Travis County, specifically western Travis County’s Hill Country, has become a hot spot for filming as 2,415 movie and TV productions have been filmed in the area in the past 30 years, according to the Texas Film Commission.

In response to production companies continuing to consider the Hill Country for potential filming sites, cities such as Lakeway are embracing the industry as both an economic development strategy and a way to showcase the region.

The framework: As more film crews begin to show interest in various locations around the Hill Country, cities such as Lakeway are moving to become certified as “film friendly” by the Film Friendly Texas program through the Texas Film Commission.

Certified communities are featured on the Texas Film Commission’s website and receive ongoing training surrounding media industry standards.

Lakeway received its film friendly certification from the Texas Film Commission in March.

To accommodate the film friendly label, the city established a framework that allows production companies to work with property owners and city staff to ensure regulations are being followed.

A new flower shop recently opened in West Lake Hills.

The gist: French Florist is now open on Bee Cave Road. The shop offers a full range of flower arrangements as well as same-day delivery. Customers can also shop for flowers based on the occasion, such as anniversaries, birthdays, holidays and more.

The shop, along with the West Lake Hills Chamber of Commerce, will host a grand opening celebration at 11 a.m., July 30, offering small bites and beverages, and giving attendees a chance to see the store.

What else: French Florist has locations throughout the country, including in California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, New York, South Carolina and Washington.

• Opened June 17

A Burlington in Kyle, a Fairfield Inn in Bastrop and an AutoZone in Austin are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Burlington ($16.5 million): A new Burlington store is coming to the Kyle Park mixed-use development.

2. Fairfield Inn Staybridge Suites ($10 million): A new 121-key hotel is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to conclude in summer 2028.

3. Slaughter Lane Signal Improvements ($1.2 million): This project includes the installation of accessible pedestrian push-buttons, pedestrian signal poles, and renovation of curb ramps and adjacent sidewalks at 11 traffic signals on the Slaughter Lane corridor.

4. AutoZone ($1.1 million): A new AutoZone location is planned for Austin. The 6,446 square-foot auto parts store is set to begin construction in April.

5. Jersey Mike's ($250,000): A new Jersey Mike's is planned for Cedar Park. The 1,457-square-foot sandwich shop is expected to be completed in October.

Texas lawmakers are considering cutting a costly, decade-old tax break for the state’s booming data center industry.

The overview: Texas spends more than $1 billion annually on the sales tax exemption, and the comptroller’s office estimated in 2025 that due to the program, the state will lose about $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years.

The Lone Star State is home to the nation’s fastest-growing data center market, and the Data Center Coalition, which advocates for the industry, has argued that the tax break program is key to maintaining that title. Senators and members of the public who spoke at a July 27 hearing disagreed.

Looking ahead: Amid a bipartisan push for more regulation of data centers, senators indicated that they intend to add more strings to the tax exemption program or eliminate it entirely.

"The question is whether or not we need to have a special session where all of us are focusing in on this," Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, said.

“We do,” Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, replied.