For those of us who have lived in the Rio Grande Valley for years, the Cimarron Country Club, designed by Dave Bennett in 1983, was more than just a golf course.
It was a true landmark—the heart of our binational social life and the backdrop to countless memories, from high-stakes golf tournaments to elegant family celebrations.
When the club closed its doors in 2022, it felt like losing a piece of Mission’s soul. The silence of the fairways left a void, serving as a stark reminder of what once brought our community together.
Today, I am thrilled to see that nostalgia turning into action. Thanks to the vision and leadership of the City of Mission, Texas, spearheaded by Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza, along with the dedicated efforts of Teclo Garcia and the Mission Economic Development Corporation team (Thank you Teclo), this historic space is being reborn.
The project is moving forward through a powerhouse investment group, including professional golfer Abraha Ancer, Olimpo Salinas, and Manuel Heredia. With the technical expertise of Diamond Golf International leading the renovation. They are not just restoring a golf course; they are reclaiming the regional identity.
It is deeply moving to witness public-private collaboration successfully rescue this piece of our history. They aren’t just bringing back a club; they are bringing back the heart of Mission. I look forward to seeing Cimarron shine once again.
Editor’s Note: The above commentary was penned by Francisco J. Peña-Valdés, a partner with Cacheaux Cavazos & Newton. The commentary first appeared on the author’s social media pages.
Francisco J. Peña-Valdés is a partner (2009) at Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton, where he has worked since 2000. His professional practice has predominantly focused on the representation of clients in the United States and other countries in establishing and maintaining manufacturing operations in the USMCA region, as well as creating strategic alliances to assist companies’ soft landings in Mexico and the United States. He graduated from Tecnológico de Monterrey. He has Masters on Labor Law from the Universidad Autonoma del Noreste. Before joining the firm, he was the Legal Director of CIGSA Group in Tampico, Tamaulipas. In his professional practice he represents foreign investors with a focus on cross-border operations between the United States of America, Mexico, and other Latin American countries on foreig commerce, environmental, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment litigation, health and safety, government relations and contractual areas. He has extensive experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements with unions before the Mexican labor authorities, as well as representing companies on their compliance obligations before the various agencies and offices in Mexico. He has written numerous articles on labor, employment, and environmental law topics. He is a frequent speaker in bi-national labor and employment, Nearshoring and Foreign Commerce forums, seminars, and conferences promoted in Mexico and the United States. He was a Law Professor at Universidad Cervantina in Monterrey, Mexico and has been a Visiting Professor at Baylor University. He currently serves as a bi-national board member of the Mexican Entrepreneurial Association (AEM) and is the current Chair of the McAllen Chapter.
