anzalduas international bridge

MISSION, Texas - Teclo Garcia, the CEO of Mission Economic Development Corporation, has explained his group’s plans to market Anzalduas International Bridge within Mexico.

Mission is going to focus on cities further south than Monterrey, such as San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Aguascalientes.

The reason for this, Garcia said, is because Laredo and Monterrey are so closely aligned. 

At a commercialization and investment tour hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, Garcia said he and some of his team recently participated in a trade mission to San Luis Potosí.

“We chose San Luis because of the relationship that Laredo already has established with Monterey. I've met with Governor Garcia at least three times. I know his his right hand guy for national trade and his team and they're not unfriendly. I'm just saying that's just what they're doing; they’re using Laredo. So let's try to find something else,” Garcia said.

“San Luis is a little bit further south. But they know that Laredo is packed and they don't have any more space. They (Laredo) want to build another bridge, actually two more bridges, one on the south side, one on the north side. But that's going to take a decade to get done. 

“So what does San Luis and Querétaro and Aguascalientes and all those other cities supposed to do in the meantime? We can provide an alternative for them.”

Garcia pointed out that Anzalduas International Bridge will be able to take fully loaded trucks north and south bound in the not too distant future. 

“We're very focused on this as an effort going forward,” Garcia said, referring to the promotion of the bridge, which Mission co-owns with the cities of McAllen and Hidalgo. “This is something that the (Mission EDC) board (of directors) has directed us to do and it's exactly what we want to do.”


Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website to read the full story.

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MCALLEN, Texas - The City of McAllen’s superintendent of bridges says Customs and Border Protection is set to use state-of-the-art inspection equipment at Anzalduas International Bridge. 

The equipment will be in use when Anzalduas starts crossing fully-loaded trucks carrying dry goods north- and south-bound, said Juan Olaguibel. This should be happening by next summer, the superintendent said.

“We’re hoping that this bridge will be the fastest, most efficient bridge on the border, throughout the United States,” Olaguibel said.

Olaguibel made his comments at a recent TxDOT Border Trade Advisory Committee meeting held at McAllen Convention Center. 

Olaguibel noted that two of the largest industrial parks in Reynosa are just a stone’s throw from Anzalduas International Bridge. He said these two parks house more than 200 manufacturing companies, many of them Fortune 500 companies.

Olaguibel predicted the bridge will be popular because it will offer a faster route for truckers headed to Monterrey from the Rio Grande Valley. He noted that Nuevo León is leading the way in near-shoring, so this also should be a boost for Anzalduas. 

Here is an audio recording of Olaguibel’s remarks to the Border Trade Advisory Committee.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MISSION, Texas - Mission Economic Development Corporation CEO Teclo Garcia will be attending the 19th Annual Mexico’s Near-Shoring and Auto Industry Summit in San Luis Potosí.

The event, hosted by Mexico Now, takes place July 20-21. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit the BMW manufacturing plant in SLP.

Garcia gave the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service an exclusive interview about the upcoming Mexico visit. He also spoke about the opportunities his city has to land a major manufacturing plant thanks to near-shoring, and the importance of fully developing the Anzalduas International Bridge.

Garcia said McAllen Economic Development Corporation leaders will also be attending Mexico Now's near-shoring and auto industry summit.

Here is the interview.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MISSION, Texas - In addition to looking for more retail and restaurant businesses to bring to the I-2 corridor in Mission, the city’s economic development team is also working to land industrial projects near Anzalduas International Bridge.

In an exclusive audio interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Teclo Garcia said he would be heading a trade mission to Mexico later this year. 

Garcia is CEO of Mission Economic Development Corporation. 

“There are Mexican investors that are looking for properties because they want to be near a bridge. Anytime you say (international) bridge, Steve, you know this, people flock to it,” Garcia said. 

“So, yes, there is a lot of excitement. We are planning a trade mission later this year to central Mexico to play up the business park and and the bridge and to try to just raise our profile in certain industrial areas in Mexico.”

Developing Anzalduas International Bridge

Anzalduas International Bridge, in south Mission, is owned and operated by the City of McAllen in partnership with the cities of Mission and Hidalgo. It was opened in 2009 but cannot, as yet, carry fully loaded trucks both ways. With expansion at the bridge now underway, cargo should be moving north and south within the next two years. 

“Our partners in Pharr, our friends in Pharr, they do a great job in bringing over produce and electronics. But, honestly, there is plenty of business for everybody here. And for us to give business an alternate route to cross into the U.S., also will spur development on this side,” Garcia said.

“We are super happy we can do that with McAllen and get that going. I would be remiss not to mention our friends at Killam (Development). The are developing large tracts of land around Anzalduas and they are very important to this particular project.”

Retail projects

On the retail side, Garcia believes the Mission Gateway project being developed by NewQuest Properties, will be the “lynchpin” for more growth. 

“We have two hotels coming in, by the Event Center, which we can't reveal the names of them yet but we will soon. And then we've got some other restaurants that we're also talking to. They’re very close (to making a decision). And, we’re dealing with about another half dozen companies that want to be located along the expressway here, and the business park.”

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

MCALLEN, Texas - McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez says Anzalduas International Bridge will be “game changer” for the Rio Grande Valley and the state of Texas - once it can take trucks carrying cargo.

At the moment, Anzalduas can take empty trucks going southbound into Mexico. That should change soon, Rodriguez said, during a webinar hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. The webinar showcased McAllen as a place worthy of commercial investment.

“Our bridges are our way of life for South Texas. We are very proud to own two international bridges. We have a team of cities that have partnered for many, many years, on Hidalgo Bridge and Anzalduas Bridge,” Rodriguez said.

“Anzalduas is really the future for us. It is a big part of the future of this region.”

Rodriguez pointed out that Anzalduas Bridge has been open for about ten years. 

“We have only been able to have vehicular traffic go through it. And, in the last few years we have had empty trucks going southbound into Mexico. We are currently designing the cargo facilities,” Rodriguez said, proudly.

“I will use something the mayor uses all the time: is just going to be a game changer.”

Many of the listeners on the webinar were potential investors and real estate developers. Rodriguez explained why Anzalduas is going to make a big difference.

“When we open up Anzalduas for cargo it is going to really, really, develop our region and our state. In McAllen, we realize that the bridges are much more than another revenue (stream). Anzalduas Bridge impacts the State of Texas and the United States,” Rodriguez said.

By way of example, Rodriguez highlighted the parts that go into making automobiles. He said many of these parts cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

“A lot of folks outside of our region do not realize that parts coming from Mexico, northbound, are going as far as Michigan, in order to put cars together, with parts made back here, across the border. So, Anzalduas is definitely going to be a game changer.”

Rodriguez said a plan to develop Anzalduas so it can take fully loaded trucks is 90 percent complete. He said the plan will incorporate the Donations Acceptance Program, which allows municipalities to work with the federal government to fund infrastructure projects at international ports of entry.  

“It will be submitted through the DAP program, our partners with CBP, GSA and all the others that will use the facilities have been part of that design from the beginning. We did not want to guess what they needed. They have been around the table with us, designing this port of entry and we are very excited that we will be turning dirt on that in 2021.”

CBP stands for Customs and Border Protection. GSA stands for General Services Administration.

Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full story.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.