AUSTIN, Texas — For the fifth year in a row and seventh time overall, Opportunity Austin is a recipient of Site Selection magazine’s prestigious Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development for 2023. The award recognizes the top local and regional economic development agencies in the US. Judging is based on six criteria: total projects, total investment associated with those projects and jobs associated with those projects. The remaining three criteria represent a per capita calculation of those same metrics.

“The Austin region is attractive to entrepreneurs, business leaders and site selectors because of the companies and investors that contribute to Opportunity Austin and the hard work of this team,” Gary Farmer, Opportunity Austin Chair, said. “Opportunity Austin is intentional about improving economic resilience through job creation and workforce diversification and by supporting new sectors of the economy. While we are grateful to receive the prestigious Mac Conway award again, our work continues.”

Projects noted by Site Selection Magazine in its announcement include Google, Samsung, Indeed, TCS Mechanical, Tesla, CelLink, Meta Platforms, Hill Country Studios, Ink Games, BAE Systems, Torc Robotics, and Valex.

“We are creating the most robust and diversified economy in the nation because doing so will mean so much more to Austinites than a job. If we are successful, it will mean a better quality of life and more opportunity to provide for themselves and their loved ones while being able to pursue their passions regardless of their expertise or line of work.”

Through Opportunity Austin—the economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment in the five-county Central Texas region—the organization's staff is able to provide confidential support for projects. Since 2004, Opportunity Austin has helped bring more than 600,000 total jobs to the Austin region including 14,292 in 2022.

Opportunity Austin has been the recipient of this award in 1994, 2012, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 with an honorable mention in 2010.

###

About Opportunity Austin

Opportunity Austin is the economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment in the five-county Central Texas region. Top priorities include boosting economic diversification to proactively strengthen the economy, deepening the talent pool through development and attraction, and keeping the Greater Austin region attractive to entrepreneurs, business leaders and site selectors through advocacy on issues such as comprehensive regional transportation system and regional collaboration. Since 2004, Opportunity Austin has helped bring more than 600,000 total jobs to the Austin region. Learn more about Opportunity Austin here.