Thank you. Marcy. Good afternoon, everyone.
First of all, I want to thank Esmy Villarreal and her amazing team at the Brownsville Chamber for bringing together leaders from across our business and public sectors. It's important to have meaningful conversations about where Texas is headed and how Brownsville continues to play an important role in that future.
Our city continues to move forward with great momentum in 2026. We continue to see economic growth thanks to collaboration efforts with our business partners, including the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corporation, local business owners, community partners such as SpaceX, NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG and the Port of Brownsville.
This growth is not happening by chance. It is the result of thoughtful planning, strong partnerships and a shared belief in Brownsville's potential.
Our economy is creating real opportunities for our community to expand, innovate and thrive. We are seeing continued success in attracting new businesses to Brownsville. Some of our newest community businesses include the forthcoming 62,000 square-foot Amazon distribution center, the $100 million dollar air separation unit by Linde, and a new seven-story 170-room full-service Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel.
The continued economic growth further positions Brownsville as a competitive, business-friendly city with a strong future.
I want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome Acting Texas Comptroller, Mr. Kelly Hancock, to the city of Brownsville. Please help me give him a warm Brownsville welcome.
Comptroller Hancock, thank you for being here and for taking the time to visit our community. We appreciate you and your commitment to keeping Texans informed about the fiscal health of our great state. We look forward to hearing your insights on Texas's economic outlook and what it means for our local and regional economies. Thank you all for being part of this conversation. God bless you all, and God bless the city of Brownsville.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was provided by Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., at a Texas Talks luncheon hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce and held at the Brownsville Events Center on February. 3, 2026. The event was titled: "The Business of Texas: A Fiscal Futures Briefing." The "Marcy" mentioned by Mayor Cowen was Marcy Martinez, of Brownsville TV.
