SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 251
	WHEREAS, Many notable citizens of Lubbock are visiting
	Austin on February 24, 2015, to pay tribute to their city's rich
	heritage and to celebrate Lubbock Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, A thriving region of the state, the Lubbock area
	is one of the oldest inhabited places in Texas; archeologists
	have discovered evidence of some 12,000 years of continuous
	habitation at the Lubbock Lake Landmark site, a national historic
	and state archeological preserve; and
	WHEREAS, The City of Lubbock was incorporated on March 16,
	1909, and railroads stimulated the city's growth as a trade
	center; residents also wanted the benefits of an institution of
	higher learning, and when legislation creating Texas
	Technological College was passed in 1923, the site selection
	committee, impressed by the enthusiasm and hospitality of local
	citizens, chose Lubbock for its location; and
	WHEREAS, Today a community of almost 240,000 people,
	Lubbock is home to the Texas Tech University System and its
	flagship campus as well as to two other universities and a
	community college; together, they draw more than 53,000 students
	to the city each year, making a significant impact on the local
	economy; approximately 10,000 young Texans graduate in Lubbock
	each year, and 30 percent of residents over the age of 25 hold at
	least a bachelor's degree; and
	WHEREAS, Fostering a dynamic business environment, Lubbock
	has a regional labor force of more than 207,000, and the cost of
	doing business continues to rank as one of the lowest in the
	nation, due to affordable land, wage rates, electric and natural
	gas utilities, property taxes, and living expenses; and
	WHEREAS, Lubbock is consistently recognized by national
	organizations for its business-friendly atmosphere; it was
	ranked seventh in the 2014 Forbes list of "Opportunity Cities"
	based on low cost of living, cultural offerings, and the strength
	of the business community; in addition, it has been named a top
	city for professional women and for young entrepreneurs seeking
	to start a business; and
	WHEREAS, Noted for its diverse economy, the city draws its
	strength from agribusiness, manufacturing, and commerce, as well
	as from educational facilities and medical infrastructure
	considered the most extensive to be found between Dallas and
	Phoenix; with the growth of cotton culture on the High Plains,
	Lubbock has become one of the world's primary centers for the
	processing of cottonseed and hybrid grain sorghum seed; and
	WHEREAS, The economy is deeply rooted in cotton farming,
	and Lubbock remains home to the world's largest contiguous cotton
	patch; the area also features several major, award-winning
	wineries and vineyards, which produce more than 70 percent of all
	the state's wine grapes; and
	WHEREAS, This vibrant city also offers a wealth of
	recreational opportunities and cultural institutions, among them
	the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, the Lubbock Civic Ballet, the
	Museum and Planetarium of Texas Tech University, and the Silent
	Wings Museum; plans are well advanced for a new, state-of-the-art
	performing arts center to be named after local legend and Rock
	and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Buddy Holly; and
	WHEREAS, City leaders meticulously planned infrastructure
	to create neighborhood parks and ensure the smooth flow of
	traffic; located at the intersection of five major highways,
	Lubbock is nicknamed the "Hub City," and it aims to continue that
	vital transportation function through the eventual Interstate
	Highway 27 expansion, a mayoral initiative that is expected to
	relieve congestion on other Texas highways; and
	WHEREAS, Those desiring a glimpse of the frontier can find
	it in the restored structures at the Ranching Heritage Center, a
	15-acre site that traces the evolution of ranch architecture and
	the history of the cattle industry; the region's history is also
	celebrated at the Bayer Museum of Agriculture; and
	WHEREAS, A host of talented musicians have hailed from the
	Lubbock area, among them Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, the Maines
	family, Virgil Johnson and the Velvets, Waylon Jennings, Tanya
	Tucker, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Pat Green, and Butch
	Hancock; their rich and diverse contributions have earned
	Lubbock and West Texas the state designation as the official
	"Music Crossroads of Texas"; and
	WHEREAS, Lubbock's thriving business community is
	represented by the largest business federation on the Texas South
	Plains, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, which has promoted the
	prosperity of the Lubbock area for more than a century; achieving
	great success from its earliest days, it recruited out-of-state
	farmers to till the fertile soils of the Llano Estacado, secured
	railroad service, founded the South Plains Fair, and drafted and
	delivered the application that would result in the establishment
	of Texas Technological College, which today thrives as the heart
	of the Texas Tech University System; and
	WHEREAS, The chamber was also instrumental in establishing
	Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport and Reese Air Force
	Base, as well as the revolutionary market-driven Chamber
	Employer Health Plan, which is now a national model; its efforts
	have also been key in the development of outstanding
	transportation infrastructure; committed to revitalizing the
	community and its downtown, the chamber oversees the efforts of
	Imagine Lubbock Together, a private-public partnership; it is
	the nation's first and only chamber to be twice 5-Star Accredited
	and twice named Chamber of the Year; and
	WHEREAS, The delegation visiting the Capitol today
	includes proud members of the chamber's 40th Leadership Lubbock
	Class, who represent the future business and community leaders of
	Lubbock; and
	WHEREAS, Truly keeping faith with the founders of their
	West Texas community, the citizens of Lubbock are renowned for
	their friendliness and warmth as well as their hardiness and
	determination, and they have helped to build a vital urban center
	that serves not only a large part of West Texas but also eastern
	New Mexico; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
	Legislature, hereby recognize February 24, 2015, as Lubbock Day
	at the State Capitol and extend to the members of the visiting
	delegation and all their fellow citizens sincere appreciation
	for the bright luster they add to the Lone Star State.
	Perry
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on February 24, 2015.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate