Temple projects net $776M for area economy

TEMPLE – Five new projects netted $776 million in new value for the area economy last year, according to Lee Peterson, the president of the Temple Economic Development Corp.

These projects included

• Panda Energy’s $758 million power plant
• Johnson Brothers Ford-Lincoln’s new facility
• Sparetime Fun Center
• investments by Tin Knockers Sheet Metal and Gateway Center — which will be home to the new Cinemark Theaters.

More than 53 percent of Temple businesses plan expansions in the next three years. Over 73 percent expect to grow in Temple. Forty-one percent of Temple companies consider their primary market to be global, Peterson said.

Johnson Brothers’ owner Harry Adams and General Manager Kenny McCarty accepted the award for Expansion Project of the Year, which honored the dealership for its new $5.5 million facility and $500,000 in new equipment.

Johnson Brothers’ has plans to hire 15 more employees and expects to generate more than $3 million in sales taxes this year, according to Charley Ayres with the Temple EDC.

Read more at the Temple Daily Telegram. On the fun side, see Buc-ee’s coming to Temple.