Gov. Perry helps Belton, CGI break ground on facility

Sunday, 29 April 2012 by Justin Cox

Tech company CGI held a groundbreaking ceremony alongside Gov. Rick Perry Wednesday to celebrate the $7 million facility which will bring an estimated 400 jobs to Bell County.The small city of Belton got a big show of support from the entire state last Wednesday as Gov. Rick Perry joined community leaders from throughout Central Texas in breaking ground on a $7 million, 40,000-square-foot, IT Services Delivery Center in the Belton Business Park.  CGI, an information technology group, began operations in Belton in November and now has more than 35 employees operating out of temporary space. When fully staffed, the new facility will make CGI one of the largest private employers in the community.

Mayor Jim Covington spoke along with Governor Perry, and was joined on stage by District 55 State Rep. Ralph Sheffield and Congressman John Carter.

Covington entertained the crowd with his homely analogies of courting CGI like the company was a girl on a prom date.

No matter how you look at it, the growth of CGI in Belton will be staggering.

CGI's Belton Onshore IT Services Delivery Center will create 350 new jobs, with a target of up to 400 new jobs, and generate an estimated $61 million of annual economic impact within the first five years of operation.

"Texas has always been a bold leader in new and developing technologies, and our steadily-growing high-tech economy and commitment to our returning veterans makes us a natural fit for CGI's latest expansion," Gov. Perry said. "The skills our veterans bring back from service are a valuable resource for our communities and our labor force, and CGI's presence here in Belton and close proximity to Fort Hood will enable many veterans to resume their careers or start new ones, while strengthening and expanding our state's economy."

Gov. Rick Perry joined a host of other well-known and established figures in Bell County for the groundbreaking ceremony at the Belton Business Park Wednesday. Perry said that Belton represents a hidden gem of potential economic development in an area that was less affected by national economic downturn than most anywhere in the country.

"We believe we found the 'best of the best' here in Belton. This facility builds upon CGI's commitment to Texas, broadening our reach to Belton, Bell County, and the Greater Fort Hood area, meaning more jobs and opportunities in the region – including for our returning veterans and their families," said George Schindler, President of CGI's U.S. operations.  "Onshore IT Services Delivery Centers like this one expand our ability to offer high quality, cost-effective services to our clients on-shore in the U.S. while making it possible for U.S. companies in all industries to keep their IT operations here at home. That's a win-win-win for our company, our customers, and America."

The Belton location will be CGI's third Onshore IT Services Delivery Center. The first two centers, in Lebanon, Virginia, and Troy, Alabama, today employ a total of more than 650 employees, with plans for 100 additional jobs through the end of 2012.

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