To address a growing strain on water supplies in the Briggs-Oakalla area in northeast Burnet County, the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District is hosting a public meeting at 2 p.m. April 22 in the Oakalla Community Center, 29011 RM 963. Officials will present findings on aquifer conditions and launch a stakeholder-driven process to explore creating a groundwater management zone in the water-poor region.
The Groundwater Conservation District is concentrating on the Briggs-Oakalla area, located within the Trinity Aquifer, due to increasing demands on a limited water supply. A management zone would allow the GCD to tailor rules and restrictions to protect groundwater in a high-need area rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach across all of Burnet County.
“There’s a lot of new demands on groundwater out in that Briggs area, and the groundwater district has been aware that there’s limited groundwater out there,” said GCD President and Precinct 2 Director Ryan Rowney. His precinct includes Briggs and Oakalla. “With all the demands from a limited resource, we feel like there’s gonna need to be some more action at some point on our behalf.”
The meeting is open to the public and will include presentations from GCD staff and consultants, including groundwater engineer Neil Deeds. Residents will be able to ask questions and provide feedback.
“We want folks to be engaged and hear what we’ve heard from our experts,” Rowney said. “The goal is to give folks a way to be involved.”
Proposed housing developments and industrial projects along the U.S. 183 corridor have contributed to the district’s concerns about long-term water availability in the Briggs-Oakalla area.
“The demands are coming from proposed developments, the Firefly ‘Rocket Ranch,’ and other industrial needs,” Rowney said. “In 10 or 15 years, there’s gonna be hundreds of homes out there that will need groundwater.”
No GCD board action will be taken at the April 22 meeting, but a quorum of directors could be present. Rowney emphasized that this is the beginning of a process, not a decision point.
“My hope is that no one will be surprised whenever the time comes for us to either make a decision or make no decision,” he said. “There is no set agenda at this point. We want to hear the facts, hear the science, hear people’s opinions, and then we’ll have to go from there.”
Details and a proposed stakeholder involvement plan related to a Briggs-Oakalla groundwater management zone can be found online. For more information, contact 512-756-4900 or district@centraltexasgcd.org.
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The newly formed Llano Regional Hospital is searching for a chief administrator following the recent resignation of CEO Hatch Smith Jr., who has accepted another job. The Llano County Hospital Authority Board will oversee the facility’s management until an interim or full-time replacement is picked, which should be in the near future.
“We’ve already got a short list (of potential replacements) that we’re working with,” board President Pat McDowell told DailyTrib.com. “The sooner the better.”
Smith’s resignation became official Tuesday, April 15. He had captained the hospital in its previous form, Mid Coast Medical Center-Central, before Llano County, which owns the hospital, separated from operations manager Mid Coast Health System in March following months of disputes over the facility’s financial viability.
Llano Regional Hospital, 200 W. Ollie St. in Llano. Photo by Brittany Osbourn
The fifth-generation Llano County rancher and financier was instrumental in bringing Mid Coast to Llano after Baylor Scott & White’s exit in 2021.
In December 2024, Mid Coast furloughed Smith, along with 11 other employees, but he continued to work without pay throughout the hospital’s transition.
“I’ve been working for free for three months after taking a big pay cut the previous year in an effort to support the hospital and its employees,” Smith said. “We got the hospital in a position where it’s stabilized, and I’ve been offered a position that better suits my family’s needs.”
According to a media release from Llano Regional Hospital, the parting was on good terms.
“Llano Regional Hospital is well positioned for a bright future, and we look forward to bringing in new talent who shares our commitment to locally governed, locally accountable healthcare,” McDowell said in the release. “We wish Hatch all the best in his new role.”
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Agendas for Highland Lakes government meetings are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
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A lack of public support along with concerns from northeast Burnet County residents stalled discussion on forming the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corp. in partnership with Williamson County. The Burnet County Commissioners Court took no action on the issue during its April 8 meeting, and, given community opposition, has no plans to do so in the near future.
The agenda item called for “discussion or possible action on the acceptance of bylaws that would establish the Central Texas SDC in conjunction with Williamson County.” The matter has been at the forefront of county business since it was openly proposed on March 25. Subsequently, a public workshop was held on April 1 to address the potential benefits and risks.
