Celebrating 25 Years of Service to Galveston
Expanding and Diversifying Galveston's Employment & Tax Bases
In Loving Memory of Bill Rider:
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Bill Rider. Bill passed away this morning, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering service, quiet leadership, and deep commitment to our community.
Since the founding of the GEDP, Bill served faithfully, offering his wisdom, integrity, and generous spirit to every endeavor we undertook. His guidance was foundational—not just to our organization, but to the Galveston community he cared so deeply about.
Bill was more than a leader; he was a friend, a steady hand, and a believer in Galveston’s potential. His loss is and will continue to be deeply felt by all of us.
On behalf of the GEDP, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Bill’s family and loved ones. May he rest in peace, and may we carry his spirit forward in all we do.
Building Opportunity: BuyBoard and Higher-Up CFO
May 21 | 4:00–6:00 PM | Beerfoot Brewery
The Galveston Construction Consortium invites you to another high-impact evening of networking, procurement strategy, and industry connection. This month, we welcome Rich Vela, Consultant for BuyBoard, who will break down how your business can access upcoming public projects and get listed to win work through the cooperative purchasing program.
With a cash bar, familiar faces, and actionable insights, this gathering is designed to help contractors, vendors, and developers strengthen their pipeline and stay competitive in the public sector.
We’re also excited to spotlight Teresa Wagonseller of Higher Up CFO Services as our featured vendor, offering financial clarity and growth strategies tailored to the construction industry.
Come for the connections. Leave with opportunity.
Please RSVP so we know how much food to order!
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GEDP’s 2025 Annual Members Meeting: Driving Galveston’s Economic Future
At our Annual Meeting, members approved the 2025 Work Plan, Budget, and Leadership Slate while gaining valuable insights from market analyst Victoria Greene and maritime industry expert Robert Sakowitz.
We proudly honored founding member Bill Rider and longtime Secretary John Kelso for their dedication and leadership. Key initiatives for 2025 include business retention efforts, targeted economic development planning, and a reimagined Investment Summit.
Special thanks to our sponsors, Howie Bentley of Classic Auto and Johnnie Smecca of Mario’s on the Seawall, for hosting in their newly renovated space.
Stay engaged as we continue working together to propel Galveston’s economic growth forward!
Thanks to all of you, the 2024 GEDP Summit was a tremendous success. We hope you enjoyed key moments such as the historic signing between the Port of Galveston and Norwegian Cruise Line, the beautiful performance by the Galveston Symphony, and the engaging breakout sessions.
With great attendance, excellent food, and meaningful fellowship, the summit truly showcased Galveston’s momentum. We are grateful for the strong support from our sponsors, exhibitors, and the TAMUG and UTMB teams, all of whom played a vital role in making this event exceptional.
A special thank you to Frost Bank for the thoughtful RFID-protected card holders at each table. We also extend our sincere thanks to all our amazing sponsors, whose support is essential in helping us propel Galveston forward.
If you haven’t yet completed the survey, please take a moment to share your feedback today. We’d love to hear from you!
Thank You for a Successful 2024 GEDP Summit!
Our Heartfelt Thanks to Our 2024 Summit Sponsors
GEDP Developer Profile 2024
As part of our Annual Economic Development Summit, the GEDP publishes the Developer Profile. This comprehensive publication offers in-depth demographic and statistical data on Galveston and its key industry sectors, while also spotlighting current, upcoming, and recently completed projects and developments.
New Member Highlight
Welcome: Great Wolf Lodge – Webster, TX
The Galveston Economic Development Partnership is excited to welcome Great Wolf Lodge to the Greater Houston region. Opened in August 2024, this impressive $200 million, 27-acre resort in Webster is the second Great Wolf Lodge in Texas and the 22nd in North America.
Great Wolf Lodge offers a year-round, all-in-one family destination. The resort features a 92,000-square-foot indoor water park kept at a comfortable 84 degrees, with 13 water slides—including the signature Texas Twirler—along with multiple pools and interactive play zones. The 61,000-square-foot Adventure Park includes attractions such as Northern Lights Arcade, Ten Paw Alley bowling, and the immersive MagiQuest game experience.
The property also boasts 532 family-friendly suites, including themed accommodations like KidCabin and Wolf Den suites designed to delight families of all sizes. Guests can enjoy a variety of dining options, from casual grab-and-go to full-service restaurants.
The GEDP is proud to welcome Great Wolf Lodge to our community and looks forward to the continued positive impact they will bring to the region.
New Member Highlight
Welcome: Red Oak Construction
The GEDP is excited to welcome Red Oak Construction to the GEDP. Red Oak is a growing construction company with a simple yet powerful mission: to put clients’ needs at the center of every project.
Though a fresh name in the industry, Red Oak Construction stands out for its strong focus on customer satisfaction, clear communication, and exceptional quality. The company specializes in creating tailored solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial projects—delivering results that meet and exceed client expectations.
The team at Red Oak believes in building more than structures; they build trust and lasting relationships through transparency, integrity, and collaboration. Their commitment to bringing clients’ visions to life with quality and efficiency has already made a mark in the community.
The GEDP is proud to welcome Red Oak Construction and looks forward to their continued contributions to the Galveston business community.
The GEDP supports existing and new businesses by providing the infrastructure to be globally competitive.
Since 1999, through the public-private membership base of the GEDP, assistance has been provided, including demographic and socioeconomic information, utilization of a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) for project development activities, maintenance of an information clearinghouse and economic climate assessments that have been made available to those seeking to make Galveston a better place.
Priority areas of investment include those projects capable of expanding or enhancing the core industries for the Galveston economic base: Maritime, Tourism, Education, Healthcare, and Emerging Technologies.
Maximizing Galveston’s human, natural, and financial resources, the GEDP remains committed to facilitating quality projects that work to expand Galveston’s employment and tax bases. Galveston is an island of opportunity and the GEDP looks forward to working with you on future projects.