Every community has to think about what kinds of industries and business it wants or needs to attract. Most are pretty uncontroversial and would be a boost to pretty much any city's profile. Nontheless, it is also important to diversify; living myself in Wichita, Kansas--a place dominated by a single industry, airplane manufacturing--I've seen first-hand what can happen when there's not enough economic diversity: a downturn or slump in this particular industry creates major problems for large segments of the community and initiates a rippling effect throughout. Real estate prices drop or remain flat; supplier/related businesses suffer; conference and business travel are reduced, affecting the hospitality industry; crime increases. Even the schools are affected; in Wichita the local school system set a record for number of students enrolled this fall, which created imbalances in the teacher-student ratio in some schools. Where did the new students come from? The private schools that people decided they could no longer afford.
Others are controversial. Here in Corpus, there's the proposed Las Brisas Energy Center, for example, which has met resistance from some groups and has raised questions about environmental quality in a place already concerned about it.
What other types of industry or business can grow in Corpus Christi? Well, tourism is obvious. And, an industry that follows that tourism pretty well (and should come as no surprise that I support) is the arts, also mentioned by a resident who came to a seminar. Check out how Seattle integrated their waterfront with a dynamic arts presence here and here.
What else is there potential for that I don't know about?
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If there was some way they could make the harbor bridge taller or move it back some place we could put a cruise liner in at the Corpus Christi terminal that is at the entrance to the harbor, If that happens shops and restaurants would open up on the harbor so they can get a good spot to watch the cruise liners leave, a lot of abandoned building could be used for something and the attractions that are already in that area, below the harbor bridge would get a lot more attention. It would also increase tourism an create a whole other industry to Corpus Christi that I have always thought that this city is made for.
Corpus Christi really needs a bigger entertainment venue with a better team. The corpus Christi sharks are on the verge of being extinct. They are a arena football team. There has been talk of the hammerheads another arena team in the area Moving into that same arena. This could bring more people from out of town and could really help corpus out.
The cruise liner idea sounds really interesting, actually!
As for the better team, how does the minor league baseball team do?
We get enough tourists crowding the area and throwing trash and beer bottles every where. We could use industry such as windfarms to turn the region into a major energy producer. It would even be"green". The windmills come through our harbor. Why not put them up here?
They have a big windfarm on the other side of the bay.
Also, Corpus is kind of known for its "birdiness"...would it be better to build the windfarms inland a bit, like back toward Calallen or down toward Kingsvillle?
I also hear that this is one of the best places in the country for windsurfing. Check out what Charlotte, NC just built a year or so ago:
http://www.usnwc.org/
I just saw that windfarm on the news this morning. Nice. Yes I was thinking the area between Corpus, Alice, and Kingsville. Lot of high wind and open spaces and approximately central to the major metro areas of Brownsville, Houston, and San Antonio. Beach activities are good, but depending on tourism for economy leaves us vulnurable to economic slowdowns and provides mostly low end service jobs. The community needs to strive for more than just waiting tables and selling soveniers.
Yes, that's true, though a tourist economy leads to jobs up the chin too, in hotel management, branding and advertising, travel administration...and increased real estate values, which everyone who owns property likes, anyway...plus increased revenues that can go to infrastructure and education.
It is subject to slumps, though, that is true.
sorry..."tends to lead to jobs up the chain." Bad editing at midnight!!
--and I cannot overestimate that another things that comes from tourist dollars is big tax rates. It's like 14% tax on hotel rooms, right?
I really like the idea of letting a cruise ship into Corpus, *sorry if that doesn't make too much sense, my thoughts are a bit muddled up :)*
Of course it would be subject to how the economy is doing, but tax money collected from a big boom like that could really work to Corpus's advantage. If used correctly we could begin to break into other economy-proof industries which would be very welcome.
Though in reality, I'm sure there would be a lot of opposition to something like that.
Corpus runs the risk of urban decay by focusing efforts outside the city limits though I like the idea of aggressive wind farm development. I like the idea of making Corpus a Love Boat port of call. As it stands, people wanting to go on tropical cruises have to fly to San Diego, LA, Florida, Houston, or N.O. Why CC has not gotten on board with tour boats I have no idea. We keep hearing ideas about building a version of South Padre Island up here. Sounds good except for that it will suck all the attention and money away from Corpus and onto the island worsening our situation.
Dinosuar_rex, why do you say there would be opposition to the Cruise Ship business?
Relatedly, Yeah, Cozumel and New Orleans are a lot closer to here than Miami, right?
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