H.R. No. 54

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Many notable citizens of Lubbock are visiting the Texas Capitol on February 19, 2025, to pay tribute to their city's rich heritage and to celebrate Lubbock Day; and

WHEREAS, Located within the Llano Estacado, Lubbock was established in an area that was known for its tough conditions; as a result, it was settled long after many other parts of the North American continent, and the citizens who reside there today reflect the same welcoming and resilient pioneer spirit as the early founders; and

WHEREAS, The City of Lubbock was incorporated on March 16, 1909; railroads, farming, and ranching stimulated the city's growth as a trade center, and when legislation creating Texas Technological College was passed in 1923, the site selection committee, impressed by the enthusiasm and hospitality of its citizens, chose Lubbock for its location; and

WHEREAS, Today, with a metropolitan area of more than 400,000 people, Lubbock is home to the Texas Tech University System and its flagship institutions, Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, both world-renowned organizations; and

WHEREAS, The Texas Tech Health Sciences Center attracts nearly 5,500 students from around the world and is currently ranked as the number one health university in the nation by the SR Education Group, ranking higher than programs at rival Ivy League colleges; and

WHEREAS, Lubbock is consistently recognized by national organizations for its business-friendly atmosphere, including being named the number one city for women professionals; it is ranked in the top 20 cities for young entrepreneurs starting a business and was named seventh in the Forbes list of top "Opportunity Cities," based on its low cost of living, its cultural resources, and the strength of its business community; and

WHEREAS, Lubbock has a diverse economy that draws its strength from agribusiness, manufacturing, and oil and gas, as well as from educational and health care services, entertainment, and the largest medical infrastructure in Texas west of I-35; the city's meticulously planned infrastructure has resulted in a low-traffic community with more neighborhood parks per capita than any other city in Texas; and

WHEREAS, With the growth of the cotton industry on the High Plains, Lubbock has become one of the world's primary centers for the processing of cottonseed and hybrid-grain sorghum seed; moreover, the region just north of Lubbock has the highest density of cattle in the entire country; Lubbock is now the home of several major award-winning wineries and vineyards that produce more than 80 percent of the state's wine grapes; and

WHEREAS, Lubbock offers a wealth of cultural and recreational opportunities, including the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Lubbock, the Silent Wings Museum, the Museum and Planetarium of Texas Tech University, the new Buddy Holly Hall, a state-of-the-art performing arts center, and many more; those wanting a glimpse of frontier history can find it in the restored structures at the National Ranching Heritage Center, a 15-acre site tracing the evolution of ranch operations, architecture, and the history and traditions of the cattle industry; the region's history is also celebrated at the ever-expanding FiberMax Center for Discovery and the picturesque American Windmill Museum; and

WHEREAS, The talented musicians who have come from the Lubbock area include Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Roy Orbison, the Maines family, Virgil Johnson and the Velvets, Waylon Jennings, Mac Davis, Tanya Tucker, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, The Flatlanders, Jon Baumann, The Chicks, Flatland Cavalry, and Josh Abbott, as well as Texas Tech alumni John Denver, Pat Green, and William Clark Green; their rich and diverse contributions have earned Lubbock recognition as the Music Crossroads of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Lubbock's thriving commerce is represented by the largest business federation on the Texas South Plains, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, which expands and guards the prosperity of the Lubbock area; and

WHEREAS, Early major achievements propelled by the chamber of commerce during more than a century of service include recruiting farmers from out of state to produce crops on the fertile soils of the Llano Estacado, working to bring the railroad to Lubbock, establishing the South Plains Fair, and drafting and delivering to the Texas Capitol the application that would result in establishing Texas Technological College, which today is the heart of the Texas Tech University System; and

WHEREAS, The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce was instrumental in establishing Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Reese Air Force Base, and outstanding transportation infrastructure, and it was the first chamber of commerce in Texas to introduce an Association Health Plan for 34 West Texas counties, which became a model nationwide; and

WHEREAS, Among the delegation visiting the Capitol today are members of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce's 47th Leadership Lubbock Class, who represent the business and community leaders of Lubbock; and

WHEREAS, The citizens of Lubbock have truly kept faith with the founders of their West Texas community; renowned for their faith, hospitality, and warmth as well as their hardiness and determination, they have helped to build a vital urban center that serves not only a large part of West Texas but also the surrounding region; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2025, 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 dusty aura they add to the Lone Star State.

Tepper

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 54 was adopted by the House on February 19, 2025, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House