From Comptroller Susan Combs

Each year, Texas towns large and small celebrate their unique heritage with a range of colorful and jubilant festivals, fairs and other events. These celebrations can help preserve and promote a city’s uniqueness and also promote economic development for their host communities.

As your strategic partner for local government management, the Comptroller’s office is pleased to offer this issue of Texas Rising, which looks at the economic power of events to draw dollars, encourage repeat visitors and promote communities. We include steps on how to launch a new event, recruit an existing one and promote your own event to draw visitors to your town.

In this issue, we share how the 71-year-old Charro Days festival in Brownsville pumps millions of dollars into the Rio Grande Valley and how the nonprofit organization hosting the event returns millions back to area charities. We explore a West Texas road race that fills area hotels, shops and restaurants with participants and spectators and donates proceeds to local food pantries and university scholarships. We also spotlight Bucky Lamb of the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, who has taken the event to new heights — expanding its economic impact and scholarship program statewide.

When it comes to economic development, creating jobs and generating new levels of prosperity, local governments in Texas are focused on rising to the occasion every time.

Susan Combs

Tell Us Your Story!

E-mail us at texas.rising@cpa.state.tx.us.

We want to hear about your town’s economic development accomplishments. Whether you’ve landed a new employer or you’ve partnered with a university to train tomorrow’s work force, please tell us the unique solutions you’re using to create success in your community every day.