BOWIE COUNTY, Texas - TexAmericas Center, a sprawling business complex located about 20 miles west of Texarkana, continues to report positive activity with the arrival of new clients, older clients renewing contracts and new infrastructure.
"Cherokee Federal has been involved with us for some time," said Scott Norton, executive director and CEO. "Their Cherokee Nation Red Wing outfit will be expanding their activities and have signed another contract ensuring their presence here for another three years."
Cherokee Nation Red Wing is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and lists their specialties as structural metals manufacturing and support of aviation systems.
"Cherokee Nation Aerospace and Defense is a new arrival on our footprint," he said. "Their contract is set for five years and will be doing their business on 4,000 square feet of space."
Cherokee Nation Areospace and Defense is based in Stillwell, Oklahoma, and counts semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing as their specialties.
"In addition, we welcome MTP Drivetrain Services back to our campus," he said. "They began operations July 1 and occupy 14,000 square feet of space. They remanufacture drivetrain components on tactical military vehicles, assemble generators as well as disassemble tactical military vehicles as well, in support of the mission at Red River Army Depot. They will add 20 jobs to the area."
In addition to the above, TexAmericas Center has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration in the amount of $864,550, with a matching grant from TexAmericas Center $216,138, totalling $1,080,688.
"These funds will facilitate refurbishment of existing rail facilities at the former Lone Star Ammunition Plant part of our campuses," Norton said. "Or they will fund the construction of new ones. There's much work to be done, consulting with engineers, design work. We expect actual work on the facilities to begin in 2022."
As a result, five jobs are retained associated with the project and an additional 157 will be created.
"All we've managed to accomplish and continue to accomplish is because of support from this community, our board of directors and our partners," Norton said. "It is because of them TexAmericas Center continues to see success and bring more developments for the Texarkana region."