HOUSTON (May 1, 2024) – The Greater Houston Partnership has promoted Craig Rhodes, an 18-year economic development veteran, as its new Senior Vice President, Economic Development. Rhodes has been with the Partnership for 12 years, most recently as Vice President, Regional Economic Development.  In this new role, Rhodes will lead domestic and international economic development and trade efforts for the Partnership, reporting directly to President and CEO Steve Kean.  Since 2020, Rhodes has led the Partnership’s regional economic development team, resulting in 69 regional expansion and relocation projects creating more than 13,000 and retaining more than 6,000 jobs with capital expenditures of $4.3B. “In my time at the Partnership I have been impressed with our domestic and international economic development work and especially with Craig’s leadership, strategic thinking, and execution,” said Steve Kean, President and CEO of the Partnership. “I’m confident he will lead our economic development efforts at the Partnership well and continue the great work with our regional economic development partners through the Houston Region Economic Development Alliance (HREDA).  The HREDA effort in particular, is a hallmark of Craig’s collaborative style and is a great demonstration of the “power of together” that we display every day in the Greater Houston area.” Rhodes was part of the Partnership’s economic development team from 2006-2014. From 2014-2020, he worked on the economic development team at CenterPoint Energy, supporting new growth across the greater Houston region. Rhodes returned to the Partnership in 2020. He served as Chair of the Houston Regional Economic Development Alliance (HREDA) from 2017-2022 and expanded the scope of HREDA for the betterment of the 12-county Houston region. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Texas Economic Development Council and the Utility Economic Development Association. He is an active member of the International Economic Development Council and has held numerous Board and leadership roles in economic development across the Houston area.  Rhodes received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin in 2001 and earned his Certified Economic Development, CEcD, certification from the International Economic Development Council in 2015. He and his wife Kristi have three children.  

Houston experienced significant economic resilience and growth amidst looming concerns of a recession. Despite slowdowns across sectors, the Bayou City continued to create jobs, adding 53,700 in the first 10 months of ’23, according to the Partnership’s Houston Region Economic Outlook report. While the real estate market faced challenges, the greater Houston region saw many dynamic projects come to life, including the opening of Helix Park, the Texas Medical Center’s first phase of its new 37-acre campus.  Looking ahead, here are a few developments that will impact Houston’s economy in 2024.  Arco Del Tiempo Serving as the centerpiece in Houston’s East End Guadalupe Plaza Park, Arco Del Tiempo is a new environmentally sustainable art installation aiming to advance the region’s transition to an energy abundant future. Standing at a 100-feet tall, Arco Del Tiempo will not only generate power for the nearby City-owned Latino multicultural performing arts theater, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, but it also will offer a gathering space for the community. Arco Del Tiempo is set to be installed in 2024.  Click to expand Austin Point Austin Point is a first-of-its-kind 4,700-acre master-planned town that will feature 1,600 acres of mixed-use commercial development space and a walkable downtown area with hospitals, life sciences labs and corporate headquarters. The first phase of the development will include The 1824, a central park and community center with a café, wine bar, large front porch, an event lawn, children's play area, beer garden, food truck court, walking trails and a dedicated space for outdoor fitness activities and games.   Autry Park Spanning 14-acres in Montrose, Autry Park is an urban village designed to increase connectivity and walkability to food, entertainment, retail and living in the area. The project's first phase includes two apartment buildings, Hanover Autry Park, a 24-story apartment tower with 324 units, and Hanover Parkview, an eight-story mid-rise with 421 units, both have already opened. Phase two is projected to open at the end of 2024 with additional commercial tenants and retail space. BioHub II at Generation Park Generation Park, Northeast Houston’s massive commercial development, is set to open its new state-of-the-art, 45-acre biomanufacturing hub – BioHub II this year. The new master-planned campus will include 500,000 square feet for cGMP manufacturing, lab and office space and house the biomanufacturing workforce institute that will offer certificate coursework in bioprocessing to students, further expanding the region’s life sciences ecosystem and workforce.  Click to expand East Blocks  A redevelopment project led by Houston-based Pagewood and Wile Interests aims to transform former warehouses in EaDo into a walkable 10-block mixed-use district. East Blocks is expected to break ground in the second quarter of 2024 and will encompass 513,000 square feet southwest of Shell Energy Stadium. Phase one will include a unique blend of restaurants, shops, office and green space and will include existing tenants 8th Wonder Brewery and Pitch 25, while phase two will focus on additional retail and restaurant space. The Allen The Allen, a sophisticated new mixed-use development is currently underway in Houston’s Allen Parkway corridor. The first phase, The Residences at The Allen, includes the development of a $290 million, 35-story skyscraper that towers over Buffalo Bayou Park. The stylish new building offers luxury condos, high-rise penthouses and a sleek 170-room Hotel – the Thompson, which opened earlier this year. Phase II of The Allen is anticipated to break ground in early 2024 and will include more retail and restaurant space and luxury multi-family living.  Click to expand The Commons at Hermann Park Hermann Park is changing the game for green spaces in the Houston area with its new groundbreaking 26-acre development – The Commons. Slated to open to the public this week, The Commons aims to revolutionize the beloved park with a unique collection of play areas, including an immersive space-themed area and a life-sized carousel. The commons also features many new gathering spaces including a Central Lawn and the Live Oak Terrace.  The Houston Astros Entertainment District  The Houston Astros expect to break ground on a new entertainment district adjacent to Minute Maid Park in Nov. 2024 The district will feature a 17-story hotel, 60,000 square feet of retail space for restaurants and shops and a three-level gathering area for fans to watch Astros games and other major sporting events on a massive outdoor screen. The venue will also host live music performances. The Grand at 249 Situated at the corner of the Grand Parkway-Highway 249 intersection, the groundbreaking 65-acre retail center dubbed The Grand at 249 will span 404,256 square feet in Tomball, making it the largest retail concentration within Houston's northwest submarket. Slated for completion in 2025, The Grand at 249 will boast 12 pad sites and include tenants such as AT&T, Boomer Jack's, Gringo's, Jersey Mike's, Milano Nails and Two Pho Nine Asian Fusion.   Learn more about why businesses are choosing Houston and what it means to live, work and play in the Bayou City.