WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) – While 2022 is coming to an end, Texoma experienced a few economic changes that helped various areas grow. From residents, franchises, and nonprofits, Texoma’s economic changes were up and down for some businesses.
A Vernon man took matters into his own hands when inflation rose. To fight back against the cost of food rising, Stephen Casner built a garden which then grew into a farm.
The now farmer feeds himself and the residents of Vernon.
“If we all help each other, and everyone has their little parts to play, especially with the economy right now, that’s what I was thinking is helping people and they can help me, and we can help each other, and everyone can have their own little thing, and we can get through this,” Casner said.
Back in April, Wichita Falls residents received a new supermarket. United Supermarkets first came to Wichita Falls in 1963. The newest grocery store location will take over the old Cash Saver building on Southwest Parkway and it’s expected to open early 2023.
Then in May, the president of Dillard’s corporate office announced the closure of the retail store in the Sikes Senter Mall. Julie Johnson Guymon, Dillard’s corporate spokesperson, released the following statement to News Channel 6.
“While I cannot expand on specific reasons, it is not uncommon for us to close locations from time to time as is the case in Wichita Falls,” Guymon said. “80 employees were laid off in August when the mall closed.”
Scott Poenitzsch, the president of the Farmers Market Association, spoke to Wichita Falls City Council members to express his desire to keep the farmers market in downtown Wichita Falls. This all came about when the Downtown Wichita Falls Development chose not to renew its lease with the association. The decision affected many vendors and community members.
Downtown Development’s ultimate goal was to move forward with the farmers market under their own management. After not being able to reach an agreement, the farmers market is split into two areas downtown.
One location at 8th and Ohio, which is managed by Downtown Development, and the other at 8th and Austin, managed by the Farmers Market Association.
2022 was a year for businesses to take advantage of opening in new locations. While the farmers market and Downtown Development settled their desires, the a new Boys and Girls Club was built on the east side of Wichita Falls. The new location has been in the works for the past four years.
“This one particular club is going to be within two miles of the brand new high school,” Dick Bundy, Boys and Girls Clubs architect, said. “It is really exciting, exciting for really revitalization for the east side.”
If we fast forward to 2027, Wilbarger County will have a hydrogen plant built by the Air Production and the AES Corporation. The plant will cost nearly $4 billion dollars and is expected to bring 150 permanent jobs to the area. The location of where the plant will be built has yet to be disclosed. The plant will be the largest hydrogen plant built ever in the United States by Air Production and the AES Corporation.
“It’s gonna be a changer for the county tax-wise and employment-wise, but I also think it’s gonna be a huge deal for the region because there will be people living in Wichita Falls and Frederick and Seymour and everywhere else around here,” Richard Hardcastle, managing consultant for Business Development of Wilbarger County, said.
Lastly, the City of Wichita Falls will get a new hotel. The MPEC hotel and convention center is expected to be completed in June of 2023. Nearly 300 people have been hired to construct the hotel and once it’s finished, there will be more than 100 open jobs. The hotel will allow the city to bid on larger conferences in hopes of bringing more people in to show them what Wichita Falls has to offer.
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Year in review: Economy – KAUZ
