Featured, from left: Alex Farías, Miss Teen Edinburg 2017; Jacob De León of Memorial Funeral Home, and Chairman of the Board, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; J.J. Flores of Chorizo De San Manuel, and Vice Chair, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Johnny Rodríguez, Public Relations, Bert Ogden Dealer Group; Bert García, President, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Football; Edinburg City Councilmember Richard Molina; Robert Lucio, Executive Manager, Bert Ogden Dealer Group; Richard Hinojosa, Edinburg City Manager; Alex Ríos of Kids College Learning Center and District Office Manager for Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and who is Chairman-elect of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Lee Castro of Legacy Funeral Home, and Member, Board of Directors, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Agustín Lozano, Jr., Public Relations, Bert Ogden Dealer Group; Mario Lizcano, Administrator of Community Engagement and Corporate Affairs; and
Lexi Esparza, Miss Edinburg 2017.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
Local leaders are making final preparations for the 49th Annual Fiesta Edinburg, presented by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, which will also serve to showcase H-E-B Park, which is the latest in a growing number of impressive entertainment venues in the city, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. H-E-B Park is a $16.8+ million sports and entertainment outdoor complex that features a 9,700 seat capacity soccer-specific stadium, a park with a playground, an amphitheater with a capacity of 2,000 individuals, and lighted parking. On Tuesday, December 20, 2016, Fiesta Edinburg officials announced the four-day event – set for Thursday, February 23, 2017 through Sunday, February 26, 2017 – would be moving to a new location, the H-E-B Park, located at 1616 S. Raul Longoria Rd. in Edinburg. In previous years, the popular fiesta was held at the Edinburg Municipal Park. “We are excited about the new venue and we know our festival fans are going to love it as well,” said Letty González, President of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. “The facilities are state-of-the-art and this is going to create a statement environment like no other. The amphitheater is going to be electric.” The Edinburg EDC is one of the major sponsors for Fiesta Edinburg 2017. The Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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Fiesta Edinburg 2017, set for February 23 – 26, marks first time annual event will be held at H-E-B Park, the city’s latest entertainment venue
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]
Local leaders are making final preparations for the 49th Annual Fiesta Edinburg, presented by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, which will also serve to showcase H-E-B Park, which is the latest in a growing number of impressive entertainment venues in the city, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced.
H-E-B Park is a $16.8+ million sports and entertainment outdoor complex that features a 9,700 seat capacity soccer-specific stadium, a park with a playground, an amphitheater with a capacity of 2,000 individuals, and lighted parking.
On Tuesday, December 20, 2016, Fiesta Edinburg officials announced the four-day event – set for Thursday, February 23, 2017 through Sunday, February 26, 2017 – would be moving to a new location, the H-E-B Park, located at 1616 S. Raul Longoria Rd. in Edinburg.
In previous years, the popular fiesta was held at the Edinburg Municipal Park.
“We are excited about the new venue and we know our festival fans are going to love it as well,” said Letty González, President of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. “The facilities are state-of-the-art and this is going to create a statement environment like no other. The amphitheater is going to be electric.”
An amphitheater is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and, depending on its size, even sports.
The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation is one of the major sponsors for Fiesta Edinburg 2017.
The Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.
The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
Jennifer Cabrera, Marketing Specialist for the Edinburg EDC, noted some of the many positive benefits of H-E-B Park for the city and the region.
“For example, on January 26 and 27, 2017, H-E-B Park held job interviews for more than 200 part-time jobs that need to be filled at this fabulous facility, such as in guest services, box office personnel, retail, event security, and food and concessions,” Cabrera said. “For many people, a part-time job allows them to help make a living while allowing them the time needed for their families or education.”
She added the economic benefits to Edinburg will continue for many years, as thousands of visitors from outside of the community will come to enjoy professional soccer, outdoor concerts, carnivals, and other events at H-E-B Park.
In the summer of 2016, when the naming rights for H-E-B Park were announced, Bert García, a representative of the private investment firm which owns the facility, said one of the main goals was also “to make H-E-B Park home of affordable family entertainment.”
Mayor Richard García, Agustín García, Jr. and Bert García are not related.
The new stadium, which is wrapping up construction, also will feature a full-service restaurant and concessions, practice fields, executive lounges, a sports bar, 33 suites and a total capacity of 16,000. Suites include VIP amenities and a 16-seat capacity.
Besides Rio Grande Valley Toros FC soccer matches, the new facility is expected to host Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash soccer preseason matches, concerts and other community events.
