Midland Development

What Midland Development does

Midland Development Corporation (MDC) is a non-profit economic development organization established in 2002 and wholly owned by the City of Midland, Texas. Funded through municipal tax dollars and staffed by 1–10 employees, MDC serves as the city's primary vehicle for business attraction, retention, and economic diversification in the Permian Basin. Its operational mandate covers recruiting new employers, supporting existing industry, managing the Spaceport Business Park, and pursuing diversification beyond the region's oil-and-gas core. The organization's "customers" are effectively two-sided: prospective tenants it recruits and the residents/taxpayers whose appropriations fund its activities.

MDC operates the Midland International Air and Space Port, the only facility in the U.S. co-located with both an FAA Part 139 commercial airport and an FAA Part 420 spaceport license — one of only 14 licensed spaceports nationwide. This dual-certified asset anchors a growing aerospace tenant cluster including AST SpaceMobile, Firehawk Aerospace, Castelion, Starfighters Space, LeoLabs, and Astroport, plus R&D partners (MITRE Corporation) and an advocacy tenant (Space Force Association Texas HQ). The Spaceport Business Park is supported by Foreign Trade Zone #165 designation, central-West Texas highway access, and infrastructure scaled via a TxDOT partnership that converted $9M into $96M of road investment. MDC's only disclosed in-house technology is a GIS planning tool used for land-use and infrastructure decisions; no commercial product or AI capability is involved.

MDC's business model is public-sector economic development rather than commercial revenue generation. Funding flows from City of Midland appropriations, sales-tax revenue (reported 7.13% growth in a recent period), ad valorem distributions, and infrastructure grants — one disclosed period showed a $1.43M distribution against $5.74M in district revenue. MDC deploys these funds into tenant incentives, infrastructure, and recruitment programs, monetizing impact indirectly through long-term tax-base growth rather than per-transaction fees. Recent strategic activity extends well beyond aerospace: a planned Costco, the Summit Center, and two downtown hotels (Locklin by Tapestry/Hilton and Omni Midland, groundbreaking Q1 2026) reflect a parallel push to capture retail, hospitality, and resident consumer spending — reducing historical leakage out of the city.

Name

Midland Development

Legal name

Midland Development Corporation

Website

https://midlandtxedc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midland Development Corporation is the City of Midland, Texas-owned, tax-funded non-profit EDO that operates the Midland International Air and Space Port and drives business attraction, aerospace cluster growth, and downtown diversification across the Permian Basin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) (FSANAAAF), Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing (FSANAHAN)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Commercial spaceport leasing
• Site selection assistance
• Business incentive programs
• Industrial real estate leasing

Headquarters

HQ city

Midland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Economic Development Services: MDC functions as the economic development organization for Midland, Texas, funded through tax dollars. It provides business attraction, retention, and expansion services, negotiates leases and development agreements, and deploys incentives to drive investment and job creation in the region.
2. Spaceport Business Park Leasing: MDC owns and markets the Midland Spaceport Business Park, offering ground leases for aerospace and aviation development, shovel-ready lots, and commercial space to aerospace and defense companies. Revenue is generated through property leases.
3. Tax Revenue Distributions: MDC receives portions of sales tax and other tax revenue generated by the growing Midland economy. For example, MDC received $1.43 million from $5.74 million in total revenue from a period of 7.13% year-over-year sales tax growth.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Midland Development Corporation (MDC) is the economic development organization for the City of Midland, Texas. It attracts, retains, and expands businesses through direct recruitment, negotiated incentives, site selection support, and workforce development partnerships. MDC owns and markets real estate assets including the 377-acre Midland Spaceport Business Park, the 52-acre David Mims Business Park, the Midland Altitude Chamber Complex, and Foreign Trade Zone #165, and runs the annual Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge that distributes up to $500,000 in small business funding.

