Temple attracts businesses as Meta, other companies chose Bell County By ERIC E. GARCIA, TELEGRAM CITY EDITOR
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drian Cannady, president and CEO of the Temple Economic Development Corp., says his phone has been ringing constantly since Meta announced in March plans to build an $800 million data center in Temple.
Bobby Ott, superintendent of the Temple Independent School District, said officials look forward to working with Meta to enhance Temple High School’s Career and Technical Education component, he said.
The reason? Temple is an economic development hotspot.
“We look forward to exploring new career pathways that will meet these newer occupational demands,” Ott said. “Our goal is to give our students a viable option to remain here after graduation — receiving great wages, pursuing degrees, and giving back to the community of Temple.”
Temple Mayor Tim Davis said the pace of Temple’s growth is increasing, given its location by Interstate 35. “We are no longer a pass-through community along I-35,” Davis said. “Temple is a destination for families looking for economic and educational opportunities. Meta knows that an educated workforce is the key to their continued growth and success. Meta has a track record of partnering with local school districts to provide innovative opportunities for our students.” 14 | 2022 COMMUNITY GUIDE
Analysts project that the district could receive about $50 million in new tax revenue from Meta over a 15-year period. “Adding Meta to our commercial tax base helps our taxpayers tremendously,” Ott said. “Temple ISD already boasts the lowest tax rate among peer
