26th to hear from leading elected officials and policy makers on how transportation will create jobs and change the way we move in Central Texas, and how Tesla’s Gigafactory plays a huge role.

From big wins like the IH 35 Capital Expressway re-design to how Project Connect will shape how we get around our region for years to come, our distinguished speakers will share the ways economic development and transportation are key drivers for our continued prosperity.