Have you been to Houston lately? I have lived here two years and could swear my shocks and struts went out just because of the horrendous condition of some of the streets.

I bet that little hurricane didn't help much either

Yogi said:

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I think you have to keep growing because that which stops growing is in the process of dying.

But, I think there is a difference between growing and diversifying.

Simply growing does nothing for you if you are simply increasing numbers at your traditional demographic. A family will never enrich itself by continuing to have children.

Instead, Waco needs to keep diversifying itself economically in order not only attract new blood to the city but to keep old blood from moving away. I grew up in a Waco area bedroom community, and I have noticed recently that the majority of my senior class do not reside in McLennan County, including myself.

Now, in my case, it's not that Waco doesn't have jobs available for me. It might, but I can get paid much more money in other markets for the same work and with more work tolerable systems than McLennan County currently has. Moreover, and this is the big point: THERE IS LITTLE TO NO LATERAL OPPORTUNITY in McLennan County in professional fields. If I go to Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin or San Antonio and take a job, I can feel comfortable settling down in those areas. Waco is more troublesome because if you take a job in Waco, there are few to no real lateral opportunities available should you not like your job or otherwise part ways with your employer at a later date and time. This is HUGE for professionals in my demographic. We like having those lateral opportunities available to us so we know that we are secure in that particular market for the long term.

In terms of retail and restaurants, Waco runs about third in the State behind Lubbock and Tyler-Longview for movement of chains into the small/ midsized Texas markets. In that regard, you're going to have steady additions when it comes to chains. Still, I would like the city to continue to have home grown businesses incubate in the business environment. The Silos have been helpful toward creating that market environment.

Waco just needs to keep working to diversify its economy, and I think you will see growth that everyone will ultimately be happy with.

And there is no concern about Waco becoming Austin anytime soon. At Waco's current growth rate, it would take over a hundred years for Waco to catch up to where Austin was twenty years ago.

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Good post Yogi

Love when this thread pops up.
I have a couple things.

1.) In case anyone was interested, one of my favorite restaurants, and I know its been talked about on here before, Hopdoddy, is seriously looking at opening up in Waco. I asked some executive that was at the Scottsdale location last night that came to our table about Waco and he said "yep, soon"

2.) Instead of a bunch of lame, 4 story La Quinta, Holiday Inn, etc... Is there a reason why we can't have one nice hotel/resort around town? Not that those aren't nice, but it'd be cool to have somebody come in and do something unique, idk

Agree. My son in law would say the same thing that yogi said. He is a tech guy and has so many opportunities in Dallas/Ft Worth.

Of course, I was there in the 70's and you talk about nothing! So, Waco has come a long way with so much potential.

They were bad before that

Yeah. I would imagine so. But, we had Baylor and it was ok. It's really great now

Ironically in some of the nicest neighborhoods too

bankerbear said:

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HopDoddy is coming to Waco.

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Where did you hear that?

Yogi said:

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PF Changs under construction confirmed.

Dirt now moving for 170 room hotel in East Waco.

La Madeline opening at the end of the month.

Dirt about to move on expansion of Central Texas Marketplace near Newk's.

New water tower going up in Robinson at 340/ 35 interchange to facilitate development at SE corner of interchange. (Area went wet last year.)

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I thought they were building 2 hotels off of MLK, not just one.

Are you talking about development across the highway from Hillcrest or across the highway from Central Texas Marketplace?

903Bear said:

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The city council needs to do what we did in Tyler-adopt a 1/2 cent sales tax designated for street repairs. Then everyone from out of town shopping or buying things and using your roads helps pays for them. It's worked wonders in Tyler.

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Waco already has a 1.5% city sales tax, which is high for cities. They can't go any higher, because McLennan County has 0.5% tax, which combines for the max local rate of 2%.

https://www.avalara.com/taxrates/en/state-rates/texas/cities/waco/

UBBY said:

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bankerbear said:

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HopDoddy is coming to Waco.

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Where did you hear that?

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If anyone would know, it's Bankerbear...

GoodNewsBears said:

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Love when this thread pops up.
I have a couple things.

1.) In case anyone was interested, one of my favorite restaurants, and I know its been talked about on here before, Hopdoddy, is seriously looking at opening up in Waco. I asked some executive that was at the Scottsdale location last night that came to our table about Waco and he said "yep, soon"

2.) Instead of a bunch of lame, 4 story La Quinta, Holiday Inn, etc... Is there a reason why we can't have one nice hotel/resort around town? Not that those aren't nice, but it'd be cool to have somebody come in and do something unique, idk

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They are planning to have 2 hotels on the river development. One is the replacement for the Drury hotel and another is going to be a boutique hotel.

Also, I drove by the Luxe at 1300 the other day and saw duplexes and a small housing development as well added on to that area.

bankerbear said:

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I know the guy who is doing the deal for them.

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Woo hoo! What timeframe are we looking at?

Do we think we will ever get all that neat stuff that was planned along the river close to the stadium. I just can't think what they called that. It was about the time our new stadium was completed ???

Wichitabear said:

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Do we think we will ever get all that neat stuff that was planned along the river close to the stadium. I just can't think what they called that. It was about the time our new stadium was completed ???

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Yes. They should start work at the end of this year or early next year. The plans for the development have changed a little since the original proposal in 2013 but it will cost less overall to do.

That's great. That is what I have been waiting for and that is exciting

bankerbear said:

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There's a lot of moving parts on some of the proposed development on the river right now. One group is looking to sell their entire parcel, and the other group who won the city RFP hasn't done anything in terms of "sticks and bricks". Site cleanup is now complete.

Process has slowed down to get it right.

There is an extremely reputable firm who has developed $1B+ in mix use retail and multi family over the years that may be getting involved.

Stay tuned.

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Have you heard anything about the Heritage Square project moving forward?

UBBY said:

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Yogi said:

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PF Changs under construction confirmed.

Dirt now moving for 170 room hotel in East Waco.

La Madeline opening at the end of the month.

Dirt about to move on expansion of Central Texas Marketplace near Newk's.

New water tower going up in Robinson at 340/ 35 interchange to facilitate development at SE corner of interchange. (Area went wet last year.)

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I thought they were building 2 hotels off of MLK, not just one.

Are you talking about development across the highway from Hillcrest or across the highway from Central Texas Marketplace?

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The area actually has two plots. As far as I know, the dirt for the larger of the two hotel properties is being moved. I can't imagine that they wouldn't prepare the dirt and utilities for one site and not the other, so you're probably correct.

As far as the Robinson development goes, we're talking caddy-corner to CTM on the other side of the interchange. (SE corner)

http://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Waco-Boutique-hotel-planned-for-former-Geyser-Ice-building-in-downtown-441221343.html

The space will feature a spa, high end restaurant, live entertainment space, some retail shops, and 60 hotel rooms.
"It's going to be unlike anything Waco has ever seen, and I think it's going to fit in very nicely with some of the energy and momentum that's already building down here in this part of town," he said.
Asbestos was found during the clearing process, and before construction can begin a certificate from the state must be obtained notifying it has been completely removed.

Humphries said construction on the proposed $9 million project is expected to begin around November.
He said plans are to complete the "The Geyser" and open to the public by Spring 2019, which is the peak tourism season in Waco.
Carla Pendergraft with the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau said another hotel is just what the city needs.
"The demand is so high for Waco hotels that getting more hotels online is important to be able to accommodate all the visitors here," said Pendergraft.
Currently there are 4,000 hotel rooms in the Greater Waco area, and by 2019 that number could be 4,500 rooms.

Great!!!! I really love how the downtown area is progressing.

I believe that Geyser Ice Building deal is dead.

But there is plenty more happening in downtown Waco.

salalani said:

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I believe that Geyser Ice Building deal is dead.

But there is plenty more happening in downtown Waco.

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Yeah, a luxury hotel project probably needs a bigger development company with a deep and proven portfolio to make it happen.

Oh. That is disappointing. But onward!!!

903Bear said:

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The city council needs to do what we did in Tyler-adopt a 1/2 cent sales tax designated for street repairs. Then everyone from out of town shopping or buying things and using your roads helps pays for them. It's worked wonders in Tyler.

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Has the traffic on Broadway and the Loop improved?

Edmond Bear said:

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903Bear said:

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The city council needs to do what we did in Tyler-adopt a 1/2 cent sales tax designated for street repairs. Then everyone from out of town shopping or buying things and using your roads helps pays for them. It's worked wonders in Tyler.

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Has the traffic on Broadway and the Loop improved?

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On my last visit, Broadway still pretty brutal for what you'd expect for a town the size of Tyler.

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

Also the metro area is listed at 268,696 for the 2017 estimate. That is impressive.

Buzzard Billys is open and doing well.

Who said it was closed?

Additionally, 2 hotels are being built between Billy's and the suspension bridge.