AUSTIN BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Mike Judge, filmmaker Terence Malick,
and others have helped to firmly establish
Austin’s film business – bringing business
from Los Angeles and growing the city’s
economic impact from the film and
television industry.
The total economic impact of Austin’s
film and visual media sector has totaled
nearly $2 billion in the last 10 years,
including the many productions filmed
at Austin Studios – the city’s major film
studio that’s housed in old airplane
hangars at the former Mueller Airport; at
Rodriguez’ Troublemaker Studios; and
at Austin Studios’ Ranch Studios project
in nearby Kyle, which offers space for
257 acres of sets, equipment and
production offices.
“Every home Longhorn football game
attracts more than 40,000 out-of-town visitors
and generates an estimated economic impact
of more than $24 million,
according to Angelou Economics...”
AUSTIN SPORTS:
LONGHORNS AND MORE
The closest Major League sports team
might be in San Antonio (the Spurs),
Dallas (the Cowboys), or Houston (the
Texans), but sports are big business in
Austin. The University of Texas (itself a
major employer) and other universities,
University Interscholastic League (UIL)
competitions, the Clyde Littlefield Texas
Relays (a national collegiate track
championship sponsored by UT and
named after the school’s legendary track
coach), USA Volleyball sanctioned junior
tournaments, and the NCAA Division I
regional basketball finals bring more than
$50 million to Austin each year.
Every home Longhorn football game attracts
more than 40,000 out-of-town visitors and
generates an estimated economic impact of
more than $24 million, according to
Angelou Economics, a local economic
development and consulting firm. That
doesn’t include ticket sales or extras. Out-of-town fans buy more than 40 percent of all
season tickets. Including single-game
attendees, about 245,000 fans contribute
to local hotels, restaurants, retail stores and
transportation systems.
Austin’s terrain and outdoor-friendly
weather also attracts competitors from all
over the world for major running events,
including the Austin Marathon and the
Capitol 10,000. Both races attract race
competitors and spectators who add to
Austin’s revenue via hotels, restaurants
and retail. In fact, the city established the
Austin Sports Commission to recruit
professional, collegiate and amateur
sporting events to the city.
Austin’s status as the state capital means
that government is another major industry,
supporting more than 130,000
government workers in local, state and
federal positions. In fact, the direct
economic impact of the 140 days, every
two years, that the State Legislature meets
is more than $27 million per session.
It’s clear that, no matter what industry,
Austin is an exciting and vibrant place to
do business with a thriving entrepreneurial
spirit and opportunities of all kinds.
36 AUSTIN RELOCATION GUIDE – SUMMER | FALL 2013
