Historic Theaters Help Revive Region’s Downtowns

It had become a real mess. The Cactus Theater in Lubbock – an old B-movie house built in 1938 – closed in 1957.

Wind-Generated Energy Catches a Strong Updraft on the High Ground

Harnessing the wind’s power is a breeze, but getting electricity from great plains elsewhere is the biggest technological challenge.

Regional Effort Creates Prosperity in The High Ground

Stretching from the northern borders of the Texas panhandle south to the Permian basin, this region of Texas is fertile ground for industry.

High Ground Takes Shine to Solar Project

Planned projects could transform solar into a major energy source

Historic Theaters Help Revive Region’s Downtowns
Wind-Generated Energy Catches a Strong Updraft on the High Ground
Regional Effort Creates Prosperity in The High Ground
High Ground Takes Shine to Solar Project
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Ropes Cotton Gin

Cotton ginning remains big business in Ropesville, Texas.

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Welcome to the online edition of Business Images High Ground of Texas, which takes an informed look at residential and business life in the High Ground of Texas. Business Images is sponsored by The High Ground of Texas.

Living and Working in High Ground

The High Ground of Texas is a 60-county region in the Texas Panhandle that is home to more than 1.2 million people and includes the cities of Amarillio, Lubbock, Midland and Odessa. The region, with a workforce of more than 550,000, has built key industry clusters in such sectors as renewable energy, beef processing, biotechnology, dairy, distribution, food processing, manufacturing and value-added agricultural products. Major employers in the region include AT&T Wireless, Bell Helicopter, Cargill Meat Solutions, Hilmar Cheese, Owens Corning, Tyco Fire Protection and Tyson Meats. The region's low business costs, including low power rates,make it attractive for business investment. A strong network of colleges and universities, including Texas Tech in Lubbock, give the area ample resources for a trained and skilled workforce. The High Ground offers a range of historic, cultural and recreation options. Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, is the largest historical museum in Texas. Among the plentiful out door recreation opportunities are the 50,000-acre Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and the Palo Duro Canyon State Park, a 26,275-acre gem, both outside Amarillo.
Education
Amarillo Center Is a Towering Success
When West Texas A&M University looked to establish a teaching site in downtown Amarillo, officials hoped that the new facility would get noticed. The new Amarillo Center achieves their goal. What FULL ARTICLE
Quality of Life
Canyon, Wildlife Refuges Make for Great Outdoors
The great outdoors are pretty great in The High Ground region. Consider, for example, the 50,000-acre Lake Meredith National Recreation Area 50 miles northeast of Amarillo near Fritch. Fresh-air FULL ARTICLE
Transportation
Rail Carriers Ramp Up Services
As major tenants move into The High Ground’s industrial sites, the area’s rail infrastructure is ramping up to meet new challenges. Rail transportation for freight and for people has long been a FULL ARTICLE

Success Stories

Former Air Base Flying High as Technology Center
The loss of a military installation can be a deathblow to a local economy, but 10 years’ worth of planning by South Plains area leaders has seen the FULL ARTICLE
Bush Family Homes Are Preserved in Midland/Odessa
Two presidents named George slept here. George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush, lived and worked in the Midland/Odessa area. Homes that the two FULL ARTICLE
New 'Cash' Crops at High Ground Ag Businesses
The Texas Panhandle is home to more than a few businesses finding success in an agricultural niche. Gary Oldham, owner of SOS from Texas, can say he FULL ARTICLE
West Texas at Core of Nuclear Research Effort
Two trends – rising energy demand and pressure to reduce greenhouse gases – have sparked a nuclear renaissance in the United States, with blueprints FULL ARTICLE

Digital Magazine

Read the 2009-10 edition of Business Images High Ground of Texas. Using ActiveMagazine technology, you can flip through the actual pages of Business Images High Ground of Texas magazine on your computer screen.
Cooperative Competitors
It's Only Natural
Remaking the Grid
On Track
Up and Running

Demographics

Visit our Demographics page for a comprehensive resource of statistics, numbers and data that are key to the region's business and economy.