What role should quality of life play when selecting the best location for a future operating facility? According to Expansion Management .com, quality of life is important because it translates into dollars and cents on the expense side of the corporate ledger. A reasonably good quality of life can be found just about anyplace; the only question is how much money it takes to buy that quality of life.

According to ACCRA, Texas is one of the most affordable states to live and do business in. The cost of living composite index for most metro areas in Texas is lower than the national composite index of 100.  The Lone Star State also has one of the lowest state and local tax burdens in the country, according to The Tax Foundation.  Two cities, Austin and San Antonio, were listed in the top 20 on Forbest 2009 Best Places for Business and Careers list.

Texas has more than 1,000 golf courses; over 600 miles of sparkling coastline; 18 wildlife refuges; 13 national parks; and over 120 state parks, historic sites and natural areas - not to mention an abundance of world-class theme parks, water parks, zoos and campgrounds.  Texas has one of the nation's most popular tourist destinations - The Alamo in San Antonio.

With its beautiful landscape, warm weather, excellent schools and southern hospitality, Texas remains a popular choice for people looking to relocate. Texas' beaches, rugged mountains, endless prairies and piney woods provide a spectacular diversity of geography and wildlife. That same diversity extends to the people who call Texas home, creating a rich cultural heritage that makes Texas great.

Texas' largest cities have a rich and diverse arts tradition. The Menil Collection in Houston, Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, the Dallas Museum of Modern Art, and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden in Austin are just a few examples of our art offerings.

In the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, sports fans can root for the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks, Stars and FC Dallas. In Houston, you have the Texans, Astros, Rockets, and Comets. San Antonio has the Spurs. And that doesn't even include the numerous minor league franchises in urban and mid-sized cities all across Texas, as well as nationally ranked collegiate and high school teams.