Edinburg’s rapid growth is reshaping the local economy — bringing new businesses, more residents, and rising demand for infrastructure, workforce, and opportunity across the Rio Grande Valley.
In this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal Podcast, Managing Editor Naxiely Lopez-Puente sits down with Ronnie Larralde of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce to break down how that growth is translating into real momentum for the business community.
Larralde explains how the city’s expansion — including more than 3,500 businesses and continued population gains — is creating new opportunities.
The conversation explores the broader regional impact of University of Texas Rio Grande Valley football, from increased spending at local businesses to rising hotel demand and visitor traffic — and how that energy is beginning to ripple across industries.
It also highlights the Chamber’s upcoming Business Playbook conference, designed to give small business owners practical tools to grow — from marketing and finance to accessing local resources — while bringing a nationally recognized keynote speaker to the region.
The following is a rough, AI-generated transcript of Naxiely Lopez-Puente’s interview with Ronnie Larralde of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. There may be slight errors in the transcription and possible misspellings of proper names. For the full, unabridged conversation, listen to the episode above or through your preferred podcast platform.
RONNIE LARRALDE: I tell people, we’ve talked about football, but it just drives a different type of environment, energy, and business. Everyone knows the Friday night lights culture in the Rio Grande Valley. A perfect example is when a Valley high school team makes the playoffs. The Valley travels. They travel to San Antonio, Corpus, Houston, wherever, to support them.
Just to give some sense, a local meat market might tell you their big day used to be Sunday, and now it’s Saturday and Sunday. People are tailgating. People are going to restaurants before and after the game. Our hotels are being impacted.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Tell us who’s coming.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Emmitt Smith.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Emmitt Smith.
RONNIE LARRALDE: He’s a great speaker, if you haven’t seen him speak. He definitely has a lot to bring to the table, a lot of things that drive success in business. Obviously, he knew football, and then he transitioned into being an entrepreneur.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Right. He’s also an entrepreneur.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Besides his highlights, he definitely brings other aspects to the table.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Hi, and thank you for joining us on this episode of the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal podcast. I’m Naxi Lopez-Puente, and today we have Ronnie Larralde from the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. Ronnie, welcome.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Thank you for having me.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Of course. Ronnie, talk to us about the chamber. What’s its mission? What’s going on there?
RONNIE LARRALDE: The Edinburg Chamber is an amazing organization. We’re celebrating our 100th year anniversary this year, so definitely an organization that’s been around a long time and has been led by local business leaders.
If you ever get the opportunity to visit the chamber, you’ll see all the presidents from the last 100 years. The mission is very simple. It’s to support businesses, to grow businesses, and also to dabble in quality of life, like every other entity in the city. It’s definitely an organization that’