In San Antonio—recently ranked by Fast Company as one of the “15 Hot Cities for Creative Types”—movers and shakers include Janet Holliday, CEO of The CE Group. The marketing queen—who beat out four national competitors to produce the 4-day “Big Dance” event during the Final Four tournament here in April—calls Texas an “experience.”

What does that mean? It’s time to bust that long-running “flat, hot and dry” stereotype. The culinary and cultural destinations are world-class, the hospitality is genuine, the ties are deep-rooted, the natural resources are endless, and the spirit of the people embodies the defiance of Colonel William Travis and the other defenders of the Alamo.

“Our flag still waves proudly from these walls,” wrote Travis, as the Mexican army sounded degüello (take no hostages), “I shall never surrender or retreat.”

Big Oil is taking its own stand at the latest Judiciary Committee hearing on runaway gas prices. “Where is the corporate conscience?” asked one senator, but all Exxon-Mobil (admission to its Fort Knox-like fortress near Dallas is one of the toughest tickets in town) and others could talk about was up cycles.

At least some of the hot air may be beneficial. Texas leads the nation in wind power, and Texas oil and gas legend T. Boone Pickens has announced a $2 billion investment for 667 wind turbines in the Texas Panhandle. San Antonio-based CPS Energy, the state’s largest buyer of wind electricity, could become a customer. Sound good? Not all are persuaded, and certainly to be a topic at the American Wind Energy Association convening in Houston on June 2-4.

It’s been deep, in the heart.

Jeff Heilman

5/23/08