WESLACO, Texas - Weslaco residents and business leaders joined VIPs from other parts of the Rio Grande Valley and Texas for the groundbreaking of a new Sam’s Club.
The big box store is being built on the northern side of I-2 next to International Boulevard, just a couple of miles south of the new Mid Valley International Industrial Park.
The store will bring more than 200 jobs and cover 165,000 square feet. It will include Scan & Go, the company's digital-first shopping experience.
Currently, there are two Sam's Clubs in McAllen, one in Harlingen, and one in Brownsville.
Tim Smith, meteorologist for KRGV-TV, was master of ceremonies. He said the groundbreaking ceremony was historic.
“As I look on this crowd, and I see the youngsters over here. I think you're going to remember, probably for the rest of your lives, the day you sat here for the ribbon-cutting, eventually the ribbon-cutting, and today, the groundbreaking of Sam's Club. You're going to remember that you were there for it,” Smith said.
“And in decades from now, when y'all are my age, and you drive by, you're going to say, I was there for that groundbreaking. I remember that. I'm that old. That was 50 years ago, or whatever the case may be, you're going to remember this day, because this is the beginning of the growth of this part of Weslaco and this part of the Mid Valley. This is the beginning. It's the tip of the iceberg. And things are just going to grow from here.”
In an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Steven M. Valdez, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco, said bringing Sam’s Club to the city was a few years in the making. He said he knew Weslaco was in competition with other cities to land the superstore. To make sure Sam’s knew about the assets Weslaco possessed and the city's drawing power, Valdez said the EDC provided the company with a lot of data.
Valdez said the superstore will cover 167,000 square feet of shopping space, create 200 jobs, and is close to a $50 million investment. “It is just amazing day for us here in Weslaco,” Valdez said.
Valdez said he agreed with Smith’s analysis about the impact Sam’s Club will have.
“I agree 100 percent with what Tim was saying. With the kind of rooftops that are coming into (FM) 1015, the kind of retail that's coming into (FM) 1015, I can conceive that this will one day be very much like Ware Road, like Shary Road. It just takes one organization, one company, to get it started, and then it just continues to grow from there.”
Sandra Charlton is president of the Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco. “What a truly exciting day for the city of Weslaco. On behalf of the Weslaco Economic Development Corporation, it is my great honor to welcome you to all to this momentous occasion, the groundbreaking of what will soon become Sam's Club,” Charlton said, from the podium.
Charlton said Sam’s Club decision to choose Weslaco “represents vision, collaboration, growth and belief in the potential of our city and its people.”
Charlton continued: “Today, as we stand on this ground, we celebrate jobs, opportunity and economic vitality. We celebrate a vote of confidence in our community and in the future of Weslaco. Bringing Sam's Club to Weslaco has been a journey of strategic planning partnership and persistence.”
Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said he was pleased he would no longer have to drive to McAllen or Harlingen in order to visit a Sam’s Club.
Acting state Comptroller Kelly Hancock said: “I am glad to be in South Texas. This is a very, very vibrant area in the state.”
Hancock continued: “You may not be aware of this, but your average age here is slightly over 30 years of age. That's nearly five years younger than the state average. It tells you what the future is going to be like here and why Sam's Club is building here. Is not just for today, but for the future.”
Hancock praised the Weslaco leadership.
“So, there are good things happening here. Young couples are coming here. What you're doing here, what you're building here, how you're leading here is drawing young couples. (For this reason) Sam’s are building for the next 30 years.”
Hancock added: “I’m not a shopper. In fact, my wife knows I hate to shop. There's nothing I'm wearing today that I went and bought.” He won applause for this line. “But it's fun to go to a Sam's Club just to see what they have, because it will amaze you, and so I am excited to be here.”
Here is a video recording of the Guardian’s interview with Steve Valdez:
