BELLMEAD, Texas (KXXV) — Business is booming in Bellmead with new growth and expansion. As development picks up, city leaders say they have found the right mix for growth, and it is already paying off.
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"We have the location. We have the infrastructure, we have the staff, we have exemplary staff who will allow you a one-stop shop," City Manager Yost Zakhary said.
City leaders say the combination of location, infrastructure, affordability, and resources is helping draw in both new businesses and expansions from ones already in the city.
Business owner Nelson Benitez is one of them, opening El Emperador Michael's Kitchen just blocks from his original shop after finding success in the community.
"Then I want to expand my business because the people are, you know, they like my tortillas and whatever I do there, so I want to grow, so that's why," Benitez said.
"Bellmead changed a lot. You know, we see the new businesses like, you know, Chick-fil-A, and, you know, a lot, a lot different, uh, you know, for Loop 340, there are a lot of business," Benitez said.
Others, like real estate agent Cameron Gomez, are just getting started. Gomez recently opened his office on Harris Street, pointing to Bellmead's central location as a key draw.
"It's one of the cities that's right off of 35, so it's very easily accessible as I'm traveling with real estate, you know, I help people in the DFW area. I help people in Central Texas, Temple Killeen, and so just being super centralized," Gomez said.
"We want the big businesses. We want the small mom-and-pop businesses. Now we're in, in an effort to attract industrial businesses," Zakhary said.
Recently, UTEC/MTEC had a groundbreaking for the start of construction of its new facility in Bellmead, bringing in millions and hiring up to 70 employees. But with rapid growth comes real challenges.
"One of the biggest challenges is infrastructure. We're all, uh, none of us have as much water as we would like to have. We all need more water. Um, sewer systems are aging," Zakhary said.
City leaders told me those growing pains are now shaping their long-term plans.
"I think what we're looking for 2030 and beyond is we want to make sure that we have sufficient water, sufficient sewer, and that the public safety departments, police and fire are prepared to respond to the needs that come with those industries," Zakhary said.
Zakhary told me the city is finalizing plans with another hotel to come to town and is in talks with a developer to transform the area off New Dallas Highway.
With growth and economic development, Bellmead has won some awards. The finance department was awarded two new Transparency Stars by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for Economic Development and Open Government & Compliance, officially recognized on Oct. 30, 2025.
These awards recognize the city’s continued commitment to open government, financial accountability, and public access to information beyond minimum statutory requirements. The Transparency Stars Program honors local governments across Texas for maintaining high standards of online transparency and user-friendly access to public financial data.
With these new designations, Bellmead now holds a total of four Transparency Stars, adding to its earlier recognition in Public Pensions and Debt Obligations in September 2025.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