The spaceport development corporation would have formed a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the growth of the space industry in Burnet and Williamson counties, mainly fueled by the presence of Firefly Aerospace, which has a large manufacturing and testing site in Burnet County and its headquarters in Williamson County.
“I can relay constituent feedback that I got all day yesterday,” Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle told the Commissioners Court during Tuesday’s meeting. “The Briggs area, which I represent, had about 99 percent negative feedback on (the formation of the Central Texas SDC) for various reasons.”
Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle (left) told fellow members of the Commissioners Court that his constituents expressed extreme opposition to the formation of the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corp. Following his comments, the court took no action and let the agenda item die. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Following Beierle’s comment, the agenda item fizzled. No other comments were made, and no action was taken, leaving the issue effectively dead unless it is put on a future agenda.
According to Beierle and Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson, that is unlikely any time soon.
“Right now, this is a simple case of doing what the citizens have asked us to do, and right now, they clearly don’t want a spaceport,” Beierle told DailyTrib.com.
Wilson shared similar views.
“I don’t see (the spaceport) fitting into the immediate priority,” he said. “If there were people clamoring for economic development, then it would be a whole different discussion. That’s not happening, so how do we move forward?”
Briggs’ worries
While they did not speak during Tuesday’s meeting, several residents of northeast Burnet County attended, prepared to voice their concerns and opposition to approving the formation of the Central Texas SDC
Among the attendees was Shannon Herring, whose family has resided in the rural ranchland of northeast Burnet County for over 150 years. Her family also owns property immediately adjacent to Firefly’s property in Briggs.
“We have been there for eight generations, since 1852.” she told DailyTrib.com. “I have owned that property for over 50 years. We farm and ranch. That’s where all the hay for all of our cows come from. I have a lot of concerns.”
Accompanying Herring was her granddaughter Callie Herring, who said the windows of her home, over 2 miles away from the Firefly property, rattle during testing.
“I have a horseback riding business,” she said. “How am I supposed to operate like this?”
Callie also referred to safety concerns, recalling a 2020 incident in which several residents were evacuated from the surrounding area when a fire broke out at the Firefly site.
Another resident, Christa Noland, said she was worried about the county committing so quickly to something as major as the Central Texas SDC.
“I’m standing with the position that we need more information,” she said. “My initial gut feeling is opposition, but I am open to hearing more data.”
Resident Tom Green shared similar concerns.
“If it’s the right thing to do, it’ll be the right thing to do in two or four weeks,” he said.
Green and Noland were both referring to the rapid turnaround the public experienced between first hearing about the potential SDC on March 25 and its possible formation just two weeks later.
Those voicing opposition had two primary concerns: the threat of eminent domain and the poor status of northeast Burnet County’s groundwater.
Spaceport development corporations exist under Chapter 507 of the Texas Local Government Code, which does allow for the use of eminent domain, the mandatory selling of private property to the government.
Burnet County Attorney Eddie Arredondo told DailyTrib.com the Commissioners Court would have to approve any type of eminent domain in the county.
“Nobody gets to do any action of eminent domain unless the county Commissioners Court says ‘yes’,” he explained. “But, if the county or the state said it had some sort of need, it could happen. What’s needed or not? That’s a whole different ballgame. I don’t blame them for having the concern.”
Several residents questioned the water usage of Firefly’s testing site and how much more water would be used by even more space industry development in the area. The resident aerospace company has publicly stated it uses about six households’ worth of water every year.
According to Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District General Manager Mitchell Sodek, Firefly’s estimate seems about right.
“I believe them when they say they’re probably equivalent to a number of households on water use because the operation is not water intensive,” he told DailyTrib.com.
Sodek visited the facility in the spring of 2024 and saw the operation firsthand. Most of the water used on site comes from the restrooms used by the 350 employees and for fire suppression during certain rocket engine testing procedures.
However, the groundwater in northeast Burnet County is known to be low-producing and on the decline overall.
“The bottom line is that it’s an area that we know there are low amounts of groundwater and high amounts of growth, so we’re balancing all of those needs together, whether they’re commercial, residential, or industrial (needs),” Sodek said. “In one sense, we are looking at this growth on this industrial side, and it may not come because there’s no resources there or they’d have to depend on an alternate source.”
The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District is in the early stages of potentially forming a special groundwater management zone for the Briggs-Oakalla area, which would further restrict groundwater use.
