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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Richardson Economic Development Partnership, a |
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joint effort of the City of Richardson and the Richardson Chamber of |
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Commerce, has been recognized as an Accredited Economic Development |
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Organization by the International Economic Development Council; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, One of only 32 economic development organizations |
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worldwide to receive this designation, the REDP is the sole such |
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group in the Dallas-Fort Worth area; in addition, the Richardson |
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Chamber of Commerce holds five-star accreditation from the United |
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States Chamber of Commerce, and the city now has the distinction of |
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being the first community in Texas and the second in the nation to |
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earn both these prestigious honors; the International Economic |
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Development Council also presented the Richardson partnership with |
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the 2011-2012 Gold Medal in the High Performance Economic |
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Development category in recognition of the group's announcement of |
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more jobs and capital investment created than any other economic |
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development organization of its size in the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, An effective engine for growth, the REDP has helped |
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Richardson attract new investment and jobs through marketing, |
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recruitment, and coordination with existing local employers; the |
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organization's accomplishments of the past two years additionally |
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include contributing to the launch of the Mayor's Office of |
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International Business, playing a key role in the recruitment of |
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the Virtual Computing Environment Company headquarters, and |
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assisting in the structuring of an incentives package to retain the |
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headquarters of Fossil, Inc., along with its 1,400 jobs; moreover, |
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the REDP led a retail redevelopment initiative that has increased |
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the value of 10 area shopping centers by more than $70 million; and |
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WHEREAS, Most recently, developer KDC announced plans for a |
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$1.5 billion transit-oriented mixed-use project in Richardson; |
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insurance giant State Farm subsequently signed the largest office |
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lease in the history of the Dallas area for 1.5 million square feet |
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of space within the KDC project; and |
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WHEREAS, The Richardson Economic Development Partnership has |
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made tremendous contributions to the prosperity of the city, and |
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the granting of this accreditation is a testament to the |
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far-reaching impact of the organization's achievements; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the City of Richardson and the |
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Richardson Chamber of Commerce on the recognition of the Richardson |
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Economic Development Partnership as an Accredited Economic |
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Development Organization by the International Economic Development |
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Council. |