Regional Highlight: New Braunfels
Founded in 1845 by a German Prince, New Braunfels is full of heritage, culture, and charm and has no shortage of fascinating history and beautiful Texas German architecture.
With an affordable and unmatched quality of life, it’s no wonder they now rank as the second fasted growing community in the United States.
We sat down with New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation’s (NBEDC) Vice President of Economic Development, Michele Boggs, to find out more about this community.
Tell us about the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation.
The Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce performs economic development activities through a public-private partnership with the City of New Braunfels, New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation (NBEDC), Greater New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation (GNBEDF), Comal County, and New Braunfels Utilities (NBU). Through operating agreements, the Chamber provides the staff infrastructure for the partnership and its core operations.
The NBEDC is a corporation at the City of New Braunfels whose revenue is derived from a 3/8 cent sales tax. The NBEDC is led by a board of directors appointed by City Council and is staffed jointly by the Chamber and the economic development department of the city. The Chamber acts as the public-facing representative of the NBEDC.
The GNBEDF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2005 to generate private sector funding to compliment public sector resources. Through its board of directors and operating agreement with the Chamber, the GNBEDF also ensures private sector accountability in economic development.
What makes New Braunfels unique within the San Antonio region?
Founded in 1845 by a German Prince, New Braunfels is full of heritage, culture, and charm and has no shortage of fascinating history and beautiful Texas German architecture.
New Braunfels has emerged as a clear destination of choice for residents within the region as 33% of Comal County’s population growth is attributable to net migration from nearby Bexar, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties.
Most notable is the way in which our community is growing. The percentage of the City’s adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher surged more than 11 percentage points from 26.2% to 37.6%. This turnover in the community’s socioeconomic profile has significant implications for its economic development; the skill sets of residents – and the
types of jobs that they fill – are changing rapidly.
If you could highlight one major statistic or project, what would it be?
Noted above, the City’s educational attainment is growing rapidly for the adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Over the past five years, the adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher surged more than 11%.
What makes your community a great place for people & jobs?
New Braunfels is a charming oasis in the Texas Hill Country. Unique shops, quiet cafes, and lively bars line our tree-shaded streets, while fascinating museums and unique walking tours help keep New Braunfels’ history alive. Our arts scene thrives with galleries, studios, concerts, and plays. Two of the state’s most popular recreation rivers run through New Braunfels and thanks to our mild winters, proximity to water activities during hot summers, and an average of 225+ days of sunshine per year, you can sip, shop, relax and enjoy live music all year long. The number one site selection criteria for corporate relocation revolves around the ability to recruit talent. A highly skilled and educated workforce is continues to flock to New Braunfels, and with more residents comes more high skill/high-wage jobs.
It is November so that means Wurstfest. Tell us about the festival and its impact on the city.
Wurstfest is an annual celebration dedicated to New Braunfels’ rich German culture and founding traditions. During the 10-day festival, visitors from all over the world come to enjoy the best German brats, German and Texan beers, live music, dancing, and the finest Alpine and Bavarian Style Entertainment! The economic impact of Wurstfest is monumental, bringing in on average over 233,000 visitors and generating $7 million+ in gross sales year-over-year, not to mention the hiked hotel and rental occupancies during this time which also increases visitation to local restaurants and bars in the area.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
New Braunfels has over 1.5 million sq ft of industrial space entering the market now and over next year. We also anticipate about 500,000 sq ft of new office space to become available over the next 5 years.
Learn more at https://www.businessinnewbraunfels.com.