Business
Business news from McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley.
BusinessBooming Business: Texas Secures Top Spot for Climate Fourth Year Running
Texas has been named the Best Business Climate in the United States for the fourth consecutive year by Business Facilities magazine in its 2026 Annual Rankings Report. Governor Abbott highlighted the state's advantages, including no corporate or personal income tax, a skilled workforce, and access to global markets. The ranking evaluates economic strength, regulatory environment, and infrastructure, as well as job creation and capital investment. Texas is home to 57 Fortune 500 headquarters and over 3.5 million small businesses, contributing to the creation of more than 2.6 million jobs since 2015 under Abbott's leadership.
BusinessComcast to Separate NBCUniversal and Sky into Independent Companies
Comcast plans to split into two separate publicly traded companies by separating NBCUniversal and Sky. The company announced on Monday that its board of directors and management team believe the two companies will be better positioned to pursue their own strategic priorities, invest for growth, and create long-term value for investors as independent entities. The media and entertainment company NBCUniversal includes a theme parks division, Universal film and television studios, NBC and Telemundo networks, Peacock, and Bravo. Its portfolio will now include the European media business Sky. Philadelphia-based Comcast will continue to provide internet services to residential and business customers. Once the transaction is completed, Comcast shareholders will own shares in both Comcast and NBCUniversal. The separation is expected to be finalized in approximately a year, pending final approval from Comcast's board of directors and regulatory approvals.
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Business'Full dose of your vacation in one location': South Padre Island food truck opens full service restaurant
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — With hard work and dedication, dreams do come true. Local businessman and owner of Pineapple Ninjaz, Jerry Leal, has seen his South Padre Island food truck business grow from the bottom up as he celebrates the grand opening of his first sit-in restaurant this week. Leal told ValleyCentral that he opened Pineapple
Business“We’re not looking for any state money,” Doung Allison, RGV Desal
Doug Allison, founder of U.S. Desalination, discussed the proposed RGV Desal marine desalination project at a press conference in McAllen. The facility aims to produce 50 million gallons of water daily, expandable to 120 million gallons, with an estimated cost of $1 billion, privately financed. Allison emphasized that environmental permitting is a significant challenge, and the project has garnered regional support beyond its initial scope. He addressed community concerns about marine life and stated that the project does not seek state funding. Engineering estimates for pipeline construction are still being developed, with local governments encouraged to seek grants for distribution infrastructure.
BusinessRGV Desal Says Private Funding Removes One Barrier, but Other Challenges Remain
At a press conference in McAllen, Doug Allison, founder of U.S. Desalination and managing partner of RGV Desal, announced that the proposed marine desalination plant will be privately funded, eliminating the need for state financial support. The facility is estimated to cost around $1 billion and will initially produce 50 million gallons of water per day. However, challenges such as environmental permitting and public acceptance remain. The project aims to provide water solutions for the Rio Grande Valley, with plans for a regional distribution network to transport water from South Padre Island to local communities. Coordination with various public agencies is ongoing.
BusinessTexas leaders are asking data centers how much water they use. Most arent responding.
Texas officials are seeking information on water usage from data centers, but less than one-third of surveyed companies responded. During a legislative hearing in Austin, Rep. Brad Buckley criticized the low participation rate, calling it insufficient for informed policy-making. With over 248 proposed data centers, Texas aims to surpass Virginia as the leading market in the U.S. Governor Greg Abbott has initiated measures to ensure that infrastructure costs for these centers do not burden local customers. The survey, developed by the Public Utility Commission and the Texas Water Development Board, aims to enhance transparency regarding water and energy demands in the industry.
BusinessMcAllen pitch competition to showcase local entrepreneurs
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- Eight local entrepreneurs are set to compete in a pitch competition in McAllen. The competition, titled Innovation Texas Demo Day, is a collaborative effort by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and the city of McAllen to uplift up-and-coming entrepreneurs. "Demo Day is a showcase of all the different entrepreneurs that we
BusinessPort of Brownsville leaders say completed deeper ship channel means more opportunity
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project is officially complete, meaning the Port of Brownsville can welcome bigger ships with bigger cargo loads. Leaders gathered Thursday morning for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the project's completion, which made the channel 10 feet deeper. The entrance and jetty channels are now 54 feet
Business'We have no idea what we did': Brownsville bar owners question sudden closures that cost thousands
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Several bar owners in north Brownsville say they were forced to shut down just minutes before opening Wednesday evening after the city of Brownsville revoked their certificates of occupancy, leaving them with thousands of dollars in losses and unanswered questions. Owners of seven bars at Sunshine Plaza said city officials arrived
BusinessPort of Brownsville Marks Completion of Major Ship Channel Expansion
On June 25, the Port of Brownsville celebrated the completion of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This significant maritime infrastructure project deepened the Brownsville Ship Channel by 10 feet, enhancing access for larger vessels and improving navigation safety. The project, funded partly by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is expected to boost local economic growth by connecting communities to global markets. With an estimated cost of $295.2 million, the port plays a crucial role in international trade, contributing over $1 billion annually to the Rio Grande Valley economy and supporting more than 100,000 jobs in Texas.
