Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
Texas Border Business
At a Texas Tribune event in Edinburg, local leaders, economists, and business executives examined the Rio Grande Valley’s economic outlook, highlighting opportunities in trade, housing, and workforce development while noting ongoing challenges.
Speakers included Bob Anderson of Alps Alpine North America, Julia Coronado of MacroPolicy Perspectives, Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr., Mario Reyna of RioPlex, Nick Rhodes of Rhodes Enterprises, and Gilberto Salinas of GilSalinas Ecodevo Concepts. Moderators were Texas Tribune Editor-in-Chief Matthew Watkins and RGV reporter Berenice Garcia.
Mayor Garza said the Valley has nearly doubled in population every 20 years. “When I first moved to Edinburg in 2000, there were 48,000 people here. We’re now at 109,000,” he said, adding that the healthcare sector now employs about 25 percent of the local workforce, double the national average.
Reyna promoted the newly launched RioPlex initiative, emphasizing the importance of unity in attracting investment. “What we are trying to do with RioPlex is to speak with one voice for the entire Valley and northern Tamaulipas,” he said. He pointed to more than 80,000 college students and 108,000 high school students in the region, saying the goal is to secure “better jobs that pay better wages.”
Rhodes addressed housing affordability, noting rising prices and interest rates. “In 2019, our most popular entry-level house was $175,000. Today, that same house is $240,000 to $250,000,” he said. “At higher mortgage rates, the buyer has to make $80,000 to buy the house. Back then, it was around $45,000.”
Anderson emphasized the importance of cross-border operations in Reynosa and said tariffs have added significant costs. “Had we not taken any actions of mitigation, this year would have cost us about $70 million,” he said, explaining efforts to localize production under U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement rules.
Coronado provided economic context, highlighting trade frictions and federal budget cuts. “Immigration and trade are pro-growth,” she said, urging consistency in policy to allow businesses to adapt.
Garza also called for investment in transportation infrastructure, particularly the completion of Interstate 69C to connect with I-37. “We’re probably the only area with a million people that is not directly connected to an interstate,” he said.
Reyna took a broader view, suggesting that deeper integration across North America is inevitable. “Whether we like it or not, the ultimate goal of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico agreement is to form a union,” he said.
The discussion was part of the Tribune’s “Preserving the RGV’s Economic Miracle” program, hosted by DHR Health at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. It featured two panels, one with business leaders including Rhodes and Anderson, and another with policymakers and experts including Garza, Reyna, Coronado, and Salinas.
“We just want our fair share,” Garza said. “We contribute greatly to the state and national economy, and we need the same kind of help, if not more, than other areas around the country.”