County Judge Wilson stepped out of the courtroom and spoke with the Briggs residents who attended Tuesday’s meeting and heard their concerns. He offered potential upsides to the Spaceport Development Corp., noting that it could be used to help curb noise from rocket testing, fund infrastructure improvements, and help direct the growth of the space industry that is already present in the county.
Following the meeting, Wilson shared his thoughts with DailyTrib.com.
“At this point, it’s not on my priority list to place (talk of the spaceport) back on the agenda.”
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A bill that would restrict mining operations near sensitive public lands was left pending in the Texas House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, April 9, after testimony revealed that no state agency appears fully equipped—or willing—to enforce its provisions.
House Bill 3482, authored by Rep. Ellen Troxclair of District 19, would have prohibited the Lower Colorado River Authority from issuing new permits for quarries or mining operations near protected areas unless a study confirms the project would cause no harm. The bill applies specifically to proposed operations located within 4 miles of an LCRA-managed lake or two state parks or within 2 miles of a state-licensed youth camp.
Troxclair’s office clarified that the bill was intended to address the proposed Asphalt Inc. quarry, although it would not have affected any permits filed before Sept. 1, 2025.
“The intent of the bill is to stop the proposed Burnet quarry and other ill-sited quarries from propagating across Texas,” a spokesperson from Troxclair’s office told DailyTrib.com.
In her testimony before the committee, Troxclair called the legislation a “common-sense” approach to balance economic development with environmental stewardship.
“Texas is home to a rich and diverse landscape,” she said. “House District 19 (which includes Burnet County) does more than its fair share to provide the asphalt and industry our state needs. … But at some point, when we have mining and blasting going on right next to caverns or Camp Longhorn, with open-air tents that have been around for a century, those things matter, too.”
Testimony from the LCRA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality revealed a regulatory gap: No agency currently has full jurisdiction to assess all potential quarry impacts, including air quality, water runoff, noise, traffic, and proximity to residential or recreational spaces.
TCEQ representatives testified that the commission’s quarry permits are designed to be “protective at the fence line,” regardless of location. However, they acknowledged that Burnet County has no active air monitors and that assessments rely on projections, not real-time data.
“So y’all are making projections, but you aren’t actually monitoring the issue directly in Burnet County?” one House committee member asked.
“There are no air monitors specifically in Burnet County,” said Joel Anderson, a TCEQ area director. “The closest one … is going to be at the Austin Audubon in Leander.”
The TCEQ reps also clarified the commission does not regulate blasting, noise, light pollution, or traffic, key concerns raised by residents living near quarry sites.
Meanwhile, the LCRA stated plainly that its regulatory authority is limited to water quality and that it has no framework—or desire—to expand its oversight.
“We don’t do air. We don’t do noise. We don’t want to do any of those issues,” said Tom Oney, LCRA’s executive vice president of External Affairs. “We want to protect our lakes. That’s where our mission lies.”
The quarry bill required a study confirming no environmental harm, but it did not specify who would pay for that study or how it would be conducted. TCEQ officials said such reviews are typically outsourced to universities or contractors and could take months to a year. The LCRA said there is no process or staff to conduct studies outside water-related permits.
A few residents who testified urged the House committee to act despite complications.
“This would be the first quarry in state history this close to two state parks,” said resident Todd Sifleet. “If we can’t protect a location this worthy of protection, then the law needs to change.”
Dennis Donley, a fifth-generation rancher and regulatory attorney, said he’s seen firsthand how regulatory gaps prevent meaningful oversight.
“I’m a regulatory attorney, and I don’t even know who to call,” he said. “Unless you sue, nobody’s looking at this comprehensively.”
Nine-year-old Grace Fowler, who will attend Camp Longhorn for the first time this summer, spoke to lawmakers about her fears that quarry operations would damage the surrounding land and wildlife.
“Camp teaches kids to take care of the environment and respect others,” she said. “But how can we do that if the water we swim in and the air we breathe is ruined?”
The Natural Resources Committee did not vote on the bill, leaving it pending for future consideration. When a House committee “leaves a bill pending,” it means the committee heard testimony but has not voted to advance it to the full Texas House for consideration. This is a common part of the legislative process, allowing time for review, amendments, or political alignment.
