Total revenues are projected to be $8 million a year
Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez,
The announcement of The Harbor, a multimillion dollar family entertainment venue was saved for the last during a special event celebration of 30 years of service of Mercedes City Manager Richard Garcia. This event took place at the Livestock Show Grounds events center.
Real estate developer Miguel Kamel, of Kamel Salomon Investments, a resilient businessman is bringing this unique project to Mercedes, Texas. The city’s leadership and vision have built a strong foundation to welcome growth and prosperity for its citizens, which also benefits adjacent communities.
By far, Mercedes has shown its ability to handle significant investments like the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets and now to include Kamel’s entertainment project.
According to Mr. Kamel, The Harbor will be the Rio Grande Valley’s ultimate entertainment complex. Centrally located in the Queen City of Mercedes, Texas, the project to be built on a 12 of a 17-acre tract of land.
The Harbor is scheduled to be built just one mile from the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets, on the southwest corner of U. S. Highway 83 and Mile 3 E. Road. Comments from the general attendance during this event, is that this project will bring a variety of new businesses, especially hotels.
The lack of family entertainment Valley-wide has been the cry of visitors. Year after year, visitors and shoppers from all over, especially from Mexico ask, what else is there to do? The answer was San Antonio; however, things will change once The Harbor is open to the public next year.
Mr. Kamel pointed out that the development will feature a man-made lake and will be anchored by BigShots, a cutting-edge golf entertainment center with headquarters in Peoria, Illinois.
“BigShots Golf is a state-of-the-art game recreation and entertainment facility powered by BigShots technology with an attached restaurant-bar. It features a sophisticated golf tracking technology superior and more precise than the current Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking technology offered by the competitor of TopGolf,” Mr. Kamel stated.
As he was making his presentation at the banquet hall where about 350 people were in attendance, he said that BigShots Golf features 54 golf bays, a restaurant, a bar, and a game arcade. He added that up to six people could be playing in the same bay. “This is an enhanced golf range accompanied with lots of technology, that tracks the golf ball, consequently players get points for their shots.”
Mr. Kamel told Texas Border Business in Exclusivity that he decided to go to Mercedes with this project because of its strategic central location. “Mercedes leadership and vision made it possible,”
He pointed out that City Fathers, together with the Industrial Foundation and the Mercedes Economic Development headed by Hernán González has left him with an impressive indelible experience in the way they plan and pursue this future development of The Harbor. “I have great respect for City Manager Richard García, for his professionalism and expertise in projects that benefit their community,” Mr. Kamel stated.
Other concepts at The Harbor will include a high-speed go-kart racing track, a zip line over the lake, a trampoline park, and casual dining concepts.
The Harbor is to be developed in two phases. Phase I of The Harbor will consist of BigShots Golf and the central lake, and is expected to break ground in September of this year. Completion of Phase I is expected for Fall of 2017. The total investment for Phase I is $ 7 million estimated to create 14 full-time jobs and 45 part-time jobs. At the end of the first year, it’s expected to net $5 million in annual sales.
Laura Warren Ogletree, AIA, the Principal of The Warren Group Architects Inc. told Texas Border Business that Phase II of The Harbor would consist of the development of the go-kart race track, zip line system and all other dining and entertainment concepts. “Completion of the project is the Summer of 2018,” she stated.
She also pointed out that the total investment for both phases is an approximate $ 12 million, which is projected to create 40 full-time jobs and 120 part time jobs and with an estimated $ 8 million in yearly sales.
City of Mercedes Mayor Henry Hinojosa thanked the Kamel family for believing in their City Manager, City Commission and for investing in Mercedes. “For those that don’t think that Mercedes is growing, well it is, and there are plenty of more projects to come,” Mayor Hinojosa stated. TBB
