City holds groundbreaking ceremony for RGV Epicenter

Big plans
Shown are the mayor and commissioners during the groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 23.
(Photo courtesy of the City of San Benito)

By LOUIE DIAZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

The City of San Benito held the groundbreaking ceremony for the RGV Epicenter on Saturday, Oct. 23 signifying the start of phase one of the project.
Due to inclement weather, the ceremony was held at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum. Many community and project leaders were in attendance.
“Not only will it benefit San Benito but also our surrounding area economically, our quality of life,” said Mayor Pro Tem Carol Lynn Sanchez.
“When you get something this epic, like the epicenter, then we start to attract other things. We’ve had developers themselves trying to bring housing, other businesses now contacting interested in coming to San Benito because of a large project like this,” she continued.
According to Sanchez, the city has not put any money toward the project, the funding is from private investment and partially from state funds thanks to house bills 4377 and 2199.
Phase one of the project represents 38 acres of the 115-acre project. The construction of the project is estimated to create 1,013 jobs. According to a press release from the City of San Benito, the project is projected to be completed by 2026.
“I think that’s what everybody in San Benito would like to see is their flourishing city,” said David Miles, Manager for Western Spherical Developers LLC., during the ceremony.
According to the release, a hotel, entertainment center, wellness center, aeronautics and space-themed experiences, office space, dining, retail, and a lagoon. Miles also explained that the design of the RGV Epicenter would apply efficient and green methods to reduce the epicenter’s carbon footprint.

Want the full story? Click here or grab a copy of the Oct. 29, 2021 – Nov. 4, 2021