A bill left pending may be brought back for a vote at a later date, remain in committee until the legislative session ends (effectively killing it), or be rewritten or reintroduced as a substitute or companion bill.
Only bills voted out of committee can advance to the House floor for broader debate.
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The city of Granite Shoals is just over five months from reigniting its white-tailed deer harvesting program after a five-year hiatus. The city has spent the past two years rebuilding its Wildlife Advisory Committee, conducting deer population surveys, and collaborating with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in preparation for tackling its swollen deer population.
According to the most recent surveys of wild deer, there is an estimated one animal for every 0.86 acres in the city, which far exceeds the TPWD healthy population ratio of 8-10 acres for every deer.
The overabundance of deer reportedly wreaks havoc on landscaping and vegetation and is responsible for about 50 percent of the reported vehicle collisions within city limits, according to Police Chief John Ortis.
“Last year, I had two police vehicles damaged by deer,” he said. “Several years back, we did not have a single vehicle in our fleet that did not have deer damage.”
If everything goes according to plan, harvesters will be in hunting stands across the city, using archery equipment to dispatch deer under restricted conditions come late September or early October when the 2025-26 hunting season begins.
What is the Wildlife Advisory Committee?
The Granite Shoals Wildlife Advisory Committee is a collection of volunteer residents appointed by the City Council to help advise the city on wildlife management. It currently has 10 members and hosts a public meeting once a month or as needed.
The group was formed in 2014 specifically to address the issue of deer overpopulation in the city. Residents were surveyed in 2015 for their thoughts on the issue and town halls were held in the following years to get more feedback.
After the public outreach campaign, the committee developed an archery harvesting program alongside TPWD to allow for the killing of deer within city limits under special restrictions and special Managed Lands Deer Program tags. This process began during the 2016-17 white-tailed deer hunting season and continued through the 2018-19 season.
During its active years, the committee and its harvesters reportedly killed 305 deer, logged 3,076 volunteer hours, and collected 5,998 pounds of venison, which was either kept by the harvesters or donated to those in need.
The committee and harvesting program lost steam and ceased in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and waning interest in the challenging work of shooting, moving, and processing animals under restrictive conditions.
The white-tailed deer harvest program was developed by the Wildlife Advisory Committee alongside TPWD as a solution to the overabundant deer population within Granite Shoals city limits. Volunteer harvesters will spend the hunting season killing deer at designated sites throughout the city in an effort to reduce the population.
“We’re just trying to do what it takes to have a healthy deer population as opposed to a maximum deer population,” said Wildlife Advisory Committee Chairman Peter Hutnick.
The harvesting will be done under strict conditions, with volunteers posting up in 10-15 sites in the city using a tree stand or a tripod stand with a deer feeder nearby and a backstop placed within a planned shot path behind the feeder. Harvesters can only use archery equipment and are only permitted to take shots at 20 yards or less.
The harvest sites will be on a mix of city-owned property and volunteered private property. Residents in homes within 75 yards of a harvest site will be contacted and informed about the program prior to it starting. If a wounded animal crosses property lines, the committee and the city will request permission to retrieve or pursue the deer.
The harvesting will be done through the TPWD’s Managed Lands Deer Program, which allows landowners to harvest deer on a property to support healthy habitat and wildlife conservation. This program takes place outside of normal hunting regulations, with the issuance of a specific number of MLDP tags to an MLDP project rather than the standard five tags issued to a hunter per hunting season.
To join the MLDP program, Granite Shoals had to conduct three full years of population surveys, which were submitted to TPWD to better understand the city’s deer population.
The city began its surveys in 2023, did another in 2024, and will complete its final surveys in August, just prior to the start of white-tailed deer archery season in late September or early October.
According to the most recent surveys, volunteers counted 2,027 deer over three days of surveys in 2024 on the same 1,737 acres. This is by far the greatest number of deer surveyed since the city program began. The next highest number surveyed was 1,551 animals in 2023, and the lowest was 778 animals in 2015.
The exact number of MLDP tags that will be issued is yet to be determined, but Wildlife Advisory Committee Chair Hutnick said that, based on the current number, it could be as high as 700.
Learn more about the harvesting program through the Wildlife Advisory Committee’s 2025 Deer Management Program presentation online.
