So about the Beaumont/Port Arthur/Orange area (aka Golden Triangle):
I'd assume all of it gets absorbed into Beaumont, although I definitely see Port Arthur and Orange as scenery cities when driving on TX-73 and TX-87. This'll be necessary as both of those highways connect to TX-124, which in turn connects to TX-87 which goes along the Bolivar Peninsula down to Galveston/I-45. Sorta like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing
My guess is a lot of the commercial stuff is in Beaumont while most of the oil refineries are in Port Arthur, however there is also a big ExxonMobil plant near downtown Beaumont and Lamar University that I imagine will get featured.
Now for landmarks. While there may not be as many notable ones as the major cities of Houston, DFW, Austin, San Antonio, etc., there are still some I recommend adding.
Spindletop monument:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0320347 ... 312!8i6656
Laurel Ave Bridge over I-10 (I know it says US-69 on the street view but they run together for a few miles). Won't be able to drive on it during the game but will be cool to look at while on the interstate:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0831142 ... 312!8i6656
Pearl sign. I'm not sure how iconic it is to Beaumont residents but it's iconic to me
:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0742076 ... 312!8i6656
MCM Elegante Hotel (right by the I-10/US-287/96/69 interchange that should be included to connect Beaumont to Port Arthur):
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.053949, ... 384!8i8192
Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum (museum honoring female golf champ from Beaumont):
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0961373 ... 312!8i6656
Downtown skyline (pretty self explanatory):
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0943714 ... 312!8i6656
Rainbow Bridge/Veterans Memorial Bridge. These bridges connect Port Arthur to neighboring cities of Bridge City and Orange. Definitely include both bridges since one (the older grey one) goes southbound while the yellow one goes northbound:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9937905 ... 312!8i6656
Speaking of Bridge City, some of the streetlights are at a weird position where they look like they're about to collapse, though I believe they're meant to be like that:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0216155 ... 312!8i6656
The Motiva Enterprises oil refinery in Port Arthur:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8949391 ... 312!8i6656
Jack Brooks Regional Airport (the main airport for the area, though not very big):
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9590673 ... 312!8i6656
Another refinery in Port Arthur (BASF Corportation):
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9538762 ... 312!8i6656
A Valero refinery on TX-82 in Port Arthur right by the Motiva refinery:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8708964 ... 312!8i6656
Ford Arena/Pavilion just southwest of Beaumont off I-10:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0117864 ... 384!8i8192
And the Goodyear plant down the road from it:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9763821 ... 384!8i8192
Gator Country (I don't see this one making it but it would be a fun landmark to add):
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9282788 ... 384!8i8192
Winnie, TX. This is a very small town which is primarily used as a travel stop for travelers and truckers alike. Would definitely add a truck stop here for use in-game:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.833182, ... 384!8i8192
Also Exit 880 (the highest exit number in the US) is in Orange. It's just a turnaround before the Sabine River bridge into Louisiana, but it'd make a great in-game achievement.
Now this star at the Texas welcome center I believe was destroyed by Hurricane Laura, so I'm not sure if it'll get rebuilt. But in case I'm wrong or it gets rebuilt to what it was before, here it is:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.1229603 ... 312!8i6656
This is interesting. In Bridge City there are two bridges side by side on TX-87 that are completely different. One is a normal freeway(ish) looking bridge (only goes southbound), and the other looks to be a drawbridge or something like that for boats (northbound only):
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.0431119 ... a=!3m1!1e3
And for you classic rock fans, while Janis Joplin originates from Port Arthur, I'm sad to inform that I do not think there are any memorials/monuments for her that would be able to be added in the game
So that's all I got for Beaumont/Port Arthur.