Austin

Austin Skyline at Night

Austin’s arts and entertainment scene combines the best of world-class events with the hearty, community spirit of do-it-yourself art.

Austin has its own professional symphony, ballet and opera companies; dozens of theaters prepared to wow you with old favorites or ground-breaking new drama; dance companies, vocal ensembles, and orchestras producing events year-round. Art museums, galleries galore and beautiful gardens replete with sculptures ease and please the eye with so many enticing shapes and colors.

Austin is hailed as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” with hundreds of venues offering music of all genres and tempos. By the time spring rolls around, Austin is awash in arts festivals incorporating music, food, the great outdoors or the great club scene, and all facets of the arts.

A Waterfront Home On Lake Austin

Austin is located on the Colorado River where the stream crosses the Balcones escarpment separating the Texas Hill Country from the Blackland Prairies to the east. Within the City of Austin, elevations range from 400 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The climate is classifed as “humid subtropical” with hot summers and mild winters. Freezing temperatures occur only about 25 days per year. Cold spells are short and seldom last more than two days. While summer days are hot, summer nights are usually pleasant. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.

Did we mention food? Austin cuisine melds flavors from throughout the world, served in some of the friendliest restaurants around. Again, you might find yourself indoors at a swank club sipping your martini, or lake-side with your locally brewed beer.

No matter how long you’ve lived in Austin, there’s always something new to do. For newcomers, it’s never too soon to start tasting that generous helping of Austin’s unique entertainment scene

Texas consistently ranks as one of the nation’s most favorable business climates based on its low tax burden and competitive regulatory environment. In Texas, aggregate costs for real estate, energy, wages and taxes are below most states in the country.

Compared to other major business centers, Austin is well known for offering affordable living. The National Association of Realtors reports that the median home price in Austin was $187,400 in 2009 while the national median was $173,200.

Texas features no personal or corporate income tax, and overall the state has one of the lowest state and local tax burdens in the nation, ranking 47th among the 50 states in taxes paid per $1000 of personal income.

Austin’s expanding health care system now rivals that of any major metropolitan area. Besides a number of major hospitals and one children’s hospital, there are numerous out-patient clinics, emergency medical facilities and all manner of awareness programs that serve up healthy doses of wellness advice and information.

Recent area medical center expansions bring the total number of hospital beds to more than 3,000, and the region boasts the most recent technology available, including specialties in neonatal care, organ transplants, oncology and in-vitro fertilization. Seven hospitals specialize in psychiatric care and chemical dependency. In addition, the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas is the only dedicated freestanding pediatric facility in the region. Serving a 46-county area and beyond, Dell Children’s is the premier health care provider for children and adolescents.

Many Austinites enjoy playing a variety of sports, but others like to watch. The area has numerous opportunities to join the crowds as a spector of exciting local sporting events.

The University of Texas and the Big 12 Conference offer collegiate sports with nationally ranked programs in football, basketball, baseball, swimming, track and field, volleyball and more.

The Round Rock Express, the Houston Astros’ Triple A affiliate named for baseball hall-of-famer Nolan Ryan (who is among the team’s owners),  began play in Austin’s neighboring city of Round Rock in the 2000 season after relocating here from Jackson, Miss. The Dell Diamond, built at a cost of $20 million, is the home of the Round Rock Express Baseball Club, and also a facility that features numerous amenities for fan comfort and enjoyment. The Express and Dell Computer Corporation agreed on a partnership that included stadium naming rights in January of 2000. With a seating capacity of 7,816 fixed seats, crowds at The Dell Diamond can easily swell to 11,000 with room for almost 3,500 additional fans on the outfield grass berm area.

The Austin Ice Bats, a CHL professional hockey team named after the world-famous free-tailed bats that live under Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge, play at the Travis County Exposition and Heritage Center.

The Austin Wranglers, the Arena Football League’s 19th franchise, kicked off their Inaugural Season in February of 2004. The team plays home games at the Frank Erwin Special Events Center on The University of Texas campus.

If you need a helping of any of the four major professional sporting food groups, they’re just a road trip away:

Dallas Mavericks-NBA
Dallas Stars-NHL
Houston Astros-MLB
Houston Comets-WNBA
Houston Rockets-NBA
San Antonio Spurs-NBA
Texas Rangers-MLB (Arlington)

And for you hard-core couch potatoes, the World Wrestling Entertainment brings its show to town every once in a while, too.

For more information About Austin, contact:

Betty England

Betty@AvalarAustin.com

512-619-3040