RGV Business Journal

RGV Business Journal
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The Rio Grande Valley Business Journal is all about highlighting the businesses, leaders, and stories that keep the Valley thriving. The goal? To connect our communities and keep you in the know about the opportunities shaping the RGV’s future. From small businesses to major developments, the RGV Business Journal is your inside look at what’s happening across the Valley.

  1. 17 HRS AGO

    Downtown McAllen at a Crossroads: Business Owners Speak Out About This Heated Battle

    In this Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast episode, reporter Kristen Mossbrucker-Garza talks with Bert Guerra of Cine El Rey and James Alexander of The Flying Walrus about the growing tensions between city leadership and longtime downtown stakeholders. The conversation covers: • The original Heart of the City revitalization plan• Recent enforcement actions and power shutoffs• Zoning proposals affecting historic downtown• The role of arts and music in economic development• Why founders created the Heart of McAllen organization• What comes next for businesses, residents, and artists Guerra and Alexander share personal stories from decades of investment in McAllen’s cultural scene — and explain why they believe downtown deserves protection, thoughtful planning, and real collaboration. 🎧 Listen for a deep dive into how policy, culture, and community intersect in one of South Texas’ most important business districts. Subscribe for more RGV business, economic development, and community conversations.

    1h 56m

  2. FEB 5

    Manufacturing isn’t what it used to be — and neither is the Rio Grande Valley economy. From “potato chips to rocket ships," with Mike Willis

    In this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza sits down with Mike Willis, executive director of the South Texas Manufacturers Association, to discuss tariffs, automation, supply chains and workforce challenges shaping manufacturing today. Willis explains why jobs didn’t “disappear,” how consumer choices fueled globalization, and what companies really need to invest in U.S. production. The conversation also explores SpaceX’s game-changing impact on Brownsville, the Valley’s role in binational manufacturing, and why workforce shortages remain one of the biggest barriers to growth. “Manufacturing isn’t about jobs being stolen — it’s about efficiency, automation and competitiveness.” — Mike Willis

    58 min

  3. JAN 29

    From Border Town to Boomtown: Inside Brownsville’s Economic Surge. Why People Are Moving To Brownsville — Not Leaving.

    Brownsville is experiencing a historic economic shift — and for the first time in modern history, more people are moving into the city than leaving. In this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, Gilberto Salinas, president and CEO of the Greater Brownsville EDC, breaks down what’s driving that transformation. From SpaceX’s Starbase operation to major LNG projects near the Port of Brownsville, Salinas explains how long-term economic development efforts are reversing decades of brain drain and reshaping the regional economy. Topics discussed include:• Why Brownsville now ranks among the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.• How SpaceX has triggered a wave of suppliers and global manufacturers• The job and housing impacts of LNG and energy investment• Workforce, infrastructure, and housing challenges tied to rapid growth• Renewed cross-border collaboration with Matamoros, Mexico• What Brownsville could look like over the next 5–10 years This conversation offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how major industrial projects translate into real jobs, rising incomes, and long-term opportunity for South Texas. 🔔 Subscribe for more coverage of the Rio Grande Valley economy, development, and cross-border trade.

    35 min

  4. JAN 25

    SpaceX, AI Data Centers & Federal Visits: What’s Changing in the Rio Grande Valley

    Federal officials, SpaceX defense contracts and AI data centers are transforming the Rio Grande Valley. In this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, our reporters break down border security policy, ICE enforcement, SpaceX’s expanding role as a defense contractor, and the rise of AI-powered data centers in Cameron and Willacy counties.

    41 min

  5. JAN 19

    RGV Housing: Affordability, Inventory, and What Builders Want Next -- A conversation with Jonathan “Johnny” Vasquez, executive officer of the Rio Grande Valley Builders Association

    On this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast, host Naxi Lopez-Puente speaks with Jonathan “Johnny” Vasquez, executive officer of the Rio Grande Valley Builders Association (RGVBA), about the state of residential construction in the Rio Grande Valley. Vasquez discusses why the market has slowed, what affordability pressures look like (tariffs, regulation, land costs), how inventory is shaping buyer behavior, and why builders are pushing for a permanent workforce solution — including support for the bipartisan Dignity Act and expanded legal work pathways. What we cover• RGV construction slowdown: what’s driving it• Inventory + rates: why it’s a buyer’s market• Affordability: tariffs, regulation, and cost pressures• Land prices and growth trends• Workforce impacts and policy solutions• What the Dignity Act would change

    33 min

  6. JAN 18

    RGV Construction Under Pressure: Labor Raids, Delays, and the Housing Pipeline. An interview with Mario Guerrero

    Rio Grande Valley Business Journal host Naxi Lopez-Puente speaks with Mario Guerrero, CEO of the South Texas Builders Association, about what builders and contractors say they’re seeing on construction sites across the Rio Grande Valley — and how worksite enforcement activity can ripple into project delays, construction loans, timelines, and the broader local economy. Guerrero also discusses how the South Texas Builders Association formed during COVID-era disruption, what builders learned from supply-price spikes, and why workforce availability is now one of the biggest constraints in the local housing pipeline. 🎧 Watch, share, and subscribe for more RGV business reporting and interviews. Topics covered • Worksite enforcement and construction delays • The “mid-pour” example and direct jobsite cost impacts • Construction loans, banking risk, and inventory pressures • Workforce gaps and the skilled trades pipeline • Tariffs, interest rates, and affordability headwinds • How the association formed and what’s next

    56 min

  7. JAN 6

    From Labor Costs to Lot Prices: What’s Driving Home Prices in the Valley: An Interview with builder "Nacho" Pecina

    Rising construction costs, higher land prices and changing buyer demand are reshaping the Rio Grande Valley housing market. In this interview, a local builder and real estate broker walks through what affordable new construction looks like today in Pharr, how labor and material costs have changed over the past decade, and why incentives are becoming more common in a buyer’s market. The conversation covers inventory levels, land prices, labor shortages, financing realities, and what buyers and sellers should understand before making their next move in the Valley real estate market. 📍 Highlights include:• Affordable housing in the RGV• New construction costs• Buyer vs. seller market dynamics• Labor and land price trends• What today’s buyers are asking for

    33 min

  8. JAN 5

    On Site with Joaquin Spamer: Building the Future of the RGV 🏗️🎙️

    In this episode of the RGV Business Journal, host Naxiely Lopez takes listeners on a tour with Joaquin Spamer from McAllen, Texas, as they explore two of his ongoing construction projects shaping the Valley’s growth. From groundbreaking developments to the vision behind each build, Joaquin shares what it takes to bring large-scale projects to life and how construction in the RGV plays a vital role in driving regional progress. 👷‍♂️ Tune in for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how innovation and infrastructure are transforming South Texas — one project at a time. #RGVBusinessJournal #RGV #McAllen #Construction #TexasDevelopment #Infrastructure #CommunityGrowth

    28 min
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About

The Rio Grande Valley Business Journal is all about highlighting the businesses, leaders, and stories that keep the Valley thriving. The goal? To connect our communities and keep you in the know about the opportunities shaping the RGV’s future. From small businesses to major developments, the RGV Business Journal is your inside look at what’s happening across the Valley.

Information

  • Creator
    RGV Business Journal
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © RGV Business Journal
  • Show Website
    RGV Business Journal