1. 5 development projects moving forward in Round Rock, Pflugerville and Hutto
Several new industrial, multifamily and mixed-use projects were approved for rezoning by city authorities in Round Rock, Pflugerville and Hutto in May 2022. One such development, located off of Gattis School Road in Round Rock, will bring up to 1,200 multifamily units to an area that will also be home to Kenney Fort Boulevard once completed. Another development approved at this time was an office park, to be located near the northeast corner of SH 130 and US 79 in Hutto.
2. Cactus Nights Sports Bar demolished to make way for new dance hall and bar
Demolition began on the Cactus Nights Sports Bar building in early March to make way for a new dance hall and bar at 109 N. Sheppard St., Round Rock. The property was purchased by the Villarreal family, which owns the Long Branch Saloon and La Esquina Cantina. At the time, Minerva Villarreal told Community Impact it was too early in the process to share details, such as a name or when the new venue might open. Additional details about the property have not been shared.
3. Breakdown: Here is what is in the proposed $190B Samsung expansions in Taylor and Austin
Samsung Austin Semiconductor, a company that has already committed to building a $17 billion semiconductor facility in Taylor, could increase its investment there by tens of billions of dollars and add several thousand new jobs. According to several new Chapter 313 applications—mechanisms that allow public school districts to offer tax incentives for businesses that invest in their communities—released July 20 through the Texas Comptroller's website, Taylor ISD has approved nine separate applications for facilities at the Taylor location, and Manor ISD approved two.
4. Downtown Round Rock to see more changes amid rapid growth
As Round Rock grows in size, city officials and local business owners are working to bring a slate of new improvements to the downtown area. Those include additional housing, expanded parks and infrastructure improvements. Some large-scale projects are in progress, while others are still in either the planning or conceptual stages.
5. Round Rock City Council to consider termination of economic development agreement for Round Rock Amp
The Round Rock City Council considered a resolution to terminate its economic development agreement with Totkn, LLC, the developer of music venue Round Rock Amp, at its Nov. 17 meeting, ultimately approving it. City documents state the resolution comes as Round Rock Amp operates productively at a reduced scale. The original economic development agreement approved in April 2018 would have had the facility—a restaurant, bar, music venue and amphitheater—completed by Dec. 31, 2019. That agreement was extended in December 2019 to reflect a completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. However, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic changes it caused, investment requirements and a completion date for the proposed project were not met.
