Home to nearly 600,000 people, the 12-county Coastal Bend of Texas region has seen population growth of nearly 14 percent since 1990.

With the availability of skilled and knowledgeable workers, lower costs, an integrated transportation network, abundance of higher education options and world-class port facilities, the area is drawing new investment and jobs. A collaborative regional approach to economic development has helped build major clusters in energy, petrochemical manufacturing, large-scale fabrication, marine research, agriculture and tourism.

“Promising energy-related developments, dynamic expansion of our port facilities and continuing growth of our existing industry partners makes me very bullish on the region,” says Roland Mower, president and chief executive officer of the Corpus Christi Economic Development Corp.

Coastal Bend Region Has Right Mix for Growth 

When you add in a talented workforce, low cost of living and excellent transportation assets, Coastal Bend of Texas is an area ripe for growth. Forbes magazine listed the Corpus Christi metro as No. 2 on its 2011 list of Best Cities for Jobs in the midsized category.

Port Corpus Christi is the fifth-largest U.S. port in cargo tonnage and is expected to grow further with construction of the LaQuinta Container Terminal and other major projects. The region is a major trade gateway for Mexico and Latin America, and is preparing to take full advantage of the future expansion of the Panama Canal.

Region Draws Major Foreign Investment

The energy sector of the regional economy recently received a shot in the arm with the emergence of the Eagle Ford Shale development in South Texas. This major oil and gas formation covers 16 fields and 22 counties stretching to the northeast across Texas from the Mexican border. Several major pipelines are expected to bring oil and gas to Coastal Texas refineries and Port Corpus Christi.

TPCO America Corp., a subsidiary of China manufacturing giant Tianjin Pipe Corp., plans to build a $1 billion seamless steel pipe mill in the region that will eventually employ 400 to 600 people. The facility, scheduled for completion in 2013, will be located in San Patricio County. TPCO officials said they chose the site for various reasons including its strategic location, convenient access for incoming raw materials and outgoing products, the availability of utilities and an able workforce, and the cooperative, regional approach evident during the site selection process.

Mower says the region also has many large tracts of land poised for development, and raw or finished materials can be easily shipped by pipeline, rail, truck, barge or ship. Plans are under way to accommodate additional air freight capacity from Corpus Christi International Airport.

Collaboration among public and private entities across the region is another major reason for the positive economic upswing, says Mower. A business incubator at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi has enhanced the regional economy’s diversification. In addition, entrepreneurial and small business development programs, such as the Flint Hills Community Action Committee program, are helping fledgling firms grow.