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Bee County hears economic development update: broadband, EV assembly and retail projects announced
Summary
The county’s economic development agency reported multiple prospective and confirmed private investments including a $10 million broadband project, an electric-vehicle-related assembly lease and a new Taco Bell facility; officials said hiring has begun or is expected soon.
Bee County Commissioner’s Court heard a report Jan. 27 from Randy Seitz, president of the B Area Partnership, the county’s lead economic development agency, on business prospects and recent investments that county officials said could bring new jobs and capital to the area.
Seitz told the court: “it’s my pleasure to be here today to give you an update on economic development activities for 02/24.” He said the partnership received 74 leads last year, sent 17 prospect proposals and conducted 15 site tours; three of those prospects had moved forward with investments in Bee County.
Seitz said one company that is installing broadband infrastructure had chosen Bee County for roughly $10,000,000 of buildout. He said the project would create about 60 temporary construction jobs for underground fiber and equipment installation; Seitz also said the company is “in contention for” a South Texas headquarters site in downtown Beeville that could bring about 60 permanent jobs if announced.
Seitz also reported a lease with a company called Electric Power Energy Solutions, described as a Michigan-based firm with a facility in Mexico that designs and manufactures electric vehicles and equipment. Seitz said the company plans final assembly and distribution in Bee County; he said the Bee County Development Authority had signed a lease and that hiring would begin “in the next few weeks.”
Separately, Seitz said Taco Bell has completed a facility in the county’s retail district. He told the court that the three projects mentioned together represented about $27,000,000 in capital investment.
Seitz and commissioners also discussed workforce postings and a job fair: Seitz said one company in the frac-sanding sector (Battle Sands) would host a job fair at the B Area Partnership office in February, with pay offered in a range Seitz described as roughly $18 to $28 per hour and benefits. Seitz added that, “if all things come to fruition,” a representative for Electric Power Energy Solutions had discussed the potential for substantially larger hiring at a later phase, and Seitz said that number discussed by the company could reach about 1,500 employees out of a larger campus if full expansion occurred.
Commissioners thanked Seitz and discussed next steps for workforce outreach and site readiness; no formal county action was recorded on the projects during the meeting.
Seitz’s presentation was given to the commissioners and the county judge during the agenda item labeled "B Area Partnership update."
