The Fort Bend Regional Business Council meeting at the Fort Bend Regional Partnership is always worth attending. Formerly known as the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, the Partnership rebranded to better reflect its expanding role in shaping policy, infrastructure, workforce, and economic opportunity across the region. This forum continues to be an important working table for business, civic, education, and public-sector leaders focused on Fort Bend County’s continued growth and long-term prosperity.
Thank you to Union Pacific Railroad for a detailed presentation on the proposed Mainline Texas Industrial Park near Rosenberg. Union Pacific brings considerable history and scale to this project. Founded in 1862 when President Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, the company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates more than 32,000 route miles of track across 7,000 communities in 23 states, with over 30,000 employees. As part of its broader growth strategy, Union Pacific owns roughly 1,500 square miles — nearly 1 million acres — of land nationwide, with more than 10,000 acres identified as commercially viable for development in tracts ranging from 5 to over 1,000 acres.
Rosenberg is one of the company’s active development sites, alongside projects near Seattle, Chicago, Kansas City, and San Antonio, with additional opportunities under review near Dallas, St. Louis, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
Here in Fort Bend County, the proposed park spans roughly 2,040 acres between Houston and Rosenberg, with direct Union Pacific mainline frontage and on-site railcar storage. It would offer superior accessibility via U.S. 90, Spur 10, Highway 36, and I-69, and support up to 20 million square feet of rail-served building potential — what Union Pacific describes as the Gulf Coast’s newest major rail-served logistics hub.
The site connects to the ports of Houston, Freeport, Corpus Christi, and Brownsville, and to international trade gateways in Laredo, Eagle Pass, El Paso, and Brownsville, placing Rosenberg within a 250-mile radius of more than 25 million consumers across the Texas Triangle. For scale, the park sits just 38 miles from Houston, 141 miles from Austin, 172 miles from San Antonio, and 256 miles from Dallas.
The presentation also made a strong case for why Rosenberg fits Union Pacific’s plans. Greater Houston is one of the fastest-growing, most resilient metros in the country — the fourth-largest U.S. city, with a metro population above 7.5 million and one in four residents foreign-born. It’s home to the nation’s top port by tonnage, Class I rail lines, more than 7,200 manufacturing facilities generating over $100 billion in annual output, 5,600-plus logistics and warehousing operations, and a logistics workforce topping 149,000.
The region’s cost advantages — no state income tax, below-average cost of living, and available local and state incentives — add to its appeal. Fort Bend County specifically offers available land, a highly educated workforce with more than 57 percent holding a degree, and a median household income near $108,000.
Fort Bend County’s population is projected to grow from roughly 921,000 to 1.27 million by 2040, building on the 40 percent growth seen between 2010 and 2020.
I’ve also appreciated hearing from Lamar CISD Career and Technical Education about preparing students for these high-demand careers, since workforce development will determine whether Fort Bend residents are ready to fill the jobs this kind of investment creates. As Fort Bend County Treasurer, I value staying engaged with the people, projects, and partnerships shaping our county’s future. Thank you to the Fort Bend Regional Partnership, the featured speakers, and everyone who participates in these discussions.
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Meeting. Mainline Texas Industrial Park Meeting Slide about The Union Pacific Railroad Company
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Meeting. Mainline Texas Industrial Park Meeting Slide about Integrated Rail and Interstate Connectivity
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Meeting. Mainline Texas Industrial Park Meeting Slide about Development to support growth
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Meeting. Mainline Texas Industrial Park Meeting Slide about Rosenberg and Houston Information. Rosenberg is in Fort Bend County
Fort Bend Regional Partnership Meeting. Mainline Texas Industrial Park Meeting Slide
