Round Rock’s Next Chapter Is Already Being Written

ROUND ROCK, Texas —
Inside a ballroom at Kalahari Resorts on a December afternoon, the future of Round Rock felt less like a spreadsheet and more like a story coming to life.

As business leaders gathered for the Round Rock Chamber’s Power Lunch, Mayor Craig Morgan stepped to the stage — not to deliver a list of projects, but to paint a picture. A picture of where the city has been, where it’s headed, and how intentional planning is quietly shaping everyday life for the people who call Round Rock home.

“This is what we do in Round Rock,” Morgan said. “We implement what the citizens voted for.”

And that sentence might be the clearest theme of the entire State of the City address.

Much of Round Rock’s current momentum traces back to the voter-approved 2023 bond, a community-backed investment in the things residents use every day — parks, roads, safety, and infrastructure.

Those bond projects included:

Just two years in, Morgan said, residents are already seeing projects nearing completion — not someday, but now.

This isn’t growth for growth’s sake.
It’s follow-through.

If you live in Round Rock, you’ve probably noticed the cones, crews, and detours. And while construction can test patience, Morgan reminded the audience why it matters.

The city currently has nearly $200 million in active roadway projects — more than any other nearby city.

From the widening of Gattis School Road to major extensions of Wyoming Springs, Old Settlers Boulevard, and Red Bud Lane, these projects are designed to keep Round Rock moving — not just today, but decades from now.

Transportation, Morgan emphasized, isn’t optional.
It’s a core responsibility.

If roads are Round Rock’s arteries, Downtown is its heartbeat.

Since 2001, the City has invested more than $250 million into the downtown area — not to erase its character, but to strengthen it.

Projects like:

Even zoning updates — allowing taller buildings in specific areas — were designed with guardrails to preserve downtown’s soul while preparing it for the future.

It’s a careful balance.
And one Round Rock is choosing deliberately.

Mayor Morgan called Old Settlers Park “probably one of our greatest assets,” and the list of improvements makes it easy to see why.

From new pavilions and performance stages to expanded sports facilities, playground upgrades, and the next phase of Rock’N River, the park is evolving into something bigger than a destination.

It’s becoming a shared backyard for a growing city.

Since the opening of the Round Rock Sports Center in 2014, the city’s sports tourism program has generated more than $210 million in economic activity — proof that quality of life investments can pay dividends far beyond the park gates.

In Round Rock, public safety isn’t a line item.
It’s a priority.

Approximately 70% of the City’s General Fund budget is dedicated to police, fire, and related services. New fire stations are opening. Staffing is increasing. Training facilities are expanding.

“Our citizens demand to be safe,” Morgan said. “That’s one of the reasons they move here.”

Safety, schools, and quality of life — those three pillars continue to guide decision-making.

While much of Texas grapples with water uncertainty, Round Rock finds itself in a stronger position thanks to foresight years in the making.

By diversifying water sources, investing in reuse, and expanding regional partnerships, the city is preparing for a future where growth and conservation must coexist.

Morgan credited past leaders who made tough, expensive decisions early — choices that now allow Round Rock to look ahead with confidence instead of concern.

Sometimes the most important investments are the ones you don’t notice…
until you need them.

Round Rock’s economic engine — from destination shopping to corporate campuses — plays a quiet but powerful role in keeping property taxes among the lowest in Central Texas.

Commercial properties, while a smaller share of taxpayers, generate nearly half of the city’s property tax revenue — helping ease the burden on homeowners.

As developable land becomes scarce, Morgan emphasized the need for intentional economic choices — ones that support long-term stability rather than short-term gains.

As the address came to a close, the message was clear.

Round Rock isn’t chasing growth.
It’s guiding it.

Through careful planning, community trust, and steady execution, the city is writing its next chapter — one road, park, pipeline, and partnership at a time.

Not loudly.
Not recklessly.
But thoughtfully.

And in a fast-growing region, that might be the most impressive story of all.

More to come.