The latest episode of The Building Texas Show takes viewers to the heart of the Texas Panhandle for a wide-ranging, future-focused conversation with Mark McBrayer, the Mayor of Lubbock. Host Justin McKenzie sits down with Mayor McBrayer to explore how Lubbock is redefining itself—economically, culturally, and strategically—as one of Texas’ most quietly powerful growth stories.
Mayor McBrayer describes Lubbock as a city balanced on “three strong legs,” each anchoring its long-term resilience. At the center is education, led by Texas Tech University, but reinforced by institutions like Lubbock Christian University, South Plains College, Wayland Baptist University, and Tech’s law and medical schools. The result is one of the youngest major cities in Texas, driven by students, educators, researchers, and families building long-term roots.
Agriculture remains the historical backbone of the region. From cotton to corn, sunflowers to wine grapes, West Texas agriculture continues to feed both Texas and the nation. As Mayor McBrayer notes, “Almost any Texas wine you drink has grapes grown right here around Lubbock.” Healthcare forms the third pillar, with Lubbock serving as a major medical hub between Dallas–Fort Worth and Phoenix. Institutions like University Medical Center and Covenant Health are not only critical care providers but also some of the region’s largest employers.
One of the standout moments of the episode is the discussion around Leprino Foods, the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the United States. The company invested nearly $1 billion in its Lubbock facility and is expected to employ around 1,000 people when fully built out. Why Lubbock? The answer is alignment: Leprino needed proximity to dairy farms, a reliable workforce, affordable land, and a city that understood infrastructure, utilities, and long-term planning. Lubbock delivered on all fronts. Even more impressive, the facility plays a role in the city’s water strategy by treating and returning water back to the municipal system—turning industrial scale into civic partnership.
Water isn’t a future problem in West Texas—it’s a present responsibility. Lubbock has been planning for it longer than most cities in America. Mayor McBrayer outlines the city’s 100-year water plan, which includes multiple surface water sources, regional partnerships like the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, and a transformative new lake project inside city limits that will ultimately supply up to one-third of Lubbock’s water needs. This isn’t reactionary planning. It’s deliberate, disciplined, and designed to support growth without sacrificing sustainability—an approach that sets Lubbock apart as Texas continues to expand westward.
Growth without identity is hollow—and Lubbock knows it. Mayor McBrayer speaks candidly about revitalizing downtown, protecting the city’s core, and investing in cultural infrastructure like the Buddy Holly Hall, a 2,200-seat world-class performance venue that touring productions have called one of the finest in the country. With new statutory authority to reinvest hotel occupancy tax dollars locally, Lubbock is moving forward with long-planned civic center expansions designed to attract conventions, trade shows, and new economic activity downtown—finally shifting from “planning” to “building.”
Throughout the conversation, a consistent theme emerges: quality of life. Low cost of living, short commutes, stable governance, available land, a collaborative political culture, and a city staff that sees itself as a service organization—not a bureaucracy. For entrepreneurs, site selectors, and growing companies, Mayor McBrayer points listeners toward the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, Texas Tech’s Innovation Hub, and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce as starting points for exploration. For families and young professionals, the message is clear: Lubbock is no longer a stepping-stone city—it’s a destination.
