The Texas-Megalopolis (Dallas, San Antonio, Austin: tax, living in, train station)

[Willys]

Toyota to open Temple facility
Robert Stinson - Telegram Staff Writer
Published November 16, 2007

...announced that a Toyota and Scion vehicle-processing center will be built in Temple’s Rail Park at Central Pointe, bringing in a $50 million investment and initially employing at least 240 people.

According to city officials, Gulf States Toyota, based in Houston, will invest at least $50 million in phase one of the new facility, which will serve as a centralized location for receiving, accessorizing and distributing Toyota and Scion vehicles in the five-state Gulf States Toyota region composed of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.

The timeline calls for master planning to begin in early 2008, with groundbreaking in 2009. The center would be completed and in operation in 2011.

“The facility we will be building here will be a state-of-the-art facility with a start-up associate number of 250,” he said. “We will be processing and accessorizing about 100,000 vehicles in that first year and that will grow to many more over the years.”

.....more

[JamesAbilene]

If you look at a map of metropolitan areas from the US census bureau, you will see that all of the counties from the Red River to San Antonio are already in metropolitan areas with one exception--Hill County. Granted, there are lots of open spaces in these areas, but they are already designated metro areas.

[Guerilla]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

The San Antonio/Austin megapolis is already here. On the weekend, I can drive to Wimberley or San Marcos in thirty minutes from my house in SA

I wouldn't call San Antonio and Austin together a megapolis. Megapolis=the Bos-Wash Corridor, Southern California, and the Golden Horseshoe.

[TXTwizter]

Yes Hill County is the only county NOT an MSA, but I think its just a matter of time, decade or so, until Hill becomes part of the Waco MSA. IMO the Waco/Temple/Killeen area could very well become another D/FW or Austin. It has the ingredients for future growth, a major highway (I-35), plenty of cheap land, plenty of water (4 large lakes, Waco, Whitney, Belton, Stillhouse-Hollow), numerous colleges (Baylor, TSTC, Mary-Hardin Baylor, etc). Its just a matter of time.
I would start investing in those areas soon, if I were you. I already have interest there, so I am just waiting myself.

[TXTwizter]

Originally Posted by Guerilla

I wouldn't call San Antonio and Austin together a megapolis. Megapolis=the Bos-Wash Corridor, Southern California, and the Golden Horseshoe.

Hello Guerilla, is the Golden Horseshoe the San Fran/San Jose/Oakland area?

[Guerilla]

Originally Posted by JVTX72

Hello Guerilla, is the Golden Horseshoe the San Fran/San Jose/Oakland area?

No, it is the Milwaukee-Chicagoland-Gary, Indiana area.

[Guerilla]

Originally Posted by JVTX72

Yes Hill County is the only county NOT an MSA, but I think its just a matter of time, decade or so, until Hill becomes part of the Waco MSA. IMO the Waco/Temple/Killeen area could very well become another D/FW or Austin. It has the ingredients for future growth, a major highway (I-35), plenty of cheap land, plenty of water (4 large lakes, Waco, Whitney, Belton, Stillhouse-Hollow), numerous colleges (Baylor, TSTC, Mary-Hardin Baylor, etc). Its just a matter of time.
I would start investing in those areas soon, if I were you. I already have interest there, so I am just waiting myself.

I don't see it becoming another DFW. Maybe another McAllen-Edinburg-Mission. I don't see it exploding in population, but growing at a steady rate (about 20,000+ per year like the McAllen area).

[Willys]

Originally Posted by JVTX72

Yes Hill County is the only county NOT an MSA, but I think its just a matter of time, decade or so, until Hill becomes part of the Waco MSA. IMO the Waco/Temple/Killeen area could very well become another D/FW or Austin. It has the ingredients for future growth, a major highway (I-35), plenty of cheap land, plenty of water (4 large lakes, Waco, Whitney, Belton, Stillhouse-Hollow), numerous colleges (Baylor, TSTC, Mary-Hardin Baylor, etc). Its just a matter of time.
I would start investing in those areas soon, if I were you. I already have interest there, so I am just waiting myself.

Waco/Temple/Killeen area could very well become another D/FW or Austin

It's well on its' way. I drove from Waco to Temple today and there's not a continuous mile of area with NO business of some nature. McGregor (just west of Waco) is re-opening the Dell call center. Toyota announced today the plant in the Temple industrial area. Partly due to the railroad facility.

I drove the loop on the west side of Temple and was stunned by the industrial businesses back there. And the suburbs along the way near 36 and the road to the lake.

I-35 north into Temple is now a 3 lane both ways and they're rebuilding the intersection with the loop. The size of the construction will lend itself to major traffic. That there is NO expansion NORTH of that interchange tells me there will be increased traffic on 36, a major artery between Houston and Abilene, on to Lubbock or west Texas. It's not going to become densely packed like a major metro because it's a connection of separate towns. The same way the 'burbs between D&FW got together.

[TXTwizter]

Originally Posted by Willys

It's well on its' way. I drove from Waco to Temple today and there's not a continuous mile of area with NO business of some nature. McGregor (just west of Waco) is re-opening the Dell call center. Toyota announced today the plant in the Temple industrial area. Partly due to the railroad facility.

I drove the loop on the west side of Temple and was stunned by the industrial businesses back there. And the suburbs along the way near 36 and the road to the lake.

I-35 north into Temple is now a 3 lane both ways and they're rebuilding the intersection with the loop. The size of the construction will lend itself to major traffic. That there is NO expansion NORTH of that interchange tells me there will be increased traffic on 36, a major artery between Houston and Abilene, on to Lubbock or west Texas. It's not going to become densely packed like a major metro because it's a connection of separate towns. The same way the 'burbs between D&FW got together.

My grandfather lived in McGregor until 1994 when he died. There was nothing really past the S. Bosque bridge til the Smead plant in McGregor, back then..............Now Its almost connected....only a mile or so of "open land" left. And thats a 10 mile stretch. Some of them houses they have built out there are from 500k on up. Its amazing!!

[TXTwizter]

Heres an indication of something big in the works.

Downtown plans for a 'billion-dollar decade' (broken link)

Is medical reseach lab viable for Waco? (http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/16/11162007wacresearchmecca.html - broken link)

Waco State? Education gap spurs proposal for new 4-year university (http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/11/10/11102007wacfouryear.html - broken link)