Horsehoe Bay Texas is SPECIAL

A Perfect Collection of Extraordinary Features – Some Natural, Some Man Made – Make HSB Especially Special!

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We saw how it was Business Week/Golf Digest ranked the HSB area in November 2006 as “#3 Among the U.S.’ Top-18 Emerging Golf Retirement Regions,” “How HSB’s Well-being Has Moved in Step with the Price of Oil,” “How HSB’s Golf Ranks – Statewide and Nationally,” and that “HSB Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet Based on Fortune Magazine’s December 25, 2006 Predictions.”

After studying “HSB’s Unimaginable Rise,” and while writing about other aspects of

interest that went in to the series, we were searching for evidence of just how

great HSB became before its “Even More Unimaginable Fall.”  We began winding

down the series after finding proof-positive evidence that “HSB Resort Ranked

Among America’s Very Elite” once the Hurds completed its fundamental

infrastructure build-out in late 1985. 

The depth and seriousness of the 1986 crash, from which a full recovery didn’t

occur for about 17 years, can not be over emphasized.  HSB was among the few

businesses among the oil-patch states of Texas, Oklahoma or Louisiana that

survived the unexpected crash without taking Chapter 11 protection, an its

unimaginable fall could have been far worse if not for the financial acumen of

Norman and Wayne Hurd. 

Being a retired oilman who felt the pain of the oil-patch crash as much as practically anyone in the country while working out of New Orleans, I understand fully what it is like going over the cliff head first.  It was felt by practically everyone and every entity that was dressed out on the playing fields of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana in that period – whether it were banks, savings and loans, builders, developers, oilmen, doctors, lawyers, candle-stick makers, you name it.  The crash took no prisoners!

We also looked closely at how HSB basically self-generated its new momentum, led by Doug Jaffe’s financial strength and financial know-how, beginning in 1996.  We documented how HSB, Texas and the other oil-patch states worked their way back and how the oil-business that has basically driven HSB upward or downward since its inception looks as healthy today as far out as one can see.  We have also been made aware of the Resort’s intent to announce a major, six to ten-year renovation project that is designed to send HSB back to its prior ranking among America’s very elite, which will be wonderful news.

With the able assistance of “Rocky” Trails, we attempted to cover the HSB area’s major attractions and hope the basics were amply covered.  We noted HSB’s spectacular Championship Golf – among the best public-accessible golf in the country - and its other exceptional Amenities.  We learned of the Marriott’s importance, and how imperative it is that the Resort must remain robust and prosperous to insure the financial well-being of the city and its residents.

We learned to appreciate our wonderful Geological Paradise; the beautiful Hill Country; our one-of-a kind Lake LBJ; our area’s laid back and friendly Heritage; the romance of the Central Mineral Region; that Marble Falls’ Canyon of the Colorado is 50 times older than the Grand Canyon; that the HSB-Marble Falls Fault is the largest (most vertical movement) seen in all of Texas; how central Texas is dominated and shaped by the Llano Uplift; the mystic associated with HSB-Marble Falls reincarnation – arising as it did from a half-mile deep burial that lasted for 100 million years; and how it is that Llano and western Burnet counties resemble today what the countryside looked like 120 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the region as shallow Cretaceous seas transgressed its surface, statewide.

Although room exists for plenty of sharply focused reports in the future on how this or that is doing, about new projects, and the like, we sense a need as we move toward closing out our examination of the basics to get two more pieces of basic information before you. 

So today we are presenting two maps which we hope will help everyone visualize and more clearly appreciate HSB’s setting – which is the most basic feature of all.  The topmost of the two maps identifies the eight principal geologic-geomorphologic sectors of central Texas. 

For example, it should help explain specifics such as where the Central Mineral Region is located.  As seen on the map, it is located in the central portion of the Llano Uplift, where the Uplift’s oldest rocks are located – the Uplift’s igneous (granites) and metamorphic rocks that are all part of the North American continent’s ancestral core, over 1.1 billion years old. 

The lower map gives a detailed outline of that small portion of Texas which falls within the boundaries of all four of the state’s most attractive provinces – The Texas Hill Country, The Llano Uplift, The Central Mineral Region, and The Highland Lakes.  HSB stands alone among all others cities in Texas as the single city that dominates this renown Texas “SweetSpot.”