Product overview

Midland Development Corporation (MDC) is an economic development organization that serves as the primary instrument for business growth and economic diversification in Midland, Texas. Rather than offering a unified software product, MDC provides a portfolio of economic development services and real estate offerings centered around the Midland Spaceport Business Park (a 377-acre aerospace/aviation development), the David Mims Business Park (52-acre industrial facility), the Midland Altitude Chamber Complex (testing facility), Foreign Trade Zone #165, and the annual Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge program offering up to $500,000 in business funding. The organization also provides site selection assistance, incentives guidance, and workforce development support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Midland Spaceport Business Park A 377-acre shovel-ready aerospace and aviation business park adjacent to the FAA Part 139/Part 420-certified Midland International Air & Space Port, offering ground leases to aerospace, aviation, and defense companies seeking a horizontal launch site and testing infrastructure.
• Midland Altitude Chamber Complex (MACC) A state-of-the-art altitude testing facility located within the Midland Spaceport Business Park that simulates up to 200,000 feet of altitude for pressure suit testing, equipment validation, and human factors research, available to aerospace and defense customers.
• Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge An annual small business funding competition administered with the University of Texas Permian Basin and America's Small Business Development Center, providing up to $500,000 in awards, business coaching, and pitch development to qualifying small businesses within Midland city limits.
• Foreign Trade Zone #165 A Foreign Trade Zone at Midland International Airport designated as a Port of Entry with an on-site U.S. Customs Office, allowing companies to defer, reduce, or eliminate customs duties on imported goods, components, and raw materials.
• David Mims Business Park A 52-acre shovel-ready industrial park owned by MDC, located on Interstate 20 with rail access, utilities in place, and zoning for light industrial development, marketed to manufacturing and distribution users.
• Site Selection and Business Recruitment Services End-to-end economic development services for businesses evaluating Midland for relocation or expansion, including demographic and workforce data, available properties listings, incentives guidance, GIS-based location analysis, and introductions to commercial real estate brokers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16.2% GDP growth in 2022, fastest-growing midsize city economy in the U.S.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MDC funds and UTPB administers the annual Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge, providing up to $500,000 in awards to qualifying small businesses. UTPB's America’s Small Business Development Center provides one-on-one business coaching. MDC has also committed $3 million toward UTPB's $52 million engineering building and $5 million for a business incubator and makerspace at the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification.
• Summit CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Summit Center in Midland continues to expand with new national tenants, contributing to the growing retail ecosystem and serving as a key anchor in the regional shopping hub strategy.
• Starfighters Space Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2024MDC entered an economic development agreement with Starfighters Space in September 2024, approved by MDC board and Midland City Council. Starfighters relocated to Midland International Air & Space Port with a commitment of at least $78 million in capital assets and 23 new full-time jobs by 2033. MDC and Starfighters are partnering to secure FAA approval for a high-speed airspace corridor between Midland and Spaceport America in New Mexico. Starfighters operates the only commercial fleet able to fly at Mach 2+.
• Space Force Association (Texas Chapter)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024The Space Force Association established its Texas chapter headquarters in Midland in March 2024. MDC supports the SFA by offering a platform to promote its events, information, and advocacy efforts within the space industry. The SFA works to create community, inform policy, and network with professionals in the aerospace industry.
• MITRE CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2024MDC and MITRE signed a strategic agreement in January 2024 to accelerate their common vision for commercial space and high-speed flight operations at Midland International Air & Space Port. The partnership focuses on R&D projects and operation demonstrations critical to enabling commercial space and high-speed flight. MDC commissioned a feasibility study in 2022 for developing high-speed airspace corridors accessible from the spaceport.
• Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MDC partnered with TxDOT on major infrastructure projects. MDC's $9 million investment leveraged approximately $96 million in state and federal transportation funding for road improvements including Loop 250 intersections and South Midkiff Road upgrades.
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MDC committed $8.4 million over eight years to establish a Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at TTUHSC in Midland, addressing the lack of mental healthcare in the Permian Basin. The facility opened in November 2018 and exceeded projections by serving over 10,577 patients in its first year.
• Midland Memorial HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017MDC maintains a physician recruitment agreement with Midland Memorial Hospital (MMH), providing up to $450,000 per year in reimbursements for expenses associated with recruiting new physicians. The initial $2 million commitment from 2014-2019 enabled MMH to recruit more than 50 doctors with crucial specialties previously lacking in Midland, with an 80% retention rate over five years.
• Midland CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016MDC partners with Midland College on workforce training initiatives, including the Midland College Advanced Technology Center — a partnership among Midland College, Midland Independent School District, and community partners delivering technical workforce education programs. MDC also funds transportation training programs and pre-K charter school initiatives.
• City of MidlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDC works collaboratively with the City of Midland on multiple initiatives including downtown revitalization (hotels, Bush Convention Center), airport and spaceport operations, infrastructure development, and economic diversification projects.
• FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDC is working with the FAA to secure certification for a high-speed airspace corridor between Midland and Spaceport America in New Mexico, enabling supersonic research missions for the Department of Defense. Midland International Air & Space Port holds FAA Part 139 commercial airport certification and FAA Part 420 spaceport certification.
• America's Small Business Development Center at UTPBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SBDC at UTPB provides one-on-one business coaching to participants in the Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge, supporting small business growth through business plan consultation, structuring, lending and taxation guidance, marketing, and pitch development.
• City of MidlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative efforts between MDC, the City of Midland, and key local investors resulted in two new downtown hotel developments (Locklin and Omni Midland), breaking ground in Q1 2026. All Midland tax entities benefit from the revitalization effort including school district, hospital, college, county, city, and downtown development district.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Tampa Bay EDC (Tampa Hillsborough EDC): Mid-sized U.S. metropolitan EDO comparable to MDC in operating model — business recruitment, retention, expansion services, and site-selection support — though serving a different geography.
• San Antonio Economic Development Foundation: Texas regional EDO peer performing business attraction, retention, and site-selection services — comparable as a Texas-market peer EDC, though operating in a different metro and not spaceport-anchored.

