SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Driven by unprecedented growth across energy, aerospace, and national security, Cameron County is undergoing a massive economic transformation that is projected to bring 50,000 to 60,000 new jobs to the region over the next five to eight years.
Speaking at the 2026 NADBank Summit during a panel titled "Made in North America: Manufacturing Competitiveness," Cameron County Administrator Pete Sepulveda highlighted how strategic planning, streamlined permitting, and forward-looking infrastructure investments are turning the South Texas region into an industrial powerhouse.
"We’re going through a huge transformation in the county," Sepulveda told attendees. "We’re looking at companies dealing with the energy sector, the space sector, and now with the latest one, the national security sector."
Sepulveda noted that four companies alone are eyeing a combined $40 billion investment in the county, which is expected to create more than 30,000 jobs in and around the Port of Brownsville. Supplier networks are already following suit, preparing to relocate to South Texas to support the expansion.
"You all heard in the video, one company alone, the economic benefit to the region is over $13 billion," Sepulveda said, adding that the rapid growth naturally presents major infrastructure and logistical demands.
To handle the scale of incoming development, Sepulveda stressed that local governments must remain proactive in removing administrative friction for major enterprises.
Using commercial space pioneer SpaceX as a prime example, Sepulveda explained how Cameron County established dedicated administrative teams to expedite plan reviews, building permits, and inspections.
"At that magnitude, if I didn't have dedicated staff, it would take a long time for a private company to go through that process," he said. "We’re very cognizant of that, and we have the resources to assign dedicated staff depending on the size of the industry."
To accommodate tens of thousands of future workers safely and efficiently, Cameron County laid the groundwork a decade ago by establishing a self-sustaining transportation network.
Utilizing state legislative tools, the county instituted a local $10 vehicle registration fee dedicated to transportation and established a countywide Transportation Reinvestment Zone (TRZ) valued at $1.6 billion over 50 years.
This financial framework underpins a $4 billion system of planned infrastructure projects, allowing local leaders to provide up to 40 percent of local matching funds to aggressively leverage state and federal funding.
"As an administrator, my job is to minimize local tax participation, but that $1.6 billion gives me the ability to leverage state and federal dollars," Sepulveda said. "We have ongoing discussions with TxDOT on how to accelerate the most needed and highest-priority projects that industry tells us they will require."
Beyond roads and bridges, Sepulveda emphasized that successful industrial attraction requires a holistic, regional strategy spanning education, healthcare, workforce training, and cross-border connectivity.
"If we do not have the schools that are going to train the employees, it's going to hurt us as an area," Sepulveda cautioned. "Healthcare, same thing... and in the Rio Grande Valley, a lot of these components are now starting to be regionalized, which is good."
Looking toward international commerce, Sepulveda pointed out that Cameron County holds three presidential permits for binational border crossing projects, alongside an additional permit held by the Port of Brownsville.
"We know what's coming, and we want to be prepared for what's coming," Sepulveda said.
