EDINBURG, RGV – One of the newest designs of the Marriott TownePlace Suites chain of hotels is to be built in Edinburg, with a groundbreaking planned for later this month.
The new prototype has been dubbed “Generation 4.0” and it is being marketed as appealing towards “next-generation travelers.” Qube Hotel Group is building the $10 million, 95-room all suites, hotel. The company says it will feature a “linear” exterior look, a larger lobby, a full bar and newly designed bedrooms and kitchens. Qube RGV Properties selected the location, at the corner of Professional Drive and Trenton Road, near the bustling Shoppes at Rio Grande, because it is one of the busiest corridors in Edinburg, with more than 99,000 vehicles per day.
An executive session item for Edinburg Economic Development Corporation’s monthly meeting on Tuesday focuses on the new hotel project. The agenda says the EDC will deliberate authorizing its executive director to enter into a development agreement with Qube Hotel Group. The executive director is Agustin ‘Gus’ Garcia, Jr. EEDC owned the land the hotel is to be built on.
On Oct. 20, Edinburg City Council authorized City Manager Ramiro Garza to enter into a Chapter 380 Agreement with the Qube Hotel Group and Qube RGV Properties to waive permit fees associated with the development of the new hotel.
Edinburg Mayor Richard Garcia said Qube Hotel Group is guaranteeing a minimum of 20 to 30 permanent full-time jobs. He said the project is expected to have a significant economic impact on the city of Edinburg by stimulating business and commercial development.
“It (Marriott TownePlace Suites) will add needed rooms to an area that is growing fast. The new Holiday Inn Express that was built late last year on Closner Boulevard was sold out before it even opened. I have no doubt they (Qube Hotel Group) too will be very successful,” Mayor Garcia said.
The development of the Marriott TownePlace Suites hotel is the latest sign that Edinburg is booming. The City of Edinburg recently acquired more water rights to cope with anticipated demand and reported a high level of building permit applications.
Upcoming new activity at and around the Shoppes at Rio Grande includes the opening of an Ulta beauty products chain store, Edinburg’s third HEB, and the second phase of the Residence at Edinburg luxury apartment complex, where a $5 million investment will create 108 units. The first phase included 194 units with an investment of $9.1 million. Around the corner on Sugar Road, the City of Edinburg reports, two 40-acre subdivisions are under construction. The subdivisions will feature single family high end homes priced at about $250,000 to $300,000. The City of Edinburg has also issued permits for a Dunkin Donuts and two other restaurants along the corridor.
Construction and related building activities in Edinburg from January through September 2015 totaled more than $100 million, with building permits for 257 new homes valued at more than $37.1 million leading the way, the EEDC announced. From January through September 2015, building permits valued at $100,045,966 were issued by the City of Edinburg, which is about the same as the same period in 2014. For the month of September 2015, building permits valued at $14,230,592 were issued, compared with building permits valued at $9,863,971 for September 2014.
The City of Edinburg has accessed more water from Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2. It will receive an additional 3,664.712 acre feet of water, giving the City a total of 11,809.952 acre feet of municipal water rights per year. In 2014 the City used 10,379.06 acre feet of water– 2,397.74 more than the 7,981.32 acre feet the City owns. Mayor Garcia says the contract with Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 will take care of the current water needs and eliminate the need to look for water should the usage increase. “Water is a precious commodity that we cannot take for granted. In this day and age when some cities are having to do with less, it’s better to already have it on reserve for our use. That way it’s already there should we need it,” Garcia said.
In addition to the executive session item on Marriott TownePlace Suites, Edinburg EDC will also hear presentations in open session from Santana Textiles, LLC, Annova LNG Gas, and Edinburg CISD. The meeting takes place at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, at Edinburg City Hall. Other open session items on the agenda include discussion and consideration to authorize the executive director to obtain proposals for a financial advisor, discussion and consideration to authorize the executive director to enter into a sponsorship agreement for with RGV Basketball, LLC, for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and discussion and consideration to authorize the executive director to enter into an agreement with ERO Architects.
In executive session, the EEDC board of directors will also discuss the offers of financial or other incentives to business prospects, authorizing the executive director to enter into an Inter-local Agreement with the City of Edinburg regarding Project Grid, authorizing the executive director to enter into an agreement with Cantu Construction regarding Project Grid, authorizing the executive director to enter into a development agreement with Project Forum, authorizing the executive director to enter into a development agreement with Project Forum, authorizing the executive director to enter into a development agreement with Project Chop, authorizing the executive director to enter into an Inter-local Agreement with the City of Edinburg and the Edinburg CISD regarding Project Wildcat, and recommending the City Council create a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone for Project Square.
