MISSION, Texas - Ocean Gate Hospitality, the City of Mission, and Mission Economic Development Corporation broke ground on two new hotels.
Ocean Gate, a McAllen-based family business, will begin constructing a new Avid and Candlewood Suites, a dual-brand hotel under the IHG umbrella, in January. Two months later, it will begin construction on a Residence Inn by Marriott. Both will sit on four acres of prime real estate just south of the Mission Event Center.
Each facility will feature 110 rooms, adding a total of 220 beds to the 603 currently available across eight hotels in Mission. That accounts for a 36 percent increase in the city’s available lodging.
Ocean Gate is a leading developer in the hospitality industry in the Rio Grande Valley. Nitin Kasan, the company’s operations manager, said his company was making a nearly $25 million investment in the two hotels.
“We are thrilled to contribute to the growth and development of Mission,” Kasan said. “These hotels not only reflect our commitment to providing exceptional hospitality across Texas but also serve as a catalyst for economic prosperity in the region.”
Teclo Garcia, CEO of Mission EDC, said the economic impact of the two hotels extends way beyond lodging. He noted they are projected to create 40 new permanent jobs in Mission.
“They’re economic multipliers,” Garcia said. “Visitors staying there will generate more hotel occupancy tax, elevate Mission’s profile as a destination city, and have direct and indirect impact on the local economy by dining, shopping and spending their dollars in Mission.”
In a posting on social media later, Garcia said he expects the two new hotels will be a catalyst for more developments on the event center campus.
“So pleased to have two new hotels breaking ground in Mission - right next to the Event Center - bringing hundreds of new rooms to market with an estimated $25 million investment,” Garcia said.
“Thank you, Mr. Kasan and Ocean Gate for bringing a Residence Inn by Marriott and a dual brand IHG (Avid & Candlewood Suites) and (for) making significant contributions to community groups in the city. We expect these hotels to be catalysts for new development in the Event Center area.”
Garcia said the hotels follow other recent major Mission retail announcements such as Olive Garden, Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply, IHOP, Harbor Freight Tools, Schlotzsky's, Burlington Stores, Inc. Starbucks, Planet Fitness and Wing Barn, LC among others.
“Very grateful to the Mission EDC board for the vision and leadership that makes this possible.”
Among the speakers at the event were Mission Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza, Mission EDC Vice President Jose G. Vargas, Kasan, Brenda Enriquez, president of Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, and Kristi Collier, president and CEO of Welcome Home RGV.
Collier said: “I love it when people go all in on their commitment to their community. I had the pleasure of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for not one, but two hotels coming soon to the Mission Event Center district. What a win for our region. Congratulations to Ocean Gate Hospitality, the Kasan family, and the City of Mission.”
Aside from being strategically located next to the event center, the two new hotels will also be built without internal meeting spaces to bolster the City of Mission’s ability to draw more trade shows, conferences and other events to the Mission Event Center.
Hotel manager Omar Guevara said: ““Thank you Teclo and Mission EDC for your leadership on these amazing investments in Mission! Thank you to all city leaders and our Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. What’s next?”
