LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
The Texas economy is booming and one of
the areas seeing growth is recreation.
A new
study by outdoorindustry.org shows that 28.7 billion dollars is generated
annually creating 277,000 jobs, and the city of Lufkin takes part.
Larry hunt will soon be opening his own recreation
business. It will be an indoor sports training facility.
"With this sports facility coming in,
you can see that Lufkin is growing," said Hunt.
Hunt believes his facility will only bring
benefits to the community.
"We're just five minutes from the
park, so kids can come in and do some batting practice before a game,"
said Hunt.
It's not surprising to city leaders that
these businesses are starting to boom.
"Lufkin has really good
infrastructure, and a council willing to work with anyone. What we see in my
office is a lot of smaller businesses, we aren't seeing those big large box
businesses," said Lufkin Planning Director Dorothy Wilson.
There are also plans for another
recreational center to open.
Plans are still in preliminary stages but
it would include bowling alley and other activities along with a restaurant opening
in the Garden District Shopping Center.
City officials say these types of
businesses fit perfectly with Lufkin.
"While the other cities that are
larger than us are effected more by the trends economically, we're more of our
own little community, we draw from the counties around us and we have a strong
economy because we address the needs of the people in this area," said
Wilson.
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