Direct peers

• Alaska Aerospace Corporation: State-owned corporation operating the Kodiak Launch Complex and pursuing aerospace-led economic development — comparable as a publicly chartered spaceport/EDO hybrid pursuing aerospace tenants and high-speed flight.
• Permian Strategic Partnership: Regional Permian Basin economic development coalition focused on infrastructure, workforce, and diversification across the same oil-and-gas-anchored economy as Midland — a direct peer operating in MDC's exact region.
• Space Florida: Florida's state spaceport authority operating multiple FAA-licensed launch sites — directly comparable as an aerospace-anchored economic development and infrastructure authority.
• Spaceport America: New Mexico's FAA-licensed commercial spaceport and the most direct U.S. spaceport peer — both serve as state-level economic development vehicles anchored to FAA Part 420 licensing and target commercial launch, aerospace testing, and tenant recruitment.
• Greater Houston Partnership: Texas regional economic development organization that performs similar business-attraction, retention, and site-selection services — a directly comparable peer operating at the metropolitan-EDO level within the same state.
• Houston Spaceport (Houston Airport System): The nation's ninth FAA-licensed spaceport, co-located with a commercial airport and targeting commercial aerospace tenants — a directly comparable spaceport model to Midland International Air & Space Port.
• Mojave Air and Space Port: California's commercial spaceport and long-standing horizontal-launch site — directly comparable as an FAA-licensed commercial spaceport with mixed-use industrial park and aerospace tenant base.

Others

• Midland Chamber of Commerce: Local Midland business-membership organization linked from MDC's own website — adjacent as a co-located complementary EDO actor (MDC handles incentives/recruitment; Chamber handles membership/networking) rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MidlandTXEDC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUXnQLew0LpErx7wU9rCIhA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MidlandTXEDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midland-development-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/midlandtxedc
• TikToktiktok.com/@midlandtxedc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Midland Development