Aim is to make the region a hub for space-related economic development
By Justin Sayers – Senior Staff Writer, Austin Business Journal
Aug 20, 2025
Williamson County and Cedar Park have approved the seven members of the board that will oversee the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corp.
The appointments mark another milestone as the county and city — home to prominent rocket company Firefly Aerospace Inc. — aim to make the region a hub for space-related economic development.
The Cedar Park City Council on Aug. 14 appointed its three members: Jana Spruce, a consultant who previously served as vice president of Firefly; Han Kim, a local lead at Hanyang Eng USA Inc., which moved its U.S. headquarters to Cedar Park; and Mark Burgett, vice president of Enovis Corp., which is expanding to Cedar Park.
Williamson County Commissioners on Aug. 19 approved four board members who had been previously named: Texas State University’s Julie Lessiter, who leads the Round Rock campus; Williamson County Economic Development Partnership Executive Director Dave Porter; Cedar Park business owner Ed Trevis; and Lori Magruder, an aerospace engineering professor at the University of Texas.
Williamson County Commissioners earlier this year approved creation and bylaws of the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corp., or the CTSDC. Cedar Park joined earlier this month after Burnet County opted to no longer participate. Documents to officially form the CTSDC still need to be filed with the state.
Spaceport development corporations — nonprofit entities that include public and private elements — help provide funding for spacecraft-related infrastructure and development, including satellites and rockets. The one in Central Texas would become the sixth, joining Houston, Cameron County, Midland, West Texas and South Texas, officials have previously said. Establishment of such an entity requires approval of either two counties or one county and a city.
“As a kid who grew in Houston around the whole space program and NASA, this is pretty exciting,” Williamson County Commissioner Cynthia Long said during the meeting.
Cedar Park Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin said in a statement that the plan marks a “bold step forward” for the region.
“With this joint venture, we are strengthening our position at the forefront of the new space economy, while also creating opportunities for job growth, investment, and technological leadership. Together with our county and state partners, we’re laying the foundation for a future where Cedar Park and Central Texas are known globally as a hub for space exploration and aerospace innovation,” said Penniman-Morin said.
Firefly (Nasdaq: FLY) is perhaps the most prominent space-related company in the Austin area. It secured a valuation of $9.84 billion after its shares surged in their Nasdaq debut on Aug. 7, Reuters reported. The stock opened at $70 apiece compared with the IPO price of $45.
The company was started in 2017 and has more than 750 employees, primarily based locally. It has invested more than $500 million in mission control, manufacturing and testing operations in Cedar Park and at a ranch in Briggs in Burnet County.
“I see this being a terrific way for this exciting industry to continue to grow,” Firefly Chief Operating Officer Dan Fermon said during a Williamson County Commissioners Court meeting in March, citing a forecast that the global space industry could reach a trillion dollars in revenue by 2040.
Officials said the CTSDC will primarily focus on things like building and maintaining launch pads and control facilities; economic development aimed at attracting companies, investors and talent; securing state funding and federal grants; and aiding innovation and workforce development. They’ve said there’s already been interest from companies since plans for it became publicly known earlier this year.
Burnet County officials told the Austin Business Journal that the county passed on the item and that it would not be brought back up. Community Impact reported that county officials cited public concern about the potential uses of eminent domain and an imbalance of power shifted toward Williamson County.
Arthur Jackson, chief economic development officer for Cedar Park, has said other stakeholders in the region, including groups like the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, the city of Taylor and the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership, have expressed interest in the effort. He added that the plan will help continue the growth of the industry in Central Texas, which already is home to Firefly, Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, and CesiumAstro Inc.
Companies have pledged seed money to cover minimal costs, such as for paperwork, Jackson said. Members of the board of directors won’t be paid. They have powers under Chapter 507 of the Texas Local Government Code.
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