Good afternoon, Honorable Judge and Commissioners Court. It's a pleasure to be here with you all.
I'm coming here to speak in favor of this project. For me, today's discussion is more than one project. It's about the kind of city we want to build for the next generation.
When we evaluate opportunities like this, and my understanding is this is the largest economic development project in the United States in terms of job creation, our responsibility is clear. We have to look at the long-term return for the people of Brownsville. This project is expected to generate over $200 million in fiscal impact to the city over the next 30 years. That represents significant opportunity to strengthen our city's tax base for decades, resources that help fund public safety, infrastructure and the services our residents rely on every day.
For Brownsville families, this is about creating access to good paying jobs and expanding opportunity close to home.
The project is expected to employ over 10,000 workers with an average annual wage of over $100,000 per year. This will open new career pathways for Cameron County residents and help more families build long-term financial stability here in our community.
And it’s not just about the long term. The construction phase alone will bring a significant boost to our local economy, supporting jobs, local businesses, and contractors right here in Brownsville and the years ahead. The project estimates $1.6 billion in construction impact in Cameron County alone, including, as I mentioned, over 10,000 total jobs and over $800 million in wages during construction.
We are working hard to position Brownsville for sustainable growth. That means building an economy that is diversified and resilient. Projects like this allow us to continue moving beyond any single industry and create a stronger, more balanced economic foundation for our city. This project fits the direction Brownsville is already heading.
We are already seeing momentum in Brownsville, including new investment, growing industries, and more attention on what our community has to offer. We’re seeing growth across industries in aerospace, energy, logistics, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. This project has the potential to build on that progress and reinforce Brownsville's reputation as a place where companies can succeed and where residents can thrive.
So, ultimately, this is about making a thoughtful decision rooted in the type of future we want in Brownsville. We have an opportunity to support a project that can expand opportunities for our local residents, strengthen our financial future, and help shape the chapter of Brownsville's growth. Thank you very much.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was provided by Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., at a public hearing Cameron County Commissioners Court held on June 2, 2026. The hearing held to was consider giving Saronic Technologies a tax abatement for a high-tech shipyard project for the construction of unmanned, autonomous maritime vessels at the Port of Brownsville.
