Economic development leaders in Mesquite hope to follow last year’s record year with continued growth in the city.
In 2023, Mesquite, located in Dallas County, secured roughly 2,800 new jobs pledged by businesses relocating to the city, far higher than the average of 300 to 500 new positions. Additionally, the city continues to welcome companies in the clean energy industry, like Canadian Solar.
Mesquite leaders hope to extend last year’s economic success, partly by making it easier for developers to work in the area.
Earlier this year, The Dallas Express reported that Norwegian company Hexagon Purus, a maker of components used in the clean energy industry, was building out a 216,000-square-foot facility at Landmark at the Meadows in Mesquite. The project is expected to cost $12 million and is slated for completion in August.
Kim Buttram, the city’s economic development director, says Mesquite has 300 acres of land prepared and ready for use, capable of supporting around 7 million square feet of industrial development. According to Buttram, the city is building a foundation for future opportunities.
“Whether it’s a building issue or entitlements, we try to get in front of it rather than being reactionary… We’re doing the same thing with our marketing. We’re trying to push out what we’re looking for,” she said, per the Dallas Business Journal.
Buttram says the city’s geography helps attract manufacturing. Mesquite lies at the crossroads of major thoroughfares: I-20, I-30, I-635, State Highway 352, and U.S. Route 80. As a result, goods can easily be transported to and from facilities located in the area.
Companies setting up shop in Mesquite will also have access to roughly one million workers within a 30-minute drive. However, due to its proximity at the edge of Dallas County, connecting properties to sewage lines and power can be more challenging.
According to Buttram, this is one reason the city is cheaper to operate in. She says it also has other advantages.
“As you go east, we’ve got open skies, thriving, growing rural areas that are emerging into being suburban areas, available land and the fastest growing county in the entire country is right next to us… Not all of those competitive cities can say that.”