By the BF Staff
From the January/February 2023 Issue
Business Facilities: Tell us about Amarillo, TX and what the city offers to businesses.
Kevin Carter, President & CEO, Amarillo Economic Development Corp.
Carter: Amarillo, TX is growing faster than ever, and its convenient location, strong workforce, and welcoming community are no longer a secret to businesses. Amarillo’s assets extend far beyond its agricultural commodities and vast land resources, too. The Texas Panhandle’s economy encompasses a diverse group of industries, from livestock and food technologies to renewable energy and logistics. With a record year of economic development activity, it is clear to see that Amarillo is an ideal location to take root and grow a thriving business. Amarillo has welcomed projects that align with the Panhandle community being a pioneer of innovation.
BF: What is a recent notable expansion project in Amarillo?
Carter: The Amarillo EDC recently completed a project with Coast Packing. They’ve been around for a century. Coast Packing was founded in 1922 as a livestock and meat-packing business and expanded over the years. Coast Packing is a beef lard processor that produces specialized products for cooking food to the best quality. Their efforts to be a leader in the food industry aligned with Amarillo as a hub of global food production.
The new facility will double its manufacturing capabilities. The first project phase will consist of a 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility along with an R&D test kitchen for hosting global customers. The second phase of the project will expand the facility to 100,000 square feet as Coast grows its customer base and diversifies its products. This project is expected to have a capital expenditure of over $30 million and to create 40 new jobs.
Home to the Double-A affiliate team Amarillo Sod Poodles, Hodgetown baseball park opened in 2019. (Credit: Photo: Amarillo Economic Development Corporation)
BF: What type of incentives did this project receive?
Carter: The Amarillo EDC offered a traditional Job Creation Incentive of $12,000 per FTE for up to 60 employees paid out over five years and a Land Conveyance of about 30 acres. The unique portion of this project was to assist with rail access as that was a crucial factor in Coast Packing’s location decisions. The Amarillo EDC offered rail site improvement up to $1,000,000 for a needed rail switch and industry track.
