Chris Boone, City Manager, City of Beaumont

In an interview with Invest:, Chris Boone, city manager of Beaumont, discussed the region’s industrial investment, infrastructure projects, population goals, comprehensive planning, and workforce needs. “The amount of investment that’s going on right now is unprecedented,” Boone said.

What recent changes are influencing Beaumont’s priorities?

Several developments have been building across the region for years. Locally, there have been leadership changes. We hold elections every two years, so council members and the mayor can change. I am the new city manager, and the school district has also experienced a transition.

Beaumont is the hub of a Southeast Texas regional economy of approximately 350,000 people. Because of our petrochemical base, we are also connected to larger markets. We are a little more than 80 miles east of Houston, but our industrial base links us closely to that market.

How would you characterize the region’s economic outlook?

The investment taking place in petrochemicals and infrastructure has been building for several years. The amount of investment that’s going on right now is unprecedented. The region has approximately $60 billion in announced private-sector projects.

We and our partners at the Corps of Engineers, the port, the county, and other regional organizations are working on a $1.4 billion project to deepen and widen the river channel. It will go from 40 feet to 48 feet. The Port of Beaumont plays a significant role in our economy, and the project will increase efficiency and elevate the region’s role in energy exports and petrochemical trade.

The port is investing approximately $400 million in infrastructure, including terminal improvements, roads, and rail. TxDOT is also making an $840 million investment in highway corridors through Beaumont. The work will improve connectivity for trucks serving the port and industrial facilities.

These projects link Beaumont not only to Southeast Texas but also to national and international markets. The deeper channel, improved terminals, rail investments, and highway work will increase the efficiency of moving energy, petrochemical products, and other goods through the region.

Which major industrial projects are contributing to that investment?

Woodside’s new ammonia plant, formerly an OCI project, represents a $2.35 billion investment on the southeastern edge of Beaumont. The Golden Pass LNG terminal is a $10 billion investment, and Port Arthur LNG is a $13 billion project. They are not all directly within Beaumont, but they are deeply connected to the city and strengthen Southeast Texas’ role in global energy and petrochemical markets.

Our challenge is to leverage that activity. Beaumont has set a goal of reaching a population of 130,000 by 2030, compared with approximately 115,000 today. Much of the region’s economic activity is not reflected in our population because residents live in bedroom communities around Beaumont. We want to shift from the flat population trend of recent decades and establish the right trajectory for continued growth through 2040.

The city participates in abatements where appropriate, has invested in an internal economic development department, and continues partnering with the county, the chamber of commerce, and the state of Texas. We now have in-house staff focused on converting this investment into a direct benefit for Beaumont.

The population target may appear modest compared with faster-growing Texas cities, but it is important because it would change Beaumont’s direction after decades of relatively flat population. Reaching that goal would demonstrate that the city is capturing more of the jobs, investment, and economic activity occurring across the surrounding region.

What do existing businesses need most from the city?

First and foremost, they need a good partner. Time is money, particularly for large prospects. Businesses need information quickly and clearly. They may ask whether we can match abatements offered by other markets or request details about roadway, rail, water, sewer, and site capacity. We aim to respond quickly and cooperatively because we compete with markets in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and beyond.

Beaumont is an older city with aging infrastructure. We need to ensure our storm sewers, water and sewer systems, and streets operate properly. We approach a multibillion-dollar industrial investment and a mom-and-pop restaurant with the same attitude: How can we make this work?

That requires understanding each site’s capacity and coordinating with partners such as TxDOT. Large companies and small businesses both depend on reliable infrastructure and a city that can provide accurate answers. During budget season, those basic systems remain central because business activity cannot proceed if streets, drainage, water, or sewer service does not function properly.

How is the comprehensive plan addressing future growth?

The comprehensive planning process asks what Beaumont should look like 20 or 30 years from now. We must balance new investment with automobile traffic and resource demands while maintaining the quality-of-life amenities residents and businesses expect.

Companies’ site-selection teams may visit our community when comparing markets, so we need well-appointed, well-maintained parks and strong events. Our major events include Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage celebrations, and the Mural Festival. These amenities help us tell a positive story when outside investors evaluate Beaumont.

The plan must consider how new industrial and commercial investment affects transportation and public resources. It also needs to ensure that residents continue seeing Beaumont as a desirable place to live and that prospective employers can recruit people who want to remain in the community.

What investments will be priorities over the next three to five years?

The school system is undergoing changes, and we are looking for improvement. The city is also investing in infrastructure. Voters approved a $58 million bond proposition focused on drainage, streets, and sidewalks. Public infrastructure and the fundamentals will be a major focus over the next several years.

Quality of life also matters. We need our parks, museums, theaters, and other amenities to remain up to standard. The central question is how to use this broader investment to move the needle for Beaumont.

Workforce and education are another key component. Lamar University reached record enrollment this fall, with approximately 18,000 students. Lamar University and Lamar Institute of Technology are working with Texas Workforce and BISD. We need to ensure the workforce is prepared to meet the needs of industry and business.

What additional projects illustrate Beaumont’s growth potential?

FedEx has invested $21 million in a new facility, while Amazon is building a 116,000-square-foot last-mile facility representing a $29 million project. These investments support the distribution of goods and services from Beaumont as a regional hub.

Beaumont’s history includes Spindletop, and the city has experienced major economic booms before. Those periods helped Beaumont grow into the city it is today. We now have another tremendous amount of outside investment, and the burden is on us to leverage it so Beaumont continues growing and flourishing.