San Marcos is making a bold play for the aerospace and defense industries, acquiring nearly 200 acres from the U.S. Department of Labor to extend the runway at San Marcos Regional Airport. The purchase, announced by Helen Ramirez, the city’s economic development director, on a recent episode of The Building Texas Show, is part of a broader strategy to position the city as a hub for advanced manufacturing and space-related intelligence.
The airport extension, funded by FAA and Texas Aviation grants, will enhance capacity for existing tenants like Berry Aviation, now owned by publicly traded Bristow Group (NYSE: VTOL), and attract new aerospace businesses. The airport already hosts over 18 tenants, including US Aviation, which trains active-duty Air Force cadets. “We are looking at that future of space. It is not necessarily launching rockets,” Ramirez said. “But we can be part of the intelligence of creating that ecosystem.” She points to Hawthorne, California—home to Raytheon, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman—as a model for the type of aerospace ecosystem San Marcos aims to build.
Adjacent to the airport, the 2,000-acre TriTexas mega site is ready for development, with regional detention and utilities already constructed. The site is rail-served, making it attractive for large-scale manufacturing and logistics operations. These projects are part of a larger effort to diversify the local economy and create high-wage jobs.
The city’s pitch is backed by data. A survey conducted by Ramirez’s office of 98 companies found that over 90% reported stable or growing business, and about 40% are actively expanding. Epic Piping is adding 100 employees, Amazon continues to grow its footprint, and Collins Aerospace, which also operates in California, told Ramirez that business is better in San Marcos. Nabaco, a Texas State University spinoff that went through a Rice University accelerator, now operates in Spain and still hires Texas State grad students.
Texas State University is also playing a key role. Its Star Park incubator houses the Innovation Corridor Defense Accelerator, run with Starburst Aerospace and the Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership. Additionally, a 130-key boutique hotel is planned for downtown on land donated by Texas State, with a minimum-wage requirement tied to inflation written into the incentive deal. The university is adding a hospitality program tied to the hotel project.
Ramirez emphasized the city’s pro-business approach, noting that her staff has direct access to the city’s permitting software. Texas Building Supply, on track for roughly $40 million a year in sales tax once fully ramped, receives real-time answers to permit questions without any incentive package. This efficiency, she argues, is a key selling point for companies looking to relocate or expand.
The implications for the region are significant. By leveraging its airport, university, and available land, San Marcos is positioning itself as a competitor in the aerospace and defense supply chain, potentially bringing millions in investment and thousands of jobs to the corridor between Austin and San Antonio. For an industry increasingly focused on innovation and speed, San Marcos is offering a ready-made ecosystem—without the rockets, but with the intelligence and infrastructure to support the future of aerospace.
