About the Author
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
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Most Popular Stories
- Cap Metro to shelve 46 new electric buses for a year after manufacturer bankruptcy
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues nonprofit that serves homeless in South Austin
- Mobility Committee hears public concern regarding expansion of MoPac
- City-owned Austin Studios found to have generated $2.6B in economic impact
- Red River music proponents see city funding as sign of support, progress
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Music Commission eyes funding apart from hotel tax among 2021 priorities
The Music Commission wants to decrease the role that Hotel Occupancy Tax will play in funding arts and music programs in the coming years, possibly relying more on the city’s General Fund or other revenue sources while the local hospitality…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 12, 2021
City lays out diversity goals in next round of arts, tourism funding
Groups that have been historically overlooked and underrepresented in the city’s cultural community will have priority in the Economic Development Department’s spending for cultural and tourism programs in the next budget year. During an online meeting held last Saturday, the…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 18, 2020
Arts, Music Commission meeting aims to multiply $12M creative space bond
A joint meeting of the arts and music commissions expected to take place Sept. 11 could help multiply the dollar value of the city’s creative space bond using a new development entity. The date for the meeting hasn’t been set,…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 3, 2020
Council eyes September for EDC creation, with S. Congress and music venues as priorities
City Council is expected to vote next month to approve the legal documents that would create an economic development corporation, or EDC, that many members see as a remedy for threatened arts spaces, housing for the homeless and other real…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 31, 2020
City opens process for using $12M approved to preserve creative spaces
The city has launched the process of finding properties and organizations that could be matched in the next 12 months for public-private partnerships focused on preserving creative spaces around the city. The newly released request for information is the first step…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 27, 2020
Community Development Commission to study new uses for police funding
The Community Development Commission has formed a working group to recommend how City Council should make reductions to the Austin Police Department budget, and may move to sign to recent resolutions from three other commissions in support of the budget…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 26, 2020
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ULI panel explores the lessons of transit-oriented development
With transit-oriented developments likely to become more prevalent as Austin relies more on mass transit in the coming years, the planners and builders involved in their creation are confronted with the issues of affordability, displacement and appropriate economic incentives. Those were…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 24, 2020
City to consider Walter Long park vision, while county moves ahead with expo center plans
City Council will consider and possibly adopt the vision plan for Walter E. Long Metro Park later this month, more than a year after the plan was recommended for adoption by the Parks and Recreation Board. A memo late last…
Parks • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 21, 2020
Study weighs market impact of convention center expansion, predicts rebound from Covid-19
A new market analysis finds that the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center would bring more than 1,700 jobs to the city and add $306 million in annual economic impact from the local events and tourism industry. The market viability study…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 20, 2020
City opens grant program to assist creatives impacted by Covid-19
Artists and workers involved in the city’s creative economy can apply today for $2,000 awards from Austin’s new Creative Worker Relief Grant program. The program, which has $3.5 million in total funding, is the latest spun up by the Economic Development…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 17, 2020
City seeks diversity in applicants tasked with redrawing Council district map
Just over six weeks ahead of the application deadline, the Office of the City Auditor is seeking candidates from Latino and other minority groups interested in helping to create the city’s next City Council district map. Applications for the Independent…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 14, 2020
Report lays out possible structure for new economic development corporation
A consultant’s report recommends the city move to create an economic development corporation modeled after existing bodies in New York City, Philadelphia and Atlanta to allow for fast and flexible development deals around the city. The report from QBL Partners…
