Texas has done it again, quietly stacking so many corporate commitments that Area Development magazine has handed the state its top economic development prize for the 13th time. The latest Gold Shovel nod recognizes a slate of projects that add up to nearly $9 billion in investment and more than 9,700 expected jobs, spanning life sciences, aerospace, finance and more. Governor Greg Abbott’s office flagged the award in a morning statement and linked it directly to recent big-ticket announcements clustered around Houston, North Texas and Austin. For locals keeping score on new factories, crew bases and corporate hubs, the past year has been unusually busy.
Texas wins again! Area Development Magazine recognized Texas with it's 13th Gold Shovel Award for attracting nearly $9 BILLION in business investments that will create more than 9,700 new jobs. The Texas model works. More jobs. More investment. More opportunity. https://x.com/i/status/2067409855879516404
— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GovernorAbbott) June 18, 2026
Area Development Put Texas Atop The List
Area Development’s annual Shovel Awards rank states on job creation, capital investment and industry diversity, and in the latest round Texas landed at the top of the largest population category for 2025. The magazine cited nearly $9 billion in announced capital and more than 9,700 projected jobs as key reasons for the win. According to Area Development, the Gold Shovel tally is built on a mix of manufacturing, aerospace, finance and life sciences projects that moved forward over the past year.
Deals That Drove The Win
The governor’s office pointed to a handful of marquee commitments that helped push Texas over the top. Taiwan-based Wistron is planning a $761 million facility in Fort Worth with roughly 800 jobs. Germany’s MTU Aero Engines has lined up about $129 million in investment and 1,200 jobs, also in Fort Worth. Scotiabank, meanwhile, is setting up a new Dallas hub with roughly $60 million in investment and 1,020 jobs, according to a press release from the Office of the Texas Governor. State officials say that combination of high profile projects helped push Texas into Gold territory for this awards cycle.
Other Big Name Commitments
Area Development and the governor’s release also flagged several other heavyweight projects that helped swell the totals. That list includes Eli Lilly’s multibillion dollar active pharmaceutical ingredient plant in Harris County and a planned Bridor USA bakery in Lancaster. Industry reporting and company notices have tracked Lilly’s $6.5 billion build and the broader life sciences pipeline forming around Houston, while local coverage and company statements have filled in the timing and scale of other deals. Southwest’s announced Austin crew base, detailed in the airline’s public relations materials and regional reporting, is projected to bring roughly 2,000 jobs as the carrier expands its Central Texas footprint.
Incentives And The Fine Print
Not every public number lines up perfectly once you move from press releases to local paperwork. The governor’s statement lists Pegatron at about $85 million in investment and 500 jobs, while Williamson County’s official Chapter 312 notice for the Georgetown project ties its agreement to a minimum $35 million capital investment and a performance based requirement to create 100 full time jobs to qualify for a tax abatement. The gap shows how state level summaries, magazine tallies and county incentive documents can capture different snapshots of the same project, whether that is broader company plans, negotiated commitments or later revisions as work moves from announcement to construction. The county’s notice spells out the local deal terms, while the governor’s release lays out the wider statewide summary.
What This Means For Workers And Cities
Economic development leaders say this wave of projects is poised to crank up demand for skilled technicians, logistics workers and engineers, and to push more training partnerships with community colleges and apprenticeship programs. Regional groups such as the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership and the Dallas Regional Chamber have pointed to recent aerospace, semiconductor and finance announcements as fuel for new workforce pipelines and recruiting campaigns, with city and county officials now focused on turning those glossy commitments into actual paychecks on the ground.
