Austin used to be a pleasant surprise for business students and visitors from out of state, but the city's great weather, friendly atmosphere, and thriving economy are no longer secrets.This presentation shows what Austin is really about.

1. Culture and Environment, Austin, TX

3. This is the real Austin.

4. A river runs through it

5. Located in the Texas Hill Country

6. Seriously, it’s beautiful

7. Laid back, relaxed, comfortable

8. A youthful city with a fun attitude “ More restaurants per capita than any other city in America.”

9. Eclectic, funky, vibrant

10. Sometimes even weird

11. Live music is a big deal here

12. A Top 20 Fittest City in America* *According to Men’s Fitness Magazine

13. Major concerts and sports events

14. Did I mention sports?

15. Business is robust and growing Texas has more Fortune 500 company headquarters than any other state.

16. This is truly the city of ideas More than 350 major features and made-for-television movies have been filmed in Austin over the past 20 years. Game development studios include Midway, Nintendo, NCsoft, Sony, Take Two Interactive, and Ubisoft. Annual SXSW Music, Media, Film and Interactive Conference is ground zero for the multimedia industry.

17. With a world-class university

18. And a burnt orange heart The UT Gregory Gym Recreational Complex, across the street from McCombs School of Business

19. But don’t just take our word Austin Rankings Golf Magazine.com lists Barton Creek Resort & Spa among the top 50 golf destinations in the US (August 2006) Expansion Management magazine puts the Austin area first among U.S. cities in the magazine's fourth annual Mayors Challenge rankings of the best cities for future business locations. The Wall Street Journal names Austin #3 in a list of America's Most Innovative Cities. The Capital of Texas had the third-highest number of patents in 2005. Money magazine lists Austin as #2 among the 10 best places to live, judging on financial, educational and quality of life criteria, among others. (July 2006) Sperling's BestPlaces and msn.com rate Austin among "8 Cheap Places You'd Want to Live." The survey highlights citywide economic prospects and cultural atmosphere. (July 2006) Men's Journal ranks Austin #2 among America's Heart Healthy Cities, citing Mayor Will Wynn's efforts to make Austin the fittest city in the U.S. by 2010. (August 2006)Sperling's BestPlaces and Bailey's Irish Crème named Austin #9 among the Top Ten "Chill" Cities. The survey created a "chill index" based on the behavior of the city's residents and social opportunities the city provided. (July 2006)CNN.com ranks Austin among the top ten cities for job growth as the "Sun Belt" provides the hub of tech development from now through 2015. The US Census Bureau reports that Austin ranks 5th among the most educated cities in the U.S. 45.1% of the population has a college degree, or higher. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) places Austin at #8 among America's top 10 vegetarian/vegan-friendly large cities. "Austin might be University of Texas Longhorn country, but many folks in this vegetarian-friendly oasis would rather meet cows than eat them!" (April 2006) Men's Journal ranks Austin number two among the "50 Best Places to Live." The magazine ranked the "Best of the Best" the cities that are the perfect combination of adventure, attractiveness, and affordability. (April 2006)Austin was named the sixth best walking city in the nation by the American Podiatric Medical Association. (March 2006) Pollstar names Austin City Limits Music Festival the "Festival of the Year" during it's annual Concert Industry Awards. (February 2006)Four Seasons Hotel Austin and The Driskill Hotel appear on two prestigious lists, Travel + Leisure 's top 500 Hotels and Conde Nast Traveler's 2006 Gold List of the World's Best Hotels. (January 22, 2006) Texas Highways readers choose the tops in Texas with The Oasis as the "Best Place to Watch the Sunset," The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum as the favorite museum and Barton Springs as the "Favorite Swimming Spot." (January 2006)SoCo's hip Hotel San Jose is one of 10 international Hot Properties, according to Outside Online magazine. (Winter 2005)Austin makes the cut as one of 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live by Gregory A. Kompes. (December 2005)Good news for singles: according to AXE and with Sperling's BestPlaces Austin is the fourth best city to hook up in America because it is "young and full of fun." (November 2005)The Hill Country Dining Room at Barton Creek Resort & Spa earned a AAA Four Diamond rating. (November 2005)According to DogFancy Austin is one of the top 10 cities to be a dog. (November 2005) Entertainment Weekly declares local radio station KGSR as one of five "Great Old-School Radio" stations, citing "an only-in-Austin blend of alt-country, hippie jams, singer-song-writers, and lots of Willie Nelson, of course." (October 21, 2005)Each year, Intel ranks the top 100 U.S. Cities and regions with the greatest number of

20. Culture and Environment, Austin, TX