The Woodlands - Houston, Texas, United States of America

The Woodlands is an internationally acclaimed urban development in a forest zone near Houston. The venture is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitchell Energy & Development Corp. Investment of $3.4 billion has been undertaken to date. Projected investment is $4.5 billion by the year 2000 and ultimately $12 billion.

The Research Forest contains 32 entities employing more that 2000 people. It includes the Houston Advanced Research Center with more than 200 people and 40 separate research projects, medical research institutions and a number of large corporations. The Research Forest also has a 100-acre campus with affiliates at nine major U.S. universities and research institutions. There is a Trade Centre with 900 acres for light manufacturing and distribution, several major companies involved in pharmaceuticals and food distribution and a College Park with 3600 students.

Woodlands has a residential population of 40,000 and a town centre with more than a million square feet of office space, restaurants, theatre and other amenities. It has been developed in 24,000 acres of pine/mixed hardwood forests, with ponds, streams, hike and bike paths, community playgrounds and other amenities. The site has connections with expressways, Houston Intercontinental Airport and the main line of Union Pacific Railroad.