OCTOBER 18, 2023 www.wintertexantimes.com 2 WINTER TEXAN TIMES ration, which has awarded the company an economic incentive of $140,000 to be paid out in four annual installments of $35,000. In return, the RGV Padel Club has agreed to create and maintain 20 new jobs in Mission, join the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce as a premium member, and award a Mission nonprofit $5,000 to support community groups. The new facility, which will be located at 2513 Victoria Drive in Mission, just east of the Hampton Inn and Suites, behind Office Depot, will be the largest-of-itskind in the Rio Grande Valley. RGV Padel Club to build Valley’s largest-of-its-kind venue for padel ball, pickleball Two of the nation’s fastest growing sports are coming to Mission by way of a new sports complex. The RGV Padel Club LLC will invest $2.7 million to construct a new 21,500 square-foot sports venue for padel ball and pickleball players across South Texas. The venue will offer 18,000 square feet of court space – enough for seven padel ball and six pickleball courts – and a 3,500 square-foot building that will house a pro shop and a bar and lounge area located on the second floor so that patrons can watch games from above. “We’re thrilled RGV Padel Club is bringing diversity to the entertainment options in Mission,” Teclo Garcia, Mission EDC CEO, said. “These types of businesses create a higher quality-of-life for our residents and promote economic development by creating more employment opportunities, generating new revenues and stimulating the overall local economy.” Pickleball and padel ball are racquet sports that are gaining popularity worldwide because they’re easier to play than some of their counterparts, like tennis and badminton. “That’s why a lot of people started playing padel – because it’s really fun and really social,” RGV Padel Club owner Hector Ronquillo said, noting up to 4 players are allowed on the court at once. Ronquillo and his brother Sebastian built the Valley’s first padel ball and pickleball sports complex in McAllen last year, and it has since seen tremendous growth. In July, the McAllen club hosted what Ronquillo classifies as the “best tournament of padel ball in the U.S.” More than 100 teams participated. “We had one of the best teams from the U.S. come play, and the number one player from Mexico came to play as well,” Hector Ronquillo said. Padel ball originated in Mexico more than six decades ago, and it has recently gained momentum. “We think we can create a bigger community in Mission because a lot of people from Mexico come to Mission to shop and eat,” Ronquillo said. “We have been playing tennis since we were little, so we know the market really well.” The new enterprise will have a total economic output of $5.8 million on the Mission economy over a two-year period, according to a study conducted by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Data & Information Systems Center. The RGV Padel club “will support 52 jobs, generate $1.6 million in labor income, add $2.4 million to the Texas Gross Domestic Product, and create $327,408 in state and local taxes,” the study said. The RGV Padel Club announced the project after entering into a performance agreement with the Mission Economic Development CorpoPhoto courtesy of Mission EDC Photo courtesy of Mission EDC Celebrate life at Edinburg’s Day of the Dead Festival The City of Edinburg will host the 9th Annual “Los Muertos Bailan Festival & Block Party,” a pre-celebration of the Day of the Dead, on Saturday, October 21, from 5 – 11 p.m. This year’s celebration will be held on McIntyre St. from 8th St. to the Museum of South Texas History (MOSTH), making it the largest Day of the Dead block party in South Texas. The event is once again in partnership with the Museum of South Texas History and Area956. The Day of the Dead is not a somber occasion but rather a lively and joyful celebration of life and the connection between the living and the deceased. It is a time for families and friends to come together, remember their loved ones, and celebrate the lives of our loved ones. Los Muertos Bailan offers various activities to the community, including carnival rides, plenty of vendors, and great festival food. The event is free and open to the public. The celebration will showcase the community’s artistic, musical, and performing talents, along with a chalk art competition with great cash prizes and dance performances from Mexican folkloric dancers. The festival will also showcase some of the more traditional aspects of Dia de los Muertos with MOSTH’s Altar exhibit, community procession, and a community altar. This year, the altar will be dedicated to Edinburg’s beloved Fire Chief Shawn Snider. Returning this year is the Catrina Contest for ladies and young girls. The community is invited to dress up as Catrinas or just paint their face like a sugar skull to celebrate the evening. To register for any of the contests, visit www.edinburgarts. com/losmuertosbailan. Featured on the three community stages will be mariachis and traditional dance performances, and in the amphitheater, there will be musical guests, including Elida Reyna y Grupo Avante and Solido. Local children participate in Catrina Events. Photo courtesy of MOSTH See CELEBRATE pg. 17
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