b'The Texas Coastal Bend is experiencing a sustained period of positive economic and population growth, spurred on by over $50 billion in industrial develop-ment that is the result of the worlds most plentiful supply of natural gas and crude oil. Many see the same kind of boom years in this region that started in San Antonio in the 1980s and in Austin in the 1990s, where new leadership energy and the right business conditions came together to spark fires of development that have now burned for decades.Over the past three years, Corpus Christi and Nuec-es County have seen the old guard powerbrokers re-placed with young, ambitious political leaders who are anxious to see the community catch up with our two big neighbors to the north. In fact, as the I-35 Corridor transforms into the kind of solid belt of population like what they have in Southern Califor-nia, for example, families who miss seeing natural beauty and desire a less-hectic pace of life are find-ing their new homes in the Coastal Bend.With more miles of developable coastal property than the rest of the Texas Gulf Coastal combined, the Corpus Christi Bay Area is poised to grow in a way that provides the greatest access to our bounty of natural resources and saltwater recreation.In fall and winter, all the best of the Coastal Bend is at your beck and callthe best inshore fishing of the year, the best weather of the year, less-crowded beach-es of any time of the year, plus an array of community events and celebrations that bring us together in the common cause of appreciating our wonderful home!12 TEXAS COASOASTAL BEND GUIDE TheCoastalBend.comTHE C TAL BEND GUIDE'