GUN BARREL CITY, Texas — Country living, with lake access and lots of growth. It's what makes Gun Barrel City unique, along with its support for one particular presidential candidate - Willie Nelson.
It's an eclectic city that brings something for everyone, and it seems like everyone is catching on. Diane Johannes, president of the Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corporation, said the city saw a lot of growth during the pandemic.
"Nobody wanted to be in the city, everybody, now wanted to be at the lake. So our sales tax revenue actually increased during that time," Johannes said.
Growing a city is like building an ecosystem - and for Gun Barrel City, a key part of that ecosystem is Pier 334, a hotel and marina development.
"The goal of that project is that we are going to hire locally for the construction process," Johannes said. "So we'll be receiving bids from all the local contractors and subcontractors."
The city is partnering with developers to build affordable housing to support the people who are investing in the city. Johannes said they are building them "for families that can't spend $200,000 (or) $300,000 for a home, but still would like to have a nice place to live."
When it's done, Pier 334 will bring new visitors to the area, with retail stores, restaurants and places for families to spend time together. It will include free entertainment for families, along with green space to sit and enjoy the water.
The development will help out residents, too. Gun Barrel City is unique in that there is no city property tax, saving residents some money in a time when every penny counts.
"When we have big projects that come in …like Pier 334, it can help …fund some of the things that we would need as a city," Johannes said.
Controlled growth helps maintain Gun Barrel City's identity and preserve the beautiful scenery.
"It's trying to listen to our community and … I think that's the key to our success is is realizing, you know, yes, we want to grow, but we all really love the small town feel and the quality of life that we have here," Johannes added. "Sometimes you just want to get out of Dodge, or get out of the city, right, and being able to go some place family-friendly and that's beautiful."