Grand Opening for La Copa scheduled for the Fall

By EDWINA P. GARZA/Valley Morning Star

MERCEDES - Shoppers visiting the area will have another lodging option along U.S. Expressway 83.

Construction for the new La Copa Hotel, west of the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets, began a few months ago and the hotel should be completed and prepared for its grand opening by the fall, City Manager Richard Garcia said. The two-story hotel will have 70 rooms."It's another place for people traveling in and out of the mall," Garcia said.

La Copa is expected to provide from 15 to 20 new jobs here. The outlet mall will now be sandwiched between two hotels, with La Quinta Inn and Suites already in the city for almost two years. That three-story hotel has 66 rooms and a pool and hot tub, according to previous reports. La Quinta was the first franchise hotel in the city. Along with more opportunities for visitors staying in the city overnight, city officials are working on bringing new businesses to the area.

"We're looking at a number of different things, but nothing concrete at this point," Garcia said. The city is working on a project next to La Quinta, but Garcia said he couldn't elaborate. Mercedes wants to expand not just on retail opportunities, but also warehouse and industrial prospects. "We want to diversify the economy to not just rely on sales taxes, but get more jobs also," Garcia said.