This map speaks volumes as to why HSB is so special.  Although Marble Falls lies just outside the SweetSpot, we all know it is home to the Bluebonnet Café.  Next time you’re there on a half-way decent weekend, look for the motorcycle gangs - those no doubt well-to-do professionals dressed out in motorcycle garb, shades of the Hell’s Angles – breakfasting.  You’ll connect the dots and realize they’re there loading on “fuel” before spending the day taking their Hogs for an outing to the Llano Uplift, and through The Central Mineral Region, soaking up the Texas Hill Country and The Highland Lakes in the process. 

The SweetSpot, where they can taste all four regions in one afternoon, is one of their favored drives.  The next time you see them you’ll be reminded that they represent a proof-positive - attesting to the area’s extraordinary appeal. 

And to think that we partake of these extraordinarily beautiful, laid back and friendly environs every day of our lives, saturated as they are with the extraordinary amenities, the championship golf, America’s lake of choice, wonderful people, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 

And, by the way.  On the question of:  HSB + H20 = Sedona in 2020?  We picked Sedona as somewhat representative of the likes of Santa Fe, Jackson Hole, Kiawah Island, Scottsdale, Reynolds Island, et cetera that have come on as major R & R destinations with a cultural-fine arts sense since 1985, prospering in the economic boom the rest of America was experiencing as it feasted on low oil prices that were the oil-patch states’ demise. 

We wanted to get you to start thinking about such issues.  We wanted you to put your ear to the ground and hear the earth come alive, and your glasses on to take in the area’s natural beauty and bounty.

Although these areas all gained a lot of ground on HSB after 1985, we are nevertheless not that far behind most of them, not that we want to be another Myrtle Beach.  It may take a while to catch the likes of Scottsdale, but why would we want to be another Scottsdale.

You’ve got it.  And we’re not trying to be another Sedona, by most measures we’re already far better.  And to wait until 2020?  Bull–manure!  What a joke!

But we put in the 2020 because we sensed we could prove to ourselves that “by most measures we were already far better.”  We needed facts, proof, before we could come out with series theme saying HSB + Lake LBJ was already this or that without losing credibility.  So, we took the opposite approach and researched the issue together, week by week, developing the understanding, brick by brick.

And the facts are clear.  The Hurds led HSB to the mountain top.  They took HSB there in record time – An Unimaginable Rise!  The Resort was the equal - if not more so - to best resorts of that day, the end of 1985, they being Monterrey Peninsula’s Pebble Beach, Colorado Springs’ The Broadmoor, Florida’s Innisbrook, and Myrtle Beach’s Grand National.  These four were the leading resorts of the day that also featured 4½-Star or better golf. 

However, whereas we had three of the 4½-Star or better courses, none of them had more than two; whereas we had America’s largest private airport, they had none; whereas we had Lake LBJ, America’s lake of choice, they had nothing comparable; whereas we had the Texas Hill Country, The Llano Uplift, The Central Mineral Region, The Highland Lakes, our Geological Paradise, a Canyon 50 times older than the Grand Canyon, et cetera. et cetera, et cetera, they had . . . well, nothing worth writing home about, comparatively speaking!!!

The facts are also clear that the HSB-Marble Falls area is on its way to being an important fine arts/live music/theatrical cultural center.  The Jimmy Owens’ River Bend Art Gallery is leading the way regarding Fine Art and Russell Baxter and Linda Callaway are leading the way with their Uptown Theater regarding Nashville/Grammy-quality Live Music entertainment.  And the Hill Country Theater continues to grow, becoming increasingly professional to the point of leading the whole Hill Country on that score.

John Kemper, who his building “The Deck” behind The River City Grill on Lake Marble Falls as we speak, will be have Live Music and Dancing as well.  The Deck, which will seat 200 people, have a separate kitchen, rest rooms, bar and boat slips, will open this spring. 

While on that same subject, Grant Dean will have his nightclub – “Lorraine’s” – open by the arrival of spring at 3^rd and Avenue “J” in downtown Marble Falls - one block off Main Street, across from the R-Bar.  It will seat up to 300 and be   

open Wednesday through Saturday evenings featuring Live Music, Dancing, and Mixed Drinks, all complimented by a return of “Darcy’s Deli,” which will front on 3^rd and share space in the building.

Where is all this Live Music coming from?  Well, we all know Austin pictures itself as “The Live Music Capital of the World.”  Have you ever wondered where a huge number of these really talented guys live?  You guessed it – the Hill Country, with Marble Falls and Spicewood leading the way.

So here we are today, well along toward to regaining our feet, moving forward on the same path the Hurds set for us, capitalizing on the spirit and magic of our extraordinary region – all laid back and friendly, Texas casual style. 

Damn, how blessed we are to be so fortunate?  How could anyone ever have a bad day in HSB?