The Killeen Business Park adds on.
The Killeen Economic Development Corporation is likely to sell around 16 acres of land to BlueAcre Development, a Liberty Hill-based development company. In turn, that company would likely build a roughly 180,000-square-foot space that could be leased out to businesses.
“Currently, we don’t have a lot of inventory,” said Tyler Robert, vice president of the corporation. He estimated the corporation currently has less than 100,000 square feet available for businesses.
It is currently in the early stages of developing a new park, which would provide increased space towards the southwest part of Killeen. The current business park is nearing max capacity.
Assuming everything goes as planned, Robert estimated the new development would be finished in late 2026. He explained that it would provide a space that businesses could move into very quickly and would offer a trendy design. Another aspect of the new spot is that it would be modular. Businesses could largely choose how much space they want and have the rest of the building cordoned off.
Asked about what kind of businesses the new development might attract, Robert indicated the corporation was looking at advanced manufacturing. He described that as more high-skill than traditional manufacturing and an industry that supplies advanced and newer technology.
Industries that might fit that mold include artificial intelligence, defense, health care and semiconductor production, in which Killeen already has a footprint.
Robert said those industries would match Killeen’s advantage, which is its workforce.
“We have the built-in infrastructure,” he said, citing the city’s relationships with Fort Hood and the local post-secondary education institutions.
Speaking about the area’s ability to further train the workforce to meet the needs of those type of companies, Robert said, “We’re really confident.”