AUSTIN-The neighboring Central Texas cities are hoping to raise the mercury on their down hospitality markets. Austin gets the first shot with the upcoming South by Southwest music festival, which is expected to attract the usual crowd.

AUSTIN-Four government entities kick in funding for a three-story structure to house an emergency communications and management center. The cooperative pact marks the first for-sure tenant for the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport project.

AUSTIN-Dell Computer today has confirmed it's looking for tenants for 240,000 sf of leased space instead of 160,000 sf situated in the southwest submarket. As office space is taken, the plan is to relocate workers to Dell's Round Rock or Parmer campuses.

AUSTIN-Austin's Fired Up signs a multiple-store franchise development pact with Thomas & King of Lexington, KY. Owner of 80 Applebee's and one Huddle House eatery, the developer will introduce Johnny Carino's to Southern Ohio and Kentucky.

Work toward rounding up financing and contractors for the $40 million East Sixth Street project resumes after a title problem is resolved. Construction is expected to break ground in six to nine months.

SAN ANTONIO-Trinity Universal Insurance Co. takes a bite out of San Antonio's office market, signing a new lease for nearly 10,000 sf here. Cushman & Wakefield represented Trinity in the transaction.

ROUND ROCK, TX-Streamline Technical Services will relocate to be closer to its client base, which includes Dell Computer. The lease is the first signing for the three-building, 163,000-sf Chandler Creek Business Park.

SAN ANTONIO-Eleven South and Central Texas stores are on the disposition for Wolfe Nursery as a result of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing since the year's start. Seven of the stores are situated in San Antonio.