McKinney, Texas, is preparing for a future population of 400,000 residents by investing in a 24/7 digital ecosystem that centralizes community resources, according to a recent episode of The Building Texas Show. The episode, titled 'McKinney's Bold Ecosystem Strategy for 400,000 Residents,' was published May 27, 2026, and featured Lisa Hermes of the McKinney Chamber of Commerce and Sherrod Davis of EcoMap, a Baltimore-based technology company partnering with North Texas communities.
McKinney's population has more than doubled in a decade, from 100,000 to 220,000, and is projected to reach 400,000 at buildout. Hermes noted that 28% of all Texans now live in the DFW Metroplex, underscoring the region's rapid growth. The discussion covered infrastructure planning for water, roads, broadband, and energy, as well as data centers and electricity demand, which are set to be a major topic in the upcoming state legislative debate.
EcoMap's platform centralizes events, funding, news, and resources onto a single digital hub. Davis explained, 'What we talk about at EcoMap is how do we centralize the activities and opportunities that exist within an ecosystem.' Hermes described the chamber's evolution into a 24/7 digital front door for entrepreneurs who 'want at midnight to be able to find the information that they need.'
The episode highlighted how data is transforming community building. EcoMap's customers engage most with funding opportunities and event calendars, while AI chatbot search data gives leaders a quantitative read on local business needs. Hermes credited that visibility with helping the chamber design programming and workshops around real pain points. Major projects in McKinney include a new state-of-the-art amphitheater and the Cannon Beach development.
McKinney's hyperlocal news strategy through McKinneyToday.com and partnerships with Community Impact and founder John Garrett were also discussed. The city hosts the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament. The episode is available at buildingtexasshow.com.
