From Ghost Town to Boom Town: Samsung's Texas Transformation
The historic Texas town of Taylor, which has weathered economic cycles since its founding in 1876, is experiencing a remarkable renaissance driven by Samsung's massive $17 billion semiconductor facility. This small city in the Austin metropolitan area, with a population just under 18,000, has seen steady growth over the past six years that accelerated dramatically when construction began on the plant in 2022.
Economic Revival Sparks Business Boom
Local business owner Cliff Olle, who has operated businesses in Taylor with his wife Kaitlin since 2008, witnessed the transformation firsthand. 'Downtown was completely dead 15 years ago,' Olle recalled. Today, trendy establishments including a Korean restaurant, 6,000 square foot arcade, speakeasy and art gallery have revitalised the city centre.
The couple, who initially moved their wireless internet company to Taylor when there were 'no businesses to speak of,' now operate apartment complexes and converted the Old Taylor High school building into a retail centre housing dozens of local businesses in 2018.
'When Samsung was announced, I mean, that just changed the landscape completely,' Olle told the Daily Mail, noting that while growth began around 2018-2019, the semiconductor project accelerated everything.
Massive Investment in Public Services
The financial impact extends far beyond private enterprise. Of the more than $20 million in sales tax revenue generated from the plant's construction, half has been invested in public services including animal shelters, police equipment and public amenities.
Residents have particularly celebrated improvements to the city's park system, which now features a new stadium with public fitness equipment. 'The landscape is just completely different,' Olle observed.
Tia Stone, President of the Taylor Chamber of Commerce, credited the city's preparedness for securing the Samsung investment. 'Our economic development corporation was ready,' she explained. 'When [Samsung] asked questions, other people were having to wait to get answers, and our EDC already knew the answers.'
CHIPS Act Fuels Semiconductor Expansion
The transformation was catalysed by the Biden-era CHIPS and Science Act, signed in 2022, which provided over $52 billion in subsidies for domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Samsung received up to $4.75 billion in federal support to construct the Taylor plant.
The company has committed to investing at least $6 billion in buildings and real property improvements, plus at least $11 billion in machinery and equipment. Beyond this, Samsung has donated more than $3 million directly to the city.
'They've been a great partner for our community,' Stone noted. 'They've donated to our food banks, multiple nonprofits and our school district.'
The economic impact figures are staggering: construction activity in 2024 alone injected $8.6 billion into the local economy and created 8,868 direct and 9,768 indirect construction jobs - more than the town's entire population. Operations have thus far supported 3,664 jobs and pumped an additional $184 million into the economy.
Navigating Growth While Preserving Community
Despite construction delays pushing the operational start date from late 2024 to the end of 2026, city leaders remain optimistic. The plant is expected to directly create 1,800 high-tech jobs over the next decade.
Daniel Seguin, Communications Director for the City of Taylor, confirmed that amended agreements require Samsung to 'install and commission $2 billion worth of equipment by the end of the 2026 calendar year.'
Both Olle and Stone emphasise the importance of maintaining Taylor's small-town charm during this rapid expansion. 'My hope is that we thread the needle, and Taylor just continues its growth trajectory but keeps that small town feel,' Olle said.
Stone echoed this sentiment while acknowledging the necessity of growth: 'You either grow, or you die.' She added that the community is actively exploring ways to preserve its identity while welcoming new development.
The city currently has thousands of living units in development, with over 900 under construction and more than 6,000 in final planning stages. For Stone, the most exciting prospect is creating local employment opportunities that allow future generations to remain in Taylor rather than commuting to Austin for work.
'This idea that we're gonna give our kids something, jobs to grow into, that's very exciting for our community,' she concluded.