BusinessPermit being sought to build $1 billion desalination plant on South Padre Island
RGV-Desal is preparing to apply for a permit to construct a $1 billion desalination plant on South Padre Island. The facility aims to convert salt water from the Gulf into 50 million gallons of clean drinking water daily for the Rio Grande Valley. Douglas Allison, Managing Member of US Desalination, emphasized the project's environmental sustainability and its successful implementation worldwide over the decades. The project is privately funded, and RGV-Desal has already acquired land in northern South Padre Island for the plant, with construction potentially beginning within two years.
BusinessApple Raises Prices of Mac and iPad: Blames Memory Chip Shortage
Apple announced on Thursday a price increase for its Mac and iPad products, citing a shortage of memory chips caused by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). The Cupertino, California-based company described the surge in demand as an 'unprecedented challenge' for the consumer electronics industry. 'The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary increase in demand for memory and storage,' the company stated in a written release. 'We have never seen a component's price rise so much and so quickly.' The new entry-level MacBook Neo will now cost $699, up from $599. The 512-gigabyte MacBook Air is now priced at $1,299, previously $1,099. The one-terabyte MacBook Pro, which was $1,699, has increased to $1,999. The 128-gigabyte iPad Air now costs $749, up from $599, and the 256-gigabyte iPad Pro Wifi is now selling for $1,199, previously $999.
BusinessQuantum Global Technologies Secures $3M State Grant for $43M Austin Expansion
Quantum Global Technologies, LLC (QGT) has received a $3,074,255 grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) for a new facility in Austin. This expansion, which represents an investment of over $43 million, is expected to create 287 jobs. Governor Abbott emphasized Texas as a hub for semiconductor innovation, stating that this investment will enhance the domestic supply chain for advanced chip manufacturing. QGT, a subsidiary of Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc., specializes in cleaning and analyzing semiconductor parts. The facility will be the first in North America to service tools for producing 2nm chips.
BusinessGreenbelt Electric Cooperative Secures $2.3M TxEF Grant for Grid Weatherization
Governor Abbott has announced a $2.3 million grant from the Texas Energy Fund (TxEF) to enhance electric reliability for members of Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, Inc. (GEC) in the Texas Panhandle. The funding will support technology upgrades aimed at weatherizing the utility's electricity distribution system. GEC's General Manager, Randy White, expressed gratitude for the grant, which aligns with their wildfire mitigation efforts. Key improvements include the installation of nearly 70 electronic reclosers to enhance emergency response and reduce safety risks. This initiative will benefit residents in Armstrong, Childress, Collingsworth, Donley, Gray, and Wheeler Counties.
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Business$1B desalination plant proposed to ease Rio Grande Valley border water woes
An Israeli-based company wants to pair up with a U.S. company to build a $1 billion desalination plant on South Padre Island, on the South Texas border, to ease the growing water woes in the Rio Grande Valley that has been caused, in part, from a lack of water owed to the region by Mexico.
BusinessHarlingen water rate increase taking effect Oct. 1
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Harlingen residents will soon have a rate increase on their water bills, according to the Harlingen Waterworks System. The planned increase will take effect on Oct. 1, 2026. According to a news release, the city of Harlingen adopted the proposed rate increase in 2024, but additional increases were delayed to provide relief
BusinessRGV Desal Project Presented as Long-Term Water Solution for Rio Grande Valley
During a press conference at Embassy Suites in McAllen, community leaders and officials discussed the proposed RGV Desal marine desalination project, aimed at addressing the Rio Grande Valley's water challenges. Cynthia Sakulenzki, president of the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of water for quality of life and economic development. Albert Escobedo, South Texas Government Affairs Director for RGV Desal, highlighted the project's evolution from a local initiative in Brownsville to a regional solution. The facility could produce 50 million gallons of water daily, expandable to 120 million, with an estimated cost of $1 billion, funded privately without state money.