To apply to be a harvester, visit the Granite Shoals Deer Harvesting Program webpage. Harvesters must be at least 18 years old, possess a Texas Hunting License and Bowhunter Education Certificate, and pass an archery accuracy test and a 15-question “shoot or don’t shoot” test. Harvesters do not have to be residents of Granite Shoals.
Shooting is only permitted for designated harvesters. All deer killed will be processed and distributed to harvesters who want the meat or kept in a city-owned walk-in cooler for distribution to those in need.
Under TPWD rules, white-tailed deer cannot be transported from one place to another due to the risk of spreading disease across Texas deer herds. The animals cannot be captured, kept alive, and moved.
Are there really that many deer?
Longtime Granite Shoals leaders Mayor Ron Munos and Mayor Pro-tem Steve Hougen both acknowledged the large number of deer in the city.
“We have a severe deer overpopulation, and I think (the Wildlife Advisory Committee) has a well-thought-out plan to address it,” Munos said. “Just living in Granite Shoals, you drive around and see deer everywhere. We hear complaints of, ‘I can’t have a garden,’ and you see dead deer on the side of the road. It’s an issue we felt it was time to address.”
Hougen, who was part of the original Wildlife Advisory Committee in 2018, echoed Munos’ sentiments.
“(The deer management program) is a response to the demand that something be done about the deer,” he said. “All options have been considered, and this is by far the most inexpensive and efficient method.”
TPWD Senior Biologist Evan McCoy supports Munos, Hougen, and the Wildlife Advisory Committee’s assessments.
“I’ve worked with very few places that have that level of density,” said McCoy, referring to the 0.86-acres-per-deer ratio in Granite Shoals. “Even when you get to a deer per 3 acres, you see habitat degradation and you’re left with the low-quality plants. And if that’s what they’re eating, they’re probably getting less nutrition than they probably should. And in a city or urban area, there is probably far less of that natural vegetation.”
McCoy explained that land has a carrying capacity for supporting wildlife, and if that capacity is overburdened, it can lead to habitat destruction, such as the destruction of landscaping in Granite Shoals, conflicts with humans, and malnourished animals.
“We’re already in a part of the state with the highest deer density,” he said. “There is a carrying capacity; your land can only support so many deer. You do have a point where you have too many (deer) and it’s causing safety issues for people and maybe an annoyance, but also, at the same time, the health of that deer herd can be lowered.”
McCoy also recommended that residents avoid feeding deer, which can artificially boost the population.
“I really would discourage people from feeding, which I know is hard to do,” he said. “It will require the cooperation of the entire community to help resolve the problem.”
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Marble Falls Fire Rescue received its long-awaited ladder truck April 8 after a long drive from the Pierce Manufacturing facility in Appleton, Wisconsin. The new vehicle boosts the department’s fleet and will help firefighters keep up with the growing needs of a growing city.
“This new ladder truck provides us better firefighting capabilities for commercial and multi-story facilities in the city,” said Chief Thomas Crane in a Tuesday media release. “And the mid-mount feature allows us much more range when it comes to water rescue and fire containment situations than the old rear-mount fire truck provided.”
The new engine’s mid-mounted, 100-foot extension ladder and aerial tower are key features, allowing for safer firefighting on larger structures. The city’s previous lead ladder truck was getting on in years, having been brought into service in 1999.
MFFR now has three emergency response vehicles, counting the two other engines in its fleet. The department is expecting a fourth in June 2026.
Firefighters will need to train on the new truck and become familiar with it before it is officially deployed, so it might not see action until May.
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Togetherness was on display Tuesday, April 8, at Hill Country Fellowship in Burnet, where leaders from Burnet and Lampasas counties hosted a joint town hall and workshop to address mounting concerns over a proposed 26.9-mile quarry railway.
The event offered a rare moment of unity and urgency as landowners, attorneys, and government officials gathered to strategize on how to stop the rail line.
The proposed project, led by Texas Materials Group Inc., includes building 14.4 miles of new track and reactivating 12.5 miles of long-abandoned line, cutting through private land, to carry construction materials from several Burnet County quarries. While the company has yet to formally file with the federal Surface Transportation Board, the railway’s early-phase review has prompted outcry from those along the routes.
“They are proposing to run through the middle of our property with no regard to fence lines or adjacent property owners,” said Bar H Bar ranch’s Bill Hinckley at the town hall. “We have an uphill battle. … This is going to go on for years, so we have to band together and fight with everything we have.”
Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle, whose precinct would include most of the rail line, outlined a timeline shared with him in a recent call with the Surface Transportation Board. The current comment period for elected officials and the governments initially contacted by Texas Materials ends April 14. A site visit is set for later in April, during which STB representatives will review the proposed path from public roadways. However, Beierle is compiling a list of landowners who want their properties included in the visit.
“If we can get (STB) on the land instead of just reading about it, it’ll have a much bigger impact,” he said.
A map of the routes for a propsed 26.9-mile quarry railway in Burnet County. Texas Materials Group Inc. map
Resident Michael Greco, a retired veteran, gave emotional testimony about health concerns related to the proposed railway, which would run near his home.
“My allergies have tripled because of the dust from the quarries,” he said. “Now, they want to run another track right behind my house. … Greed is usurping all the people’s land, property rights, animals, and health.”
Eminent domain attorney Dennis Donley, whose family’s land also lies in the path of the proposed line, provided legal insight and warned residents to document adverse possession claims.
“A lot of these easements haven’t been used in decades,” he said. “You need to assert your ownership now before it’s too late.”
Stephanie Ahr, founder of a petition, Facebook group, and StopTheQuarryTrain.com, all against the railway, announced that a private legal and environmental team has been hired by a coalition of landowners to conduct independent studies along the entirety of the proposed line.
“We have some affected landowners that have joined forces and hired private environmental and historical companies, as well as a (Washington) D.C. railway attorney that actually does this for a living,” she said.
The rail line has sparked coordinated opposition from local and state leaders. Burnet County passed a resolution against the project on Tuesday, and Lampasas County is expected to follow suit. State Rep. Ellen Troxclair and state Sen. Pete Flores have submitted letters opposing the project.
“Everyone you want on board is getting on board,” Commissioner Beierle said, “but the most important voices are yours.”
A recording of the April 8 town hall may be viewed on the Burnet County government’s YouTube page.
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The city of Marble Falls has been officially recognized for its charm and hospitality as a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community, joining a small group of towns and cities across the state that are dedicated to attracting and accommodating visitors.
The distinction comes after city leaders established the necessary criteria in 2024 in pursuit of the title.
The Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community recognition solidifies Marble Falls as a city that values tourism and opens it up to state resources and programs for tourism development. Texas has around 30 Tourism Friendly communities.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office applauded the city on the designation in an April 8 letter, accompanied by positive remarks from Travel Texas Director Tim Fennell and state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, whose district includes Marble Falls.
“I congratulate the city of Marble Falls and Visit Marble Falls on earning this designation,” Abbott wrote. “All Texas communities are encouraged to apply to become a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community to further grow local tourism and jobs across our great state.”
Troxclair had a more personal take on Marble Falls’ appeal.
“Marble Falls is ‘in the middle of everywhere’ and on the leading edge of hospitality in Texas,” she wrote. “Generations of Marble Falls residents have welcomed travelers to enjoy our charming downtown, lush countryside, and sparkling lake. Marble Falls is a secret treasure—and now the word is out. This well-earned Tourism Friendly Texas Community certification will further enhance economic opportunity and job creation for all who visit, work, live, and play here in the Texas Hill Country.”
The city began pursuing the state designation in 2024 when it proclaimed itself a “tourism-friendly community,” which was part of the required application process to receive the official certification.
The designation increases Marble Falls’ profile as a travel destination and grants access to statewide marketing resources and opportunities that could come through the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office.
According to the Governor’s Office letter, tourism supports one out of every 11 jobs in Texas and generates about $193 billion in annual economic impact.
Travel data from 2023 showed visitors spent around $52.1 million in Marble Falls at travel-related businesses, generating $1.8 million in tax revenue for the city.
“The designation of Marble Falls as a Tourism Friendly Texas Community by Governor Abbott and the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office marks a pivotal milestone in our city’s ongoing growth and development,” wrote Mayor Dave Rhodes in the April 8 letter.
Rhodes has supported Marble Falls dressing itself as a destination for years, and strongly advocated for the pursuit of the state designation when City Council talks began in 2024.
“We decided (nearly 20 years ago) we were going to be a destination, and that kind of helped us focus on a direction on who we were going to be,” he told the rest of council during an August 2024 meeting.
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