Business View Magazine | September 2019

292 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2019 infill in the city center area. In order for a jump in population to occur, a subdivision needs to be completed and fully occupied, so that will be about 12 to 18 months. Enhancing the quality of life, the city invested about $250,000 in the Mercedes H-E-B Park – a combination civic center, a park with pathways, and a recently-constructed amphitheater. The venue will be a gem of the community; looking great in the daytime, beautifully lit at night, and they’re also going to add a splash pad for the kids. City Commissioner, Leo Villarreal, speaks to other important environmental projects. “We started a waste collection station where citizens can take trash, tires, brush, electronics, and anything else not picked up by our Waste Management. There are also recycling bins for plastic, paper, cardboard, and it’s all in one location. As for going green, we are in the process of acquiring solar panels for the library, the city hall, the police department, and other buildings, so in the case of an emergency, when power goes down we also have a solar Big Boots of Mercedes Mercedes is home to the most unique Public Art project in the state of Texas. There are 30 handcrafted 5 1/2 foot tall cowboy boots dispersed throughout the city, each beautifully painted with different college images from around the state, country, and even Mexico. People are passionate about their alma mater and come from all over to take a picture with their boot! Mercedes invites you to come visit yours and post it, tweet it, Instagram it, and most importantly, hashtag it #botasdemercedes power backup. That is ongoing now.” Looking ahead, Zavala states, “Over the next five years, I would like to see continued improvement of the infrastructure. A lot of folks don’t understand because much of it’s underground, but it’s important because it provides for immediate development of the adjoining areas and improves property value. The County of Hidalgo passed a huge bond issue of $220 million and a lot of those moneys will be benefitting Mercedes in the next couple years. And that’s for storm purposes, because if they can capture storm water upstream, we won’t have to deal with it.” Offering Tax Increment Investment Zones, Opportunity Zones, and an abundance of commercial and industrial space, Mercedes is ready to accommodate operations, large or small. With such a competitive, business-friendly environment and a focus on an excellent quality of life for residents, it’s no wonder Mercedes is touted as the best city in the Rio Grande Valley to live and do business.