Development at former McAllen Civic Center site begins to take shape; see plans

About a decade after the longtime McAllen Civic Center was demolished, construction began on a new mixed-use development known as McAllen City Center. 

But it took the land changing hands and an economic incentive agreement to move the project forward. Previous plans for Shops at Solana by McAllen Retail Developers, a partnership between mall developer Simon Property Group and Dallas-based Provident Realty Advisors, fell through. 

In 2023, the 13-acre property near Lindburg Avenue and South 10th Street, adjacent to Expressway 83, was sold for an undisclosed price to McAllen CityCenter Ltd, a company affiliated with McAllen-based Castle Hospitality and led by Michael Fallek. 

But the site has a significant limiting factor: none of the bars or restaurants operating inside the La Plaza Mall or the Rio Grande Valley Premium Retail Outlets can be duplicated at McAllen City Center, according to a deed restriction on the property, records show.