In June, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation Board Director Veronica Gonzales pointed out something she thinks the city lacks: a niche.

McAllen, she said, has a niche in manufacturing. Pharr has agriculture. Other cities have bridges that link them with Mexico.

“We don’t have any of those components,” Gonzales said. “So ours might be some manufacturing, possibly, and then a lot of it would have to be in the hospitality area or entertainment area.”

Edinburg EDC Executive Director Raudel Garza said that’s not an uncommon sentiment among city leaders: they’re tired of seeing people spend their leisure dollars in cities other than Edinburg.