Bastrop, Texas - Nationally recognized as Texas’ newest “hot spot” destination!

Centrally located 22 minutes from Austin Bergstrom International Airport, 30 minutes from Austin and an easy two hour drive from Houston, Bastrop is one of the oldest towns in Texas.

Settled in 1802 at the Colorado River crossing of the historic Camino Real Highway, Bastrop was founded as one of Stephen F. Austin’s original colonies. Not only did three Bastropians sign the Texas Declaration of Independence but 11 fought and died at the Alamo. It also has the distinction of having Texas’ oldest continuously operated weekly newspaper…157 years.

Recently recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of only 12 “Distinctive Designations” for 2010, Bastrop has seen a surge of national attention including front page coverage in the Washington Post travel section. In addition, its Texas Historic Commission “Main Street” program has shepherded 22 historic downtown renovations totaling over $5 million and garnered multiple awards.

Beautifully sited in the heart of the fabled Lost Pines and on the banks of the Colorado River, Bastrop has long been tagged as “The Most Historic Small Town in Texas” (131 historic sites)…and one of the most progressive. Currently under construction are a 15,000 sf city hall and a 26,000 sf convention center. Recently completed are the $65.8 million high school, $15 million fine arts center and $17 million athletic stadium.

Unique for a town of its size, Bastrop is deeply involved in the arts. Community theater flourishes in the 1889 Bastrop Opera House. Nationally recognized Deep in the Heart Foundry casts for multiple national and international artists and the Bastrop Art Guild has recently unveiled plans for a 10,000 square foot arts center with an “artist in residence” facility.

The city has been designated as a Texas “Film Friendly” location thus allowing productions to qualify for the Cash Grant incentive programs available through the Texas Film Commission. It already has been the location for many major films including Julia Robert’s Fireflies in the Garden (2008). In addition, Spiderwood Studios, located northwest of the city, is a state-of-the-art production facility with three sound stages and 200 acres of back lot.

Outdoor recreation opportunities abound in Bastrop. Buescher State Park, Bastrop State Park, the Colorado River and the unique terrain of majestic pine forested hills and bluffs provide ample attraction for both families and aficionados. The local kayak livery, working in conjunction with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), has designated 2 of 3 waterway areas as Paddling Trail destinations. The third four mile section, called Red Bluff Paddling Trail, is the river fronting ColoVista and is on hold pending decision by the future owner. Paddle Trail designations qualify the areas for TPWD free advertising, grants and funding.

Golf is the crown jewel of outdoor recreation in the area. Bastrop’s unique topography offers golfers three distinct terrains: rolling prairie lands, dramatic forested bluffs and pecan tree dotted river valleys. With an eye toward establishing Bastrop as a “golf destination” with multiple course options, four courses have been developed within a 15 mile radius: Lost Pines Golf Club at Bastrop State Park, Pine Forest, ColoVista and Wolfdancer Golf Club at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines. The influx of golfers at the Hyatt and their interest in playing diverse courses have successfully accelerated this dream.

The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa identified and then capitalized on an investment opportunity when they located their premier vacation resort near Bastrop. Opened in June of 2006, the 500 room facility, which focuses on outdoor recreation, has generated over $95 million in hotel room revenue alone, placing it among one of Hyatt’s most profitable resorts. It continues to generate strong interest in locating more vacation resorts in the Bastrop area. Additionally, the highly touted U.S. Formula 1 Racetrack will be built only 22 minutes from downtown Bastrop.

Retailers and developers have targeted Bastrop as the new growth center for Austin’s continuing boom. With an estimated 8,500 residents, Bastrop has a whopping trade area of 164,000. In contrast to most other cities, its 2009 to 2010 sales tax proceeds are up 8.12%. Demographics are such that over 65+ major retail chains are located within the Bastrop city limits. Among these are: Best Buy, Lowe’s, Chili’s, Petco, Walgreen’s, CVS, and Starbucks. Currently on the drawing board are: Staples, Jack in the Box, Speedy Stop, Buc-ee's and Walgreen’s second location. The result is small town ambience with big city options.

Driving Bastrop’s expansion is a solid economic base comprised of diverse industries and businesses. Major employers in the area include MD Anderson Cancer Research Center, UT Veterinary Science Park/MD Anderson, Hyatt Regency, Agilent Technologies (Hewlett Packard), Dig Tech/Line Tech, Griffin Industries, Swiftex, Aqua Water Corporation, Bluebonnet Electric, Texas Foam and the Coughlan Group.

An additional plus is Bastrop’s easy access to airports:

More and more businesses are considering Bastop for relocation. The Bastrop Economic Development Corporation works diligently on recruitment by emphasizing strong relocation tax incentives and free land in the Industrial Park for qualifying companies. Bastrop and Bastrop County’s minimal red tape and aggressive business incentives are central to the city’s commitment to attract and retain new growth industries. Bastrop’s low interest loan pool is the largest in the state - $5,195,000 million among 6 banks.

The Bastrop market has virtually limitless development potential: garden homes, residential master planned communities, age-restricted senior living communities or resort development opportunities. Its proximity to major metropolitan areas and its unique quality of life have spurred an increased demand among baby boomers searching for the ideal retirement location as well as urban Texans interested in vacation homes.

Prominent residential real estate developers are actively planning for the continued expansion of Austin’s housing market toward Bastrop. Among them Coast Range Investments LLC has purchased approximately 10,000 acres with plans to start initial development on the 7,000 home project by year’s end 2010. Existing developments are also adding additional rooftops. Hunter’s Crossing is currently adding 50 homes and The Colony is expanding to Phase II.

Bastrop’s strong residential and business expansion will continue to drive the area’s burgeoning development activity. In this dynamic atmosphere opportunities for new businesses abound. Innovative real estate developments are projected to succeed in this demographic market. With a unique blend of small town appeal and urban sophistication, Bastrop and ColoVista cater to discriminating residents who value quality of life…and this translates into market success for developers and consumers alike.