BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Mayor John Cowen Jr. presented an optimistic vision for Brownsville’s future during the 2026 State of the City address, outlining a broad slate of economic development, infrastructure, education, housing and public safety efforts that he said are helping shape a stronger and more connected city.
Addressing community leaders, elected officials, business representatives and residents, Cowen said Brownsville is building on major momentum and positioning itself for long term success. His remarks focused on new private investment, public improvement projects and partnerships that he said are expanding opportunity across the city.
A major theme of the speech was economic growth. Cowen said Brownsville is seeing significant investment through the work of the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corp. and the Brownsville Community Improvement Corp. According to the mayor, activity tied to the EDC represents an estimated $80 billion in economic impact and more than $30 billion in capital investment across the region. He also said the BCIC has generated $50 million in new private investment in the community.
Cowen pointed to continued activity at the Port of Brownsville as one of the clearest signs of the city’s expanding economic role. He said the port contributes $11.9 billion to Texas gross domestic product and supports more than 101,000 jobs in Brownsville and across the region. He said the port is also handling more than 29 million tons of cargo, including $12.1 billion in exports and $10.6 billion in imports, while moving forward with a project to deepen its ship channel from 42 feet to 52 feet.
The mayor also highlighted major industrial projects tied to the port and surrounding area. He said the America First Refinery is expected to break ground in April and could bring about 2,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent jobs to the area. He also discussed progress on NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG project, saying the development currently has a workforce of about 5,500 people, with 70% of those workers coming from the local community. Once complete, he said, the project is expected to support around 700 permanent jobs in Brownsville.
Cowen said the Texas LNG project is also moving ahead, with a recently finalized turnkey agreement with Kiewit Energy Group marking an important step toward a final investment decision. According to the mayor, that project is expected to create more than 1,200 construction jobs, more than 100 permanent jobs and another 3,000 indirect jobs.
Another major part of the address focused on SpaceX and the company’s continuing impact in Brownsville and South Texas. Cowen said SpaceX has generated a $13 billion economic impact across the region and created 24,000 direct and indirect jobs. He said the company currently has about 4,000 workers on site, with another 4,000 jobs projected. He also said SpaceX plans to increase Starship launches from 11 so far to 25 each year, a move he said will continue drawing visitors and business activity to the region.
Beyond the port, Cowen pointed to additional industrial and commercial expansion across the city. He said the 730 acre Greater Brownsville Tech District on FM 550 is seeing strong interest, with 19 of its 24 lots already under letters of intent. He also highlighted the opening of Amazon’s $25 million distribution center, Linde’s $106 million facility and a planned $10 million advanced manufacturing facility by Superior GHQ. Together, he said, those projects reflect Brownsville’s growing role as a center for logistics, manufacturing and technology.
The speech also placed heavy emphasis on public infrastructure. Cowen said Brownsville is carrying out a $357 million multiyear capital improvement plan, with $215 million already being used to modernize infrastructure, improve quality of life and support long term growth. Over the past year, he said, the city improved 47,000 linear feet of roadway across 26 streets, including work on Old Highway 77, Wild Rose Lane, Villa Los Pinos, Dennett Road, Old Alice Road and Milpa Verde.
He also highlighted transportation upgrades funded through a $27.8 million grant from the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Cowen said that funding is being used for a citywide intelligent transportation system, traffic signal improvements, corridor upgrades and advanced monitoring technology aimed at improving traffic flow and safety.
At Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, Cowen said the city is in the middle of a $30 million runway upgrade project funded primarily through a Federal Aviation Administration grant. He also announced that Breeze Airways is set to begin nonstop service between Brownsville and Orlando, Florida, on May 15, adding another travel option for residents and visitors.
Cowen also described growth in retail, hospitality and housing. He noted the opening of Barnes and Noble at Sunrise Mall, the arrival of Natural Grocers and the continued presence of downtown’s Búho Bookstore. He said a Sprouts Farmers Market is under construction, while new hotel development includes Everhome Suites and planned Hyatt Place, Courtyard by Marriott and Embassy Suites properties.
In housing, Cowen pointed to the redevelopment of the former El Jardin Hotel into affordable housing, the renovation of the Samano Building and the transformation of the historic Buena Vida community. He also said homes are already being built in the Madeira Texas Living master planned community in northern Brownsville. Those projects, he said, are part of a broader effort to meet housing needs while improving neighborhoods.
Long term planning was another key focus. Cowen said Brownsville is implementing several master plans, including the Parks, Health and Recreation Master Plan, the Downtown Renaissance Master Plan, the Gladys Porter Zoo Master Plan and the city’s first Housing Master Plan. He said those efforts are designed to guide growth while preserving Brownsville’s history and character. He also highlighted downtown cultural projects, including the future Stillman Collection at the San Fernando Market Square building, which he said will feature more than 1,000 artifacts reflecting the region’s binational and multicultural identity.
Cowen also stressed investment in education, health and technology. He said UTRGV has added more than 3,000 new student seats in Brownsville starting this semester and is preparing to offer four year civil and mechanical engineering degrees on the Brownsville campus. He also said 28 medical residents from the UTRGV School of Medicine are now training locally. In addition, Cowen said Brownsville’s partnership with Omni Fiber has already reached more than 6,400 residential and commercial customers, while the city’s digital inclusion program has distributed nearly 400 laptops and offered training to residents.
Water security and utilities were also central to the address. Cowen said Brownsville is expanding desalination capacity from 10 million to 20 million gallons per day through a $181 million project. He also said Brownsville Public Utilities Board secured more than $47 million in state funding for the Banco Morales Reservoir and a potable water reuse project, steps he said will strengthen long term water resilience.
On public safety, Cowen said Brownsville continues to see strong response times from police, fire and EMS, while also investing in tools such as Axon technology and drones to improve emergency response. He also noted the city’s recent recognition in a report ranking Brownsville as the eighth safest city.
Cowen closed with thanks to city staff, community partners and residents, saying Brownsville’s progress is being driven not only by projects and investment, but by the people working together to move the city forward.
For Brownsville, the address offered a clear message: the city sees itself as growing with purpose, planning carefully for the future and building on a period of major opportunity.
