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| Aerial Photo of SpaceX Boca Chica |
That is the view of Raudel Garza, CEO of Harlingen Economic Development Corporation.
Garza appeared on RGG LIVE on Facebook on Monday and discussed new hotels coming to his city. On the way are a Hilton Garden Inn, which is going next to the new $14 million convention center, a Homewood Suites by Hilton, and a Fairfield Inn & Suites.
“When I heard about the hotel developers coming in we visited with them. One of the first things we do is ask them, what is going on, what is driving your decision to locate here in Harlingen?” Garza told the Rio Grande Guardian, following the livestream.
“And, what was a pleasant surprise was, they said really it is SpaceX. The expected demand for rooms for the tourists that will come here to see the launches, and for the crews that are working on the launches.”
Garza said Harlingen’s city and economic development leaders are excited that investors see a link between Harlingen and SpaceX.
“A lot of these hotel guys think that this is the right market for them to be in. It is close to Brownsville, close to the launch site, close to the airport, and so they are looking at locations where they can basically meet the demands that are going to be necessary for the crews that are handling the satellites, the crews that are handling the rocket itself, and even for the spectators for the launches,” Garza said.
In the livestream, Garza said Homewood, Fairfield and Hilton Garden are going to create 300 new hotel rooms in Harlingen. “Then there is some discussion about some future growth, after those three,” Garza said.
During the livestream, Rio Grande Guardian publisher Mark Hanna joked that Garza has a hotline to Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX. Garza said that does not happen but that he does talk to those involved in the Boca Chica project.
“From what we understand, right now they are recharging or charging the soils and getting the site prepared for construction of the launchpad itself. There is a lot of other infrastructure going on right now. Once that is all put together they will be ready to actually handle the rockets that are going to be launched out there,” Garza said, after the livestream.
Asked when the rockets might be launched into space, Garza said: “They tell us that within the next year or so. We are looking forward to that happening and for other construction crews to start building the vertical facilities that are necessary to support the launches and then the launches itself.”
The livestream conversation also covered Harlingen leading the Rio Grande Valley in the percent of sales tax revenue growth in 2017, retail development in the city, the importance of Valley International Airport, workforce development, the expansion of Cardone Industries, and marketing Los Indios Free Trade Bridge.
meanwhile, our BEDC is conducting Operation Hookers trying to hustle Colombian chicks for our local politicians. most of that Space X side business should have been targeted to stay in Brownsville and using our airport. instead we pay millions to a charlatan who abused taxpayers credit cards and his sidekick, an ex herald reporter who knows absolutely jackshit about economic development. they play the manana game and manana never comes. and this is the same crew we want to rename to GBIC to do the same, nothing, while the town rots? Never mind McAllen, now even Harlingen is eating our lunch
ReplyDeleteThat photo may be what they hope for one day but it is not what it looked like a week ago. SpaceX has yet to construct a single building. They have brought in a trailer, though. The large metal building that has been constructed belongs to the University of Texas. Take a drive out there and have a look.
ReplyDelete