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Edinburg cites booming retail, UTRGV investment and Division I football's economic boost

City of Edinburg Mayor's Office · April 13, 2026

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Summary

Mayor Omar Ochoa highlighted retail sales topping $2 billion, rising commercial permit valuations, major private investments and UTRGV's $160 million biomedical expansion; he credited Division I football with tens of thousands of fans and a measurable local economic impact.

Mayor Omar Ochoa used the State of the City address to showcase a recent surge in private investment and institutional growth in Edinburg, pointing to retail, higher education and sports as drivers of jobs and tax revenue.

"In 2025, our retail sales surpassed $2,000,000,000," Ochoa said, adding that commercial permit valuations jumped roughly 110% year over year and that the city issued more than 7,000 permits and logged over 33,000 building inspections to keep pace with development.

The mayor singled out large private projects: a nearly $34,000,000 H‑E‑B remodel on Freddy Gonzalez, a $3,000,000 Olive Garden, a $5,000,000 Cavender's and a new $14,000,000 Courtyard by Marriott. He also highlighted UTRGV, saying the university is investing $160,000,000 to expand its biomedical research enterprise and build a major new facility.

Ochoa credited UTRGV’s School of Medicine with creating about 1,000 new jobs and described UTRGV’s research expenditures as substantial.

The address also emphasized the economic impact of Division I athletics: city remarks cited more than 87,000 fans at UTRGV home games, roughly 4,000 visitors from outside the region and an independent analysis the mayor paraphrased estimating the program supports over 1,000 jobs, generates $41,000,000 in income and injects about $144,000,000 into the local economy.

City economic‑development officials and the Edinburg EDC were credited with programs supporting small business growth, a $650,000 downtown renovation project expected to create 15 full‑time jobs, and workforce programs that placed students in regional banks.