Chevron Corporation has announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to Houston from San Ramon, California.  The announcement follows the energy giant's recent efforts to consolidate its operations in Houston, which began in 2022, with the sale of its 92-acre headquarters in San Ramon.  This strategic move aims to enhance collaboration among senior leaders, executives and business partners, according to Chevron’s press release. Chevron currently employs 7,000 people in the Houston area and 2,000 in San Ramon. While the relocation will initially have minimal impact on San Ramon employees, all corporate functions are expected to migrate to Houston over the next five years. Positions supporting Chevron’s operations in California will remain in San Ramon. According to the company, this move aligns with its ongoing efforts to streamline its operations and improve performance. By consolidating its headquarters in Houston, Chevron can leverage the city's robust energy infrastructure and diverse talent pool to advance energy affordability, reliability and security globally. “This is just the final step that many industry observers were waiting to happen,” Ken Medlock, Senior Director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies, explained in a recent release. “To start, Houston provides a world-class location for internationally focused energy companies, which is why there is such a massive international presence here. Texas is also the nation’s largest energy producer across multiple energy sources and is poised to lead in emerging opportunities such as hydrogen and carbon capture, so Houston is a great place for domestically focused activities as well. To top it off, Texas rates very favorably for business in general.” Chevron will become the 24th Fortune 500 company to establish its headquarters in Houston, joining the city's growing hub of major corporations. Among these is ExxonMobil, which announced its corporate headquarters relocation to Spring in 2022. “Chevron’s decision to relocate its headquarters underscores the compelling advantages that position Houston as the prime destination for leading energy companies today and for the future," said Partnership President and CEO Steve Kean. "With deep roots in our region, Chevron is a key player in establishing Houston as a global energy leader. This move will further enhance those efforts." Learn more about corporate headquarters in the Houston region.   

The Houston Astros are set to bolster their role as a major economic driver for the city with a new mixed-use district.   The district, which will feature a 17-story, 300-room hotel and 60,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space adjacent to Minute Maid Park, is expected to generate $5.7 billion in economic impact over 20 years, according to the Houston Business Journal. Announced last year, the project is part of a larger initiative to transform downtown into a premier entertainment destination like those around other MLB ballparks such as The Battery Atlanta and Ballpark Village in St. Louis.  Click to expand The project also includes plans for a three-story building that will serve as a gathering space for game day watch parties and live music events. The space will feature a large outdoor screen where fans can watch the Astros and other Houston teams such as the Texans and Rockets, as well as other major sporting events. It will also be enclosed by glass windows overlooking the ballpark that can open during pleasant weather.  "Our goal is it's an attractive area year-round, not just on game days, and it'll be a really great, happening venue," said Giles Kibbe, the Astros' senior vice president and general counsel, in a statement. "If you want to go to a public place to watch a sporting event, this is going to be the spot to go to."  Hines, the Houston real estate firm responsible for the Toyota Center, will develop the district. Meanwhile, Dallas-based HKS Architects, known for designing the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field, is creating the master plan for the project. Construction on the district is expected to begin in 2025 and span three years, with an estimated cost of $327 million.  This significant investment comes as Houston's growing prominence as an international sports city takes center stage, highlighted by its success in securing major sporting events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025, 2027 and 2031 AAU Junior Olympic Games. The district will further strengthen the city’s reputation as an entertainment destination, drawing even more visitors downtown.   Learn more about living in Houston.