“H-E-B Park in Edinburg is a premier facility and we’re thrilled to have naming rights for the stadium,” said Linda Tovar, H-E-B Senior Manager of Public Affairs. “H-E-B is proud to celebrate the growing options for families both in our stores and out in the community. We are committed to the Rio Grande Valley, and this branding opportunity demonstrates the excitement and energy we share for the bright future of the Valley.”
H-E-B, an American business success story which is headquartered in San Antonio, has three major grocery stores in Edinburg, and 149 stores in other Texas cities.
Regarding the upcoming Fiesta Edinburg events, on Friday, February 24, 2017, Josh Turner will perform at the new amphitheater inside the grounds of H-E-B Park.
Also performing on the same stage will be special guests Lauren Corzine, who begins her performance at 6 p.m., Eddie Sáenz at 7:15, and The Powell Brothers at 8:30 p.m., with Josh Turner being the main attraction in the evening, with his performance scheduled to begin at 10 p.m.
According to his website, Turner is “a family man, a philanthropist, a devoted Christian, and a passionate sports fan, you might say Josh Turner’s commitments run as deep as his voice. Of course, he’s also a double-platinum-selling singer, songwriter and disciple of traditional country music, a mentor to up-and-coming artists —and one of the youngest members of the Grand Ole Opry.” (http://joshturner.com/josh)
The performance line-up for Saturday, February 25, 2017, will soon be finalized, the announced.
Individual tickets for the concert headlined by Josh Turner are available for purchase at a cost of $35 for general admission, and $55 for premium seating. Those prices include admission to the festival and concert for that day only. There are separate fees for the carnival rides by the Heart of America Carnival.
Attendees are also allowed to bring their own folding chairs to the park, but not food or beverages, but there will be numerous vendors at the park selling food and refreshments. Restrooms will be available to the public during the event.
Fiesta Edinburg is the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce’s largest celebration.
Besides being a fun, quality of life event for the city of Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley, Fiesta Edinburg also symbolizes an important moment in Edinburg’s history. Fiesta Edinburg is known as a big party that was created to commemorate Edinburg becoming the county seat for Hidalgo County.
Major attractions such as the Heart of America Carnival, regional food, arts/crafts plus top notch entertainment are a large draw to the community festival.
“We would like to thank our presenting sponsors Bert Ogden and Fiesta Dealerships, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, City of Edinburg and the RGV Toros,” said Ronnie Larralde, Director of Marketing and Special Events for the Edinburg Chamber. “Without their continued support, none of this is possible.”
Individuals may purchase tickets at http://www.hebparkrgv.com.
For more information please contact the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce 956/383-4974.
EDINBURG NAMED ONE OF TOP FIVE MOST IMPROVED CITIES IN NATION BY WALLET HUB
Edinburg’s economy is alive and kicking according to a recent study released by WalletHub.
The personal finance online site named Edinburg number five among the top most improved cities since the 2008 Great Recession. The recession, which lasted two years, forced many in the nation to record huge mortgage and job losses, and a drop in consumer spending and business investments.
To find out how the nation was recovering, WalletHub compared 18 economic indicators of 505 cities of varying size. The study divided cities by large, medium and small depending on population size then focused on each city’s employment and earning opportunities and it’s economic environment.
The results landed five Texas cities among the most improved with Edinburg ranking fifth in the small city category. The study also found that Edinburg recorded the highest overall decrease in the poverty rate in the nation.
Mayor García says clearly that Edinburg is doing something right.
“When the recession started back in 2008, Edinburg was already feeling the onslaught of a construction boom, and we decided that instead of taking a wait-and-see approach, to proceed full force ahead with city projects,” the mayor recalled. “So when companies saw that we weren’t slowing down, they didn’t either and chose Edinburg to invest their dollars. That and careful planning has been our recipe for success.”
It’s not just companies coming to Edinburg, city officials contend. More people are choosing to live in the three-time All-America City, where they can study at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and work in the increasing health industry. Edinburg is home to UTRGV and its School of Medicine, as well as to the largest school district in Hidalgo County, 11 hospitals, and more.
In addition, Edinburg’s population, has increased by 19 percent since the 2010 U.S. Census, now approaching 89,000 residents.
WalletHub is a personal finance website known for its free consumer tools such as its WalletLiteracy Quiz that allows users to get free credit reports, credit scores, and credit monitoring. The full WalletHub Report can be viewed in its entirety at:
https://wallethub.com/edu/most-least-recession-recovered-cities/5219/
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Ronnie Larralde and Irma Garza contributed to this article. For more information on the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and the City of Edinburg, please log on to http://edinburgedc.com or to http://www.facebook.com/edinburgedc.
