The city of Lubbock's economic development efforts fall on many shoulders, but they clearly are led by the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance Inc.

LEDA is a city-appointed board that is charged with recruiting new business and industry as well as assisting in the retention and expansion of existing ones. LEDA also operates a second corporation under the Market Lubbock name. Market Lubbock is charged with the day-to-day operations of the Lubbock Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Lubbock Sports Authority.

Both institutions are instrumental in bringing visitors and tourists to the Hub City.

Since its inception, LEDA has provided job creation incentives to 62 companies, which combined have created 6,963 jobs representing a capital investment by those companies totaling $253.7 million.

LEDA incentive-driven packages have helped to retain or attract such companies as Allstate Insurance, ARMTech, Food Concepts International, INCODE, Mrs. Baird's Bakery, X-Fab Texas and Watson/Sysco Foodservices.

In fiscal 2003-2004, LEDA (still operating as Market Lubbock) was instrumental in creating 1,083 jobs in the areas of manufacturing services and high-tech. The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce works closely with LEDA as it continues to evolve as an organization.

The chamber is committed on a number of legislative fronts, leading the way on such issues as the Ports-to-Plains project, a 1,000-mile, four-lane divided highway that eventually will connect Mexico to Denver through Lubbock.

It is also the central force behind the city's annual Business Expo, which each May brings together hundreds of businesses with thousands of potential customers under one huge exhibit area at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

The organization is also responsible for one of the biggest citywide image campaigns ever launched: Lubbock - The Giant Side of Texas. The multifaceted program is built on a theme designed to instill a new zeal among residents to do a better job in promoting Lubbock as a city on the move.

In addition to those efforts is the ongoing work at WorkSource of the South Plains.

The locally empowered organization oversees programs for first-time job seekers, the unemployed and the underemployed.

WorkSource is overseen by a 35-member board, which is responsible for administering 28 job-related programs that were returned to local control through the Texas Workforce Commission.

Also contributing to the city's economic development efforts is Reese Technology Center, a state political subdivison born out of Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 and operated by the Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority.

The RTC is the fifth-largest research park in the United States and the only park of its kind among all former U.S. Air Force bases that is self-sufficient and debt-free.

More than 4,200 students from South Plains College attend classes at the RTC.

The RTC is home to 11 commercial groups, including education and research, which together employ a combined 621 workers.

Farming has a long history in the Lubbock region, and it continues to be a big business that helps drive the area's economy.

Cotton producers in Texas' High Plains and Panhandle regions experienced a banner crop year in 2004, with a record-breaking estimated 4.73 million-bale yield, according to the Plains Cotton Growers Inc. The figure placed the 41-county region high on the list of the top areas in the state and in the nation for cotton production.

Producers will collect about $1.3 billion for the cotton they grew, and the economic impact ripples throughout the regional economy.

While cotton is the leading crop in the area surrounding Lubbock, the landscape and climate are suitable for other agricultural products as well.

In 2004, 42 dairies operated within a 15-county area surrounding Lubbock, with a total of 60 properties permitted for the use. Lamb County, northwest of Lubbock, ranked fourth in the state's dairy production, said Melvin Hall, economic development coordinator for the city of Littlefield.

The West Texas climate is perfect for dairy farming. For that reason - and because of overcrowding and encroachment issues in areas such as California, East Texas and the Midwest - dairy farmers continue to relocate to West Texas.

The region's agriculture picture is completed by peanut farms and processing plants and wine grape production. Currently, grape producers supply their products to about six different wineries on the South Plains, according to the Texas Cooperative Extension.

For more information or local business contacts, visit the following list of resources:

• Better Business Bureau of the South Plains Inc. - 3333 66th St. Executive director, Nan Campbell. 763-0459 or [email protected].

• Lubbock Chamber of Commerce - Lubbock Business Center, 1301 Broadway. Chairwoman, Linda Gaither; president, Eddie McBride. 761-7000 or www.lubbockchamber.com.

• Lubbock Convention & Visitors Bureau - Lubbock Sports Authority, Lubbock Business Center, 1301 Broadway. Executive director, Marcy Jarrett. 747-5232 or www.lubbocklegends.com.

• Lubbock Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - Lubbock Main Center, 1302 Main St., Suite 301. Chairman, Alex Martinez; president, Esther Sepeda. 762-5059 or www.lubbockhispanic.org.

• Lubbock Economic Development Alliance Inc - Lubbock Business Center, 1301 Broadway. Chairman, David Alderson; Chief executive officer, Gary Lawrence. 749-4500 or www.lubbockeda.org.

• Reese Technology Center - 9801 Reese Boulevard, Suite 200. Chairman, Delbert McDougal; executive director, Eric Williams. 885-6592 or www.reesecenter.com.

• South Plains Association of Governments - Caprock Business Finance Corp., 1323 58th St. Executive director, Tim C. Pierce. 762-8721 or www.spag.org.

• WorkSource of the South Plains - Lubbock Business Center, 1301 Broadway. Chairman, Jay Messenger. 744-1987 or www.worksourceonline.net

• Northwest Texas Small Business Development Center - 2579 S. Loop 289. Region director, Craig Bean; director, Steve Anderson. 745-1637 or www.nwtsbdc.org.

• U.S. Small Business Administration - Lubbock District Office, Mahon Federal Building,1205 Texas Ave., Room 408. District director, Tom W. Dowell. 472-7462 or www.sba.gov/tx/lubbock.