A new coalition has formed to strengthen Central Texas’ powerbase as industry leaders form the Central Texas Alliance (Alliance) to plan, negotiate and advocate for the Austin-San Antonio Corridor.
Henry Cisneros, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and San Antonio mayor, founded the Alliance to breathe life into meaningful regional collaboration efforts. The nonprofit is modeled after other existing coalitions that have found success in the state’s major urban areas, including the North Texas Commission and the Greater Houston Partnership.
To lead the coalition, A.J. Rodriguez has been appointed CEO, moving from his current role as executive vice president for Texas 2036. Gary Farmer and Jenna Saucedo-Herrera – both with extensive experience as executive leaders of economic development and advocacy companies – and will serve as co-chairpersons for the nonprofit.
These leaders plan to officially launch the Alliance on Sept. 18, with plans to form a board of directors soon afterward.
The Alliance will focus on seven critical issue areas:
- Transportation.
- Water resources.
- Housing.
- Workforce development.
- Energy resilience.
- Healthcare.
- Land stewardship and planning.
The nonprofit will represent 120 municipalities across 13 counties between Austin and San Antonio, providing a unified voice to address common challenges and promote economic development in the region. Unlike other major Texas metroplexes, Central Texas has not had a comprehensive business coalition to compile a consensus of priorities, leaving an unclear vision for the future.
The Alliance will operate as the region’s lynchpin, connecting key civic, business, economic development, academic and community leaders to tackle problems that no singular municipality can solve alone. Together, these leaders will have the strength to advocate for the region at the state and federal levels.
Forming the coalition couldn’t have come at a better time. The Austin-San Antonio Corridor is one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. Census data estimates that the area’s population will breach 8 million by 2050, growing by 3 million residents compared to the current numbers.
The population surge will place immense strain on the region’s economic and development systems. With dramatic changes on the horizon, the Central Texas Alliance will unify the region to address the impacts of unprecedented growth, provide actionable solutions to current and future issues and encourage success across all industries.
Photo by Kate Baucherel from Pixabay
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