Governor Greg Abbott today announced that Texas is again recognized with a Gold Shovel Award by Area Development magazine for leading among the most populous states in attracting high-value business investments in 2020 that will create a significant number of new jobs in communities across the state. This is the ninth year Texas has won a Gold Shovel Award.
“It’s no surprise that Texas continues to lead the nation in job creation and economic expansion,” said Governor Abbott. “The Lone Star State offers innovative businesses the freedom to flourish with our pro-growth economic policies, a predictable regulatory environment, and our young, growing, and diverse workforce. I thank Area Development Magazine for their recognition, and I look forward to welcoming even more new business investments and job creation as we unleash the full might of the Texas economy.”
Also named by Area Development as the manufacturing project of the year is the Tesla “gigafactory” project in Del Valle just outside Austin, a $1.1 billion investment expected to create 5,000 jobs.
Other significant job-creating investments in diverse industries across Texas cited by Area Development included: Amazon in Waco, Oak Cliff, and Pflugerville creating 3,500 jobs; Peloton in Plano creating 1,600 jobs; FedEx in Dallas creating 1,200 jobs; Navistar International Corp. in San Antonio creating 600 jobs; Max Midstream in Point Comfort creating 474 jobs; Freshpet Inc. in Ennis creating 427 jobs; and Gulf Coast Ammonia LLC in Texas City creating 40 jobs.
