Austin's culture, siren to business, now lands Army
Military says city had right ‘ecosystem’ for its Futures Command.
The same things — quality of life, innovation, civic support, higher education facilities — that have helped attract countless businesses to Austin also played a key role in the city landing the U.S. Army’s new Futures Command center.
The facility, which will ultimately employ 500 enlisted and civilian workers, is expected to be up and running by next summer.
Futures Command’s primary mission will be to conceive the Army of the future. It’s the Army’s first modernization effort in more than 40 years.
Austin had been one of five previously announced finalists for Futures Command, along with Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Raleigh, N.C. Ten additional cities, including Dallas and Houston, were cut earlier in the process.
The modernization effort is a top priority, Army officials said at a Friday morning news conference — so important that key personnel were already being rushed to Austin on Friday.
Army leaders said Austin stood above the other four finalists, checking off all the boxes on their wish list.
“The choice was very difficult, but we ultimately had to make the best choice for the U.S. Army,” Army Undersecretary Ryan McCa-
rthy said. “We do not have time to build this ecosystem.”
A key task of Futures Command will be research and development of weapons and other equipment that America’s soldiers require.
“The establishment of the Army Futures Command is the best example of our commitment to the future readiness and lethality of the force,” Army Secretary Mark Esper said. “Army Futures Command will help fulfill the Army vision by addressing the key shortcomings of the current acquisition system, providing unity of command, effort and purpose to the entire modernization enterprise.”
The city and state did not offer incentives to help land the facility, officials said, as is sometimes the case with major employers in the private sector.
The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce was among those working to help seal the deal, answering questions and meeting with Army leaders during their visits to Austin in recent months.
“This is a major win for the Austin Mega Region,” said Phil Wilson, the chamber’s chairman. “It further reinforces our unique combination of resources — a deep talent base, innovative thinkers and high quality of life — that make the area so attractive.”
Futures Command appears bound for the University of Texas System building at 210 W. Seventh St. in downtown Austin.
The UT System Board of Regents voted Friday to enter into negotiations with the Army for space in the 19-story UT System building, completed in 2017.
“The system is a very enthusiastic partner,” said Randa Safady, a spokeswoman for the system, adding that she is confident terms can be arranged.
While the facility will be in a UT System building and is expected to lean heavily on UT’s expertise and resources, rival Texas A&M University — a school with a rich military legacy — was quick to chime in with its support as well.
“The Texas A&M System is ready to support Army Futures Command,” Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said. “This is a great day for the state of Texas. Government and academic leaders came together to offer an unbeatable combination of talent and resources.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was among several elected officials to applaud the Army’s decision Friday.
Many cited the state’s already strong military presence — with facilities such as Camp Mabry, Fort Hood, Fort Bliss and Joint Base San Antonio, to name a few — as yet another key reason Futures Command landed here.
“The legacy of America’s freedom depends in part on the ability of our armed forces to remain at the forefront of technological advancement, expand our military’s power to assess threats and modernize our defense,” Abbott said.
“The state of Texas is proud to partner with the U.S. Army in establishing the Futures Command to harness the cutting-edge technologies needed to build an innovative, research-based foundation for our national defense.”
Members of Texas’ congressional delegation said they’ve worked feverishly in recent months lobbying to land Futures Command. In one letter to Army leaders, obtained by the American-Statesman, nine U.S. representatives whose districts include portions of Central Texas sang the region’s praises.
“Austin is a renowned hub to a diverse and highly educated technology workforce, employing 130,000 in the high-tech sector,” the letter said, in part. “The city also hosts companies such as Google, Apple, Amazon, IBM, Texas Instruments, Facebook, Oracle, Dell and many others which are potential partners for the Army Futures Command. The command would also benefit from the hundreds of dynamic midsize and smaller startups that drive innovation and continue to grow each year.”
U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, was among those who signed the letter. He said Friday that he was “proud to have secured the last bit of funding necessary” to create Futures Command in Austin.
“As the command tasked with spearheading Army modernization projects and preparing for future conflict, the new Futures Command will serve a critical role in strengthening the security of our country and will be an economic driver for the Central Texas region,” Carter said.