The Woodlands Township Chairman Gordy Bunch delivers State of the Township at economic event

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Township Chairman Gordy Bunch spoke on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at the Quarterly Partner Luncheon hosted by The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership (EDP).

Chairman Bunch presented the State of the Township, which highlights the services provided by the Township along with an overview of amenities for residents and visitors, details about the local economy and Township investments along with projections for the future of the community.

“When we survey our residents for the words that best describe The Woodlands, the same words appear: nature, trees, community-oriented, safe, fun, peaceful,” Chairman Bunch said. “The Woodlands remains a wonderful hometown for our residents, a great destination for corporate and convention meetings, leisure travel, and place to work with thousands of jobs. The Township Board of Directors and staff endeavor to continuously improve and promote these qualities for our residents and visitors.”

Chairman Bunch highlighted that The Woodlands Township has a strong business climate that produces strong sales tax, hotel tax, program revenues, and other revenues which account for 64 percent of the Township’s total revenue sources, while property tax accounts for 36 percent. Additionally, The Woodlands Township has bond ratings of excellent investment quality (AA - Standard & Poor’s and A2 – Moody’s).

Chairman Bunch addressed the importance of visitors to The Woodlands and their impact on the Township budget. Annually, total visitor spending in The Woodlands amounts to $289 million, along with nearly 4,000 jobs. He noted the work of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, which recently rebranded to Visit The Woodlands. The team represents The Woodlands at numerous trade shows in 2018, where they will work to attract conferences and meetings to the community in booking The Woodlands 14 hotels.

Looking forward, Chairman Bunch also shared updates about ongoing projects such as the Incorporation Planning Study and the Cultural Arts Study. The Incorporation Planning Study is underway, and residents are invited to attend twice-monthly public input sessions regarding the study. Bunch also shared a visual rendering of the proposed Cultural Arts Center.