TX State Looking To Build A New Hotel And Conference Center

Written by Staff | @CorridorNews

Part One

As the Texas State Bobcats are coming off their huge win last night, the University has commissioned a feasibility study to build their own hotel and conference center. It would be located on the corner of Charles Austin Drive and Aquarena Springs, where what is now a TX ST parking lot. Commissioning a feasibility study is the first step in a very long process.

When Texas State purchased Aquarena Springs in 1994, they had commissioned the same feasibility study, but had found they would have lost money, and the Board of Regents did not want to go that far out on a limb. With the current growth of Texas State University, our city and county, it is my personal belief this study will come back this time around, completely the opposite.

Texas State University is growing faster than San Marcos and with the city’s growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, that is an amazing accomplishment. For San Marcos and Hays County to have an additional hotel and conference center available for use would be an  outstanding opportunity for all.

With that said, this would be huge benefit for all of us locally and would also be used as an additional sales tool for our local economic development team, the Greater San Marcos Partnership, to bring in future economic development.

Yes, there are those in San Marcos that really don’t like the idea of economic growth or future development, but as a city, county, state, or business for that matter, if you quit growing, that means you are either stagnate or dying. Looking at the past in fact tells us, that being stagnate means you are dying.

Logistically, San Marcos could not become another Austin, it would be impossible, but it can become a more economically viable community for future growth, and there is such a thing as good and smart style growth, without making future developments and the process impossible. With more housing choices, better paying jobs, quality schools, and the beauty of our city, our families would be on their way to a better, more secure lifestyle.

Having Texas State University right here, in our city, is a huge benefit for all. Currently they have working relationships with all of our major local employers, including the chamber of commerce and established a great relationship with the Greater San Marcos Partnership. Not only is this University accomplishing the above mentioned items, they are also working behind the scenes daily to help make San Marcos a better place to work and live.

According to the University, they are running out of room on campus for meeting and conference rooms for faculty and students, having this option and this additional space would not only benefit their campus, but it would benefit our city. When future students, parents, and sporting event visitors come into town, we start running out of available hotel space, many of those parents turn to staying in Austin or New Braunfels, and spend their disposable dollars where they stay.

The hotel and conference center could also help Texas State achieve the needed reality of building an alumni center.

The San Marcos Corridor has set up an interview with William Nance, vice president for finance and support services at Texas State, for more information about the feasibility study and additional information about the concept they have, and will let our readers know as soon as we have it available.