Rural Texas Communities Going the Extra Mile

Guest blogger: Rick Rhodes, Assistant Commissioner for Economic Development

Rural tourism throughout Texas is a growing trend. Whether shopping for antiques or visiting a farm or ranch operation, Texas offers plenty of opportunities for getting away.

Some rural Texas communities are going the extra mile to attract more tourists.
Levelland, for example, is a certified GO TEXAN Rural Community that is breaking ground on a new event center. The Mallet Event Center & Arena will host events such as rodeos, fairs and conferences that are sure to bring extra tourism dollars to Levelland.

On Wednesday, July 28, the public and community leaders will hold a groundbreaking for the new center. Below is a photo of what the event center will look like once it's completed. Congratulations to Levelland for promoting rural tourism.


For more information on becoming a GO TEXAN Certified Rural Community, visit www.TexasAgriculture.gov and click on Retire in Texas.

Rural Texas Agriculture Keeps the Lone Star State Prosperous

I met with a talented group of House and Senate members called the Rural Caucus this week, who are dedicated to promoting and preserving the heritage of this great state by ensuring policy initiatives that allow for rural areas to continue to grow and prosper.

The meeting served as a reminder that agriculture doesn’t stop at the borders of rural Texas. Whether you live in a rural, suburban or urban part of the Lone Star State, we all depend on the production of our state’s farmers and ranchers for the food we eat and the clothes we wear. The potential for bioenergy also grows every day in the agriculture industry as new technology is developed and economically implemented.

As Texas’ population grows, rural Texas still packs quite a punch. In fact, the population of rural Texas is greater than the populations of Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming and the District of Columbia combined! And if you haven’t visited rural Texas in a while, check out our GO TEXAN Rural Community Program for a listing of all the great places to see.