stop for travellers heading to Colorado, particularly during ski season and spring break. “A lot of people use Dumas as a halfway point,” Cox explains. “They’ll stay the night, shop, eat, and then continue their trip.” That steady flow of traffic supports a robust hospitality sector and provides a strong foundation for retail growth. LEVERAGING INCENTIVES TO UNLOCK OPPORTUNITY Retail and food service are among Dumas’s strongest economic drivers. For a city its size, Dumas has an unusually high number of hotel rooms, and occupancy often peaks during travel seasons and industrial turnarounds. “There are times you can’t get a room in town,” Cox notes. “That shows how much activity we have coming through here.” To support continued investment, Dumas has expanded its use of incentives, including tax abatements. One of the most notable examples is the redevelopment of a long-underutilized shopping centre. “The city, county, and hospital district hadn’t done many abatements in the past,” Cox explains. “This was new for us, but it went well and helped get the project across the finish line.” REVITALIZING A KEY COMMERCIAL HUB The redeveloped shopping centre is now a symbol of Dumas’s momentum. Bealls clothing store has 39 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02 DUMAS, TX
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx