Podcast 155: Building Cedar Park's Future with Arthur Jackson

Episode 155 of the Econ Dev Show is out.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Arthur Jackson, Chief Economic Development Officer for Cedar Park, Texas.

Dane here.

As you may, or perhaps not know – not only do I publish the Econ Dev Show newsletter and podcast for free every week, but over the past year, I've also been developing a groundbreaking tool for economic development organizations: Sitehunt.

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As we approach the end of the year, now is the perfect time to think about 2025. Can I give you a demo? I promise you'll be amazed at what Sitehunt can do.

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Arthur shares his unexpected path into economic development following a layoff from a sales director position, leading to his role with the Austin Chamber and eventual leadership in Cedar Park. Through their conversation, Arthur reveals how his sales background enhances his economic development approach, emphasizing the importance of listening and resilience. He also showcases Cedar Park's impressive achievements as the safest and most affluent city in the Austin area, while discussing the delicate balance of regional cooperation and local development in the greater Austin metroplex.

Cedar Park is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Under Arthur’s leadership, this rapidly growing suburb of Austin is attracting innovative businesses that are transforming the tech, aerospace and clean energy industries including rocket tester Firefly, Hyliion, which provides clean, flexible and affordable electricity production., and Hanyang. Cedar Park offers space, affordability and access to talent while capitalizing on its proximity to Austin. 

The City is also attracting talent and providing enhanced livability to its residents by investing in itself. Cedar Park, which was incorporated about 50 years ago, has 80,000 residents and experienced 44.2% growth in the last population Census, but it never had a downtown or gathering place. The City’s approach to community development was to bet on big-box retail, a minor league sports and event arena (HEB Center), hotels, and 31 miles of trails and parks, along with housing. This presented an opportunity to build a modern-day downtown with resident buy-in. Cedar Park is currently building its first downtown with the Bell District—a $750 million development anchored by a $31 million state-of-the-art public library that opened this November.

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Episode Links

• Arthur Jackson, MBA | LinkedIn
• City of Cedar Park, Texas Economic Development Corporation
• Cedar Park Economic Development Corporation | LinkedIn
• Cedar Park Economic Development Corporation (@cedarpark.edc) • Instagram photos and videos
• Cedar Park, Texas government - Facebook

Actionable Strategies for Economic Developers

1. Leverage Your Background - Even if you don't have traditional economic development experience, skills from other industries (like sales) can be valuable assets. Focus on transferable skills like listening, problem-solving, and relationship building.
2. Master the Art of Listening - Don't lead with your pitch. Instead, listen carefully to what companies and site selectors are looking for, then tailor your response to address their specific needs and challenges.
3. Build a Strong Talent Pipeline - When building your economic development team, don't overlook candidates with sales backgrounds or other non-traditional experience. Their fresh perspectives and existing skill sets can be valuable assets to your organization.
4. Use Safety as a Selling Point - If your community has strong safety rankings or statistics, prominently feature these in your marketing materials and pitches. As demonstrated by Cedar Park's success, safety rankings can be a significant draw for both businesses and residents.
5. Emphasize Educational Excellence - Strong school districts are major attractors for workforce talent and businesses. Make sure to highlight educational achievements and rankings in your community's value proposition.
6. Practice Resilience - Don't give up on projects or opportunities too quickly. As Arthur emphasized, success in economic development often comes from persistent follow-up and staying engaged even when immediate results aren't visible.
7. Be Intentional With Follow-up - Develop a systematic approach to following up with prospects and maintaining relationships. Make sure your follow-up items are specific and valuable to the client.
8. Mentor and Develop Talent - Look for opportunities to mentor others in the field, especially those transitioning from other industries. This helps build a stronger economic development community and can create valuable network connections.
9. Maintain Regional Awareness - Understand your community's role in the larger regional ecosystem. Know how to position your area's unique advantages while still maintaining productive relationships with neighboring communities.
10. Quantify Your Assets - Follow Cedar Park's example by having clear, quantifiable metrics about your community (like safety rankings, school performance, or demographic data) ready to share with prospects. Hard data can be more convincing than general statements about quality of life.