Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Marble Falls city officials announced they will work out a deal with two property owners who accused the municipality of failing to offer “bonafide” offers for their land, as the city continued steps to transition the area near Lake Marble Falls into expanded park space.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Burnet and Llano economic development corporations have joined a Marble Falls-initiated workforce program to offer more career opportunities and train residents in high-demand jobs.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Marble Falls Economic Development Board members approved a contractor to demolish two Backbone Creek-side homes and ultimately transfer the cleared property to the city of Marble Falls for park space, officials said.
The municipal park space plans are pending approval by the Marble Falls City Council.

By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor

A new report from the Texas Comptroller's Office shows Marble Falls hotels generated a record $11.7 million in total revenue for 2018 — an increase of about seven percent above the nearly $10.95 million lodgers generated in the community in 2017, a local economic development official said.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Reports have been steady that things have been promising on the economic front in Marble Falls this year and the long-awaited downtown hotel/conference center seems to back on track.

“By just about every economic measurement, Marble Falls had a banner year in 2017,” said Christian Fletcher, executive director of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation in an end-of-year report posted online this last week.

In addition he said Thursday, Dec. 28, that the city's hotel/conference team has executed a term sheet with the operator.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

A set of new renderings of the proposed hotel/conference center in Marble Falls reveal a concept compatible with newest additions to the city landscape.

The new renderings come from Seaux Pierce Architecture of Austin, the same firm that designed Market on H, Smartie Pantz at 204 South Main Street and the new Homestead at Mormon Mill apartment complex on Max Copeland Drive.

“They had been asked to look at exterior features on the hotel/conference complex to make sure it was compatible, that it looked historic,” said Christian Fletcher, executive director of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation.

Fletcher said the project's private partner, Novak Cobalt Partners, LLC, was so pleased with the work done and its timeliness that Seaux Pierce was brought on board as architect for the entire project.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Marble Falls City Council acted Tuesday night, Dec. 6, to tie up one more detail necessary before final announcement of the hotel operater to be involved in the $25.3 million downtown hotel/conference center project.

The council and the EDC will meet again Dec. 20 to consider bonds for the project and, as EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher has expressed the hope an announcement of the hotel operator would be a “Christmas present,” the identity of that flagship company could be close at hand.

The detail completed Tuesday by the council was approval of a five-year Hotel Occupancy Tax Reimbursement Agreement with Novak Cobalt Partners, LLC, for 50 percent of taxes collected from the hotel.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

No matter where you are from, the Marble Falls Parks & Recreation Department wants your ideas for their facilities and programs.

An online survey is being conducted to collect the information that will make its way into the process going on to update the city's Park, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan. The document will help Marble Falls set priorities for parks, recreation facilities, trails and open spaces for the next 10 years.

As an incentive for the effort, those who complete the survey by Aug. 31 will be able to enter a drawing for a chance to win two VIP tickets to FiestaJAM 2016 to be held Sept. 23-24 at Lakeside Park and Pavilion or a 16GB Verizon iPhone 5s.

“Anyone who works or shops here or who just enjoys coming to Marble Falls is invited to take the survey,” said Monique Breaux, administrative assistant for Parks & Recreation. “The city takes everyone's views seriously.”

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH/THE HIGHLANDER

The Marble Falls Economic Development Board of directors on Wednesday, Aug. 3, committed $6.2 million to the $25.3 million waterfront hotel conference center agreement with Novak Cobalt Partners, LLC.

The action came after approval of the formal term sheet between the EDC and the developer for a 90-year lease of property between Lakeside Park and the Hampton Inn. The lease, with a purchase option after three years. Specified is a $200,000 annual lease payment, as well as an additional rent payment of 25 percent of annual room revenue exceeding $2 million.

Through a long process of EDC and stakeholder meetings and public forums, the project has evolved to the statement that became part of Wednesday's agreement for: “a select service level resort hotel of approximately 150 keys and adjacent full-service conference center, restaurant and bar” (approximately 16,000 square feet on two levels).