The seat of Medina County, Hondo is a vibrant and diverse city of 8,800 that sits on Highway 90 just 33 miles from downtown San Antonio. We are a unique combination in Hondo: A small town blending an abundance of charm, affordable available land and dynamic opportunity. The name “Hondo” means “deep” in Spanish, which is a very appropriate, I think. Our roots are in fact quite deep, intertwined with early indigenous peoples and with Spanish explorers. Deep is also a good description of our resources, both human and natural.
greater: SATX visited with Doug Dowler, Executive Director of Economic Development for the City of Hondo.
Tell us a little about Hondo.
The seat of Medina County, Hondo is a vibrant and diverse city of 8,800 that sits on Highway 90 just 33 miles from downtown San Antonio. We are a unique combination in Hondo: A small town blending an abundance of charm, affordable available land and dynamic opportunity. The name “Hondo” means “deep” in Spanish, which is a very appropriate, I think. Our roots are in fact quite deep, intertwined with early indigenous peoples and with Spanish explorers. Deep is also a good description of our resources, both human and natural.
What makes Hondo unique within the San Antonio region?
Hondo’s high-flying community spirit is one thing that makes us unique, spirit that has exhibited itself throughout our rich history. For example, in 1942 with war looming, Hondo was chosen as a site for a navigator training base. In a record time of three months, the base was constructed, up and running. During the war, over 14,000 navigators were trained there, including several notable female pilots.
The air base eventually closed, but today Hondo’s South Texas Regional Airport is the area’s largest, with four runways offering landing capabilities for various sized aircraft ranging from a small Cessna to a Boeing 737. With over 1,000 acres of developable land and with the airport as the centerpiece of the South Texas Regional Intermodal Park and Airport, we’ve made great strides in developing our aerospace capabilities and expanding our aerospace cluster.
If you could highlight one major statistic or project, what would it be?
Hondo is uniquely positioned as an industrial and manufacturing distribution hub. Our convenient, centralized location just west of San Antonio and close to Mexico, provides access to major interstates I-35, I-10, I-37 and US 90. Rail is at the “heart” of Hondo. Both Union Pacific and BNSF utilize a major east/west route through Hondo. South of our airport lies a 176-acre state-of-the-art rail park. Hondo Railway has 85,000′ of heavy-gauge rail, loop track and transloading terminals. Food grade materials/liquids, ethanol and dry bulk products are unloaded and trucked from Hondo Railway daily. Paired with the open development space surrounding the South Texas Regional Airport, Hondo has the ideal logistics for large scale manufacturing and distribution.
What makes your community a great place for people and jobs?
That has to do with another unique combination of ours. Hondo is both family friendly and business friendly. Families flourish here, especially with our great outdoor recreation-city parks, sports venues, hunting, fishing and agricultural attractions like the South Texas Maze. And industry and commerce thrive in a pro-business environment where assets like our Intermodal Park and Airport which is now opening site opportunities with multimodal connections to expedite market access. Another important asset is our talent pipeline preparing a skilled and motivated workforce ready for takeoff.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Hondo is a historic flyway for millions of migrating doves and a destination for hunters from all over the country. Best known for our iconic sign on Hwy 90 that states, “This is God’s Country. Please don’t drive through it like hell,” Hondo welcomes tourists, hunters and businesses to one of the best kept secrets west of San Antonio!
Who should be listed as the Hondo representative answering the questions. For example: greater: SATX visited with Doug Dowler, Executive Director of Economic Development for the City of Hondo.
Learn more about Hondo on the city’s website.