The American Public Power Association (APPA) is the service organization for the nation's 2,000 community-owned electric utilities. Since 2004, the APPA has held annual conferences focused on economic development for its member utilities because the APPA recognizes the inherent need for electric utilities to maintain an economic development program. APPA 2004 Report - "Straight Answers to False Charges Against Public Power" cited the following: "Public power utilities provide benefits to the citizens of their communities through lower rates, responsive service, payments in lieu of taxes, economic development and other programs that benefit the community" "In establishing a public power utility, the city could have greater flexibility to offer incentives to large businesses that could promote the expansion of business and attract new business, while still protecting residential and commercial customers." APPA 2004 Report - "Q&A for Communities Considering the Public Power Option" cited the following: "A public power utility can be extremely valuable in achieving the community's goals to broaden its tax base, offset the need for increased local taxes, and improve the local economy and jobs situation. A public utility's lower rates allow consumers to spend more money on other goods and services. Public power can retain local businesses and attract new ones which helps maintain and create jobs for local residents." "And public power systems are often an integral part of efforts such as downtown renovation, business development and industrial parks and other public works projects in their communities."

For Austin Energy, new business recruited and large redevelopment projects resulted in 1.67 billion kilowatt hours of electricity sold for 2009, which translates to $44.9 million in annual electric utility revenue. Plus, the City's 10 largest arts facilities, which receive arts funding through hotel occupancy tax, produced a combined $136,236 in revenue to Austin Energy for 2009.

All Core and Cultural Expansion Program applications must be submitted, by mail or hand delivery, to the City of Austin Purchasing Office: 124 W. 8th Street 3rd floor, room 308 Austin, TX 78701 Do not send your application to the Cultural Arts Division offices.

Community Initiatives applications may be submitted by hand delivery or mail to the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, Attn: Jesús Pantel, 201 E. 2nd St., Austin, Texas 78701.

Sister City designation is a citizen-driven process and is built upon existing relationships between individuals or institutions in Austin and the sister city. The Sister Cities/International Program Coordinator will meet with interested parties to discuss the different options for international partnerships. In March 2012, the Austin Sister Cities International committee and the International Economic Development Program developed a recommended path for creating relationships between Austin and international cities. Click here to learn more. Sister Cities partnerships must be approved by the City Council and the Sister Cities Agreement will be signed by the mayors of both cities.

Although the terms Sister City and Friendship City are often used interchangeably, at the City of Austin a Friendship City relationship means a partnership that is more limited in scope. Friendship City relationships are mayor-to-mayor agreements that do not require City Council approval. Sister Cities participate in at least 3 exchanges annually, while Friendship Cities participate in at least one. Only Sister Cities are members of the Austin Sister Cities International committee which meets monthly. Both types of relationships are certified by Sister Cities International and call for long-term commitments from the community.

The City of Austin's Economic Development Specialist at (512)-974-7833 or The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President of Global Corporate Recruitment at (512) 322-5626.

The Trade and Investment Program has established business connections on several continents. Contact the International Economic Development Manager at 512-974-6416 for assistance. The program also periodically hosts information sessions about how to do business in certain countries or world regions. Sign up for the International Economic Development Program Newsletter to receive information on upcoming sessions. Also, local members of our Sister Cities committees may have personal experience, cultural expertise and business contacts for you to consider. Contact the Sister Cities/International Program Coordinator at 512-974-6418 for specific information on Sister Cities committees and their upcoming meeting dates.

City of Austin Ordinance 20080306-038 waives all fees for facility use and/or rental. The production company must pay the City‘s actual cost for staff, utilities, and security used in assisting with the production.

Other fees not covered by this ordinance may apply (ex: burn permit, water meter). See the departmental information for more details.

City of Austin Ordinance 20080306-038 states that the City will provide production crews with up to two police officers for traffic control and other public safety issues, subject to certain requirements and limitations. Contact Austin Police Department Special Events at 512-974-5032 for more information about working with the police.

If you have a question about using a particular City of Austin facility, please contact that department’s liaison directly. If you are interested in filming on property owned or operated by the State of Texas, please contact the Texas Film Commission’s Location department at 512-463-9200. The Texas Film Commission can help you find the right locations for your production, as well as help guide you through any required permitting. If you have any further questions, contact Jim Butler at 512-974-6318.

The U.S. Customs and Immigration Service’s EB-5 program allows individuals and their families to become eligible for green cards if they make a minimum investment in Austin that creates at least 10 jobs. For more information, visit the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services website.

The City of Austin's Economic Development Specialist at (512)-974-7833 or The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President of Global Corporate Recruitment at (512) 322-5626.

During the redevelopment period (currently estimated to be 10 to 20 years), much of the taxes generated by the Mueller redevelopment will be used to pay off bonds used to finance infrastructure investments. 

 

It is currently estimated that the City will receive roughly $10-15 million in taxes during the first 10 years, and $55-65 million during the first 20 years over and above what is required to pay for the bonds.

 

Once the infrastructure is complete, an increasing proportion of the taxes generated by the project will be available for the City’s General Fund.  Current projections suggest that all of the City’s bonds for Mueller could be repaid by 2032.

 

In addition, as development occurs, the City will receive development and permit fees.  Catellus will not receive any fee waivers and is expected to pay $5 million in City development fees.

In the Master Development Agreement (MDA), both the City and Catellus have committed to fund the cost of constructing the Mueller Master Plan and each will realize financial gains from the successful redevelopment of Mueller.

At the beginning of the project, Catellus will mostly use its own money to finance early infrastructure construction.  The City will defer its land-sale proceeds and issue debt that is supported by project-generated tax revenues for the first few years of the development, providing “seed money” that can help finance the costly infrastructure improvements. 

Once land sales begin, the proceeds from those sales will be used to repay Catellus’ previous infrastructure investments and future infrastructure costs.  The City may issue more tax-based financing later in the project if the land-sale proceeds are not sufficient to cover the various costs of redevelopment. 

All public financing for Mueller will be repaid out of sales taxes and property taxes generated by development at Mueller.  City General Fund dollars are NOT committed to any expenditures for the Mueller redevelopment costs.

At the end of the redevelopment, after all costs and land-sale proceeds are known, there will be a final accounting, and Catellus will realize its investment returns through the money generated by land sales.  While the City may also share in land-sale proceeds, the City’s primary source of financial gain will be the ongoing property and sales tax revenues generated by the project.

The community’s vision for Mueller contains many features that add significant and nonstandard costs to the redevelopment, including affordable housing, extensive open space and parks, bike/pedestrian facilities, street design, alleys and structured parking near the Town Center. 

Due to the lack of infrastructure in place, the cost to demolish existing buildings and runways and the high level of amenities, the City has always known that public financing would be required to fulfill the vision.  No private developer would construct the Mueller Master Plan as envisioned by the community without significant public financial participation. 

The most comparable projects around the country have also required public financing, including the City of Denver’s airport redevelopment (Stapleton).

The City of Austin has limited risk in the Master Development Agreement (MDA). 

The City’s financial contributions will be based on tax revenues generated by redevelopment at Mueller, not from existing revenue sources that the City currently uses for other purposes.  There is some risk that the financial projections mentioned above will not be realized; however, this risk reflects a lost opportunity rather than incurred debt.

Yes.  The developer bears the bulk of the risk in the Master Development Agreement.  Catellus is directly responsible for financing, constructing, and marketing the development, and will be investing a significant amount of equity into the project. 

If the redevelopment does not achieve the prices currently assumed, takes longer to develop, or the infrastructure costs more than currently anticipated, Catellus may not achieve its currently anticipated financial returns and could potentially lose money.

Earnings for large-scale land developers such as Catellus are dependent on a number of factors, such as the amount of money they must invest, how long that money will be outstanding, the complexity of the project and how much risk they are taking on in the redevelopment.

Catellus will invest a good deal of money in the Mueller project, particularly in the early years when major infrastructure must be built in advance of revenue-generating development.  And, that money will be at risk for a long period of time. 

Beginning in 2002 and extending through 2008, Catellus is currently projected to have invested approximately $30-35 million of its funds in the Mueller project.  At the end of the development phase, Catellus is currently expected to recoup that initial investment and earn a 15 percent return on that investment.  

This return is consistent with real estate industry standards for projects of this scale, complexity and duration, which range from 15 to 25 percent.

• Tax Base Increase – The total value of new buildings at final buildout of the Mueller redevelopment is expected to be approximately $1 billion in today’s dollars, which at current tax rates will generate roughly $4.5 million in annual property tax revenues to the City.

 

• Financial Implication – It is currently estimated that the City of Austin will receive approximately $10-15 million in taxes during the first 10 years, and $55-65 million during the first 20 years over and above what is required to pay for the bonds.

 

Once the infrastructure is complete, an increasing proportion of the taxes generated by the redevelopment will be available for the City’s General Fund. 

 

• Employment – The redevelopment will support roughly 10,500 long-term jobs in medical, office and retail industries. 

 

In addition, the construction of infrastructure and buildings at Mueller is expected to generate approximately 10,000 total “job years.”  This means that during a 10-year build-out period, an average of 1,000 full-time workers would be employed in construction each year.

 

• Affordable Housing – Of the approximately 4,600 residential units expected at Mueller, at least 25 percent will be affordable to low-income households, or approximately 1,150 affordable units distributed throughout the community.

 

• Education – A new neighborhood school will be part of the redevelopment of the Mueller property.  Discussions have also occurred regarding the development of a proposed Academic Health Center property at Mueller.

 

• Healthcare – The development of the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas is already underway at Mueller.  Additional medical offices are expected to locate within the property, and the potential for an Academic Health Center property would make Mueller a unique location for healthcare in Central Texas.

 

• Transit – Transit is essential to the goal of achieving a compact, pedestrian-oriented community.  The Mueller Master Plan accounts for possible commuter rail service in the future, as well as Rapid Bus and expanded local bus service. 

 

• Open Space – The Mueller Master Plan incorporates approximately 140 acres of open space usable by the public, including neighborhood parks, a new lake, sports fields, greenways with hike/bike paths and 15,000 new trees.

 

• Pedestrian-Friendly – The streets at Mueller have been designed to provide a network of pedestrian ways throughout the community.

 

• Bicycle-Friendly – Mueller will host a comprehensive network of bicycle facilities to extend the existing system of bike lanes adjacent to the property, including those on Wilshire, Manor, East 51st and Berkman streets.  Overall, a total of 13 miles of new bike routes, lanes and paths are planned for the redevelopment.

 

• Sustainability – Mueller’s design promotes sustainability at three levels:  Green Community Design, Green Buildings and Green Infrastructure.  The creation of a compact, walkable, transit-oriented development provides an alternative to the automobile-dominant patterns of development. 

 

The Mueller redevelopment also incorporates principles based on the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program and the City’s own Green Building Program.

 

The park system has been designed to reduce off-site flooding and to treat stormwater before it is released into natural streams, while the street system has been designed to support bicycle and pedestrian circulation.

 

• M/WBE – Through a comprehensive outreach effort, Catellus has achieved approximately 25 percent Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise participation at the Mueller redevelopment for the first phase of construction.

The Master Development Agreement is the agreement between the City and Catellus, which governs the transfer of land, the deconstruction of existing improvements, the construction of infrastructure, sales to third parties and numerous other development obligations and responsibilities.

It will take approximately 10 to 20 years to redevelop Mueller, depending upon market conditions.

The Mueller redevelopment is approximately 700 acres.