Corpus Christi ,Texas is an old city. The name simply translated means "The Body of Christ," in Spanish. Squarely an oil and gas driven economy the city goes through periods of boom and bust due to the volatility of the fossil fuels market. But almost everywhere you go there are signs that some voices wanting independence from the oil and gas industry are making progress. 

Beaches and office building that were once packed with people are now mostly unused. Nearby Port Aransas, Texas which has a more typical beach vibe akin to Coastal Carolina, is booming with growth while the downtown area looks similar to Detroit, Michigan. 

Some see the potential and claim that growth is in their sights. But to many who visit here and work here all that remains is talk. Tightly held groups battle for control to keep the city underneath of their grasp, while others try to lobby for a broader way of thinking that truly promotes growth and independence from the industry that keeps holding the back. 

While there are new homes popping up almost everywhere the idea is that these homes are for locals and not for people relocating to this coastal community. The reasoning is that there are fewer jobs to be had in Corpus Christi and despite having a strong university which is part of the Texas A&M system, few graduates are actually making the choice to stay here near their alma mater. They leave to places such as Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas in favor of better paying jobs and better living conditions. 

Tourism also struggles. The numbers seem to be impressive, but when you take a look around the actuality is that there isn't any proof to justify the numbers. When questioned, local officials point to moderate weekend crowds and a few major holidays which result in random spikes of tourism traffic. 

Largely beholden to the oil and gas industry the city and region itself shows signs of change. Visible from the downtown area wind turbines dot the landscape on nearby farmlands. While they do not bring in nearly the economic impact as the Port of Corpus Christi, which is dominated by oil and gas, there are signs that some sort of change could be on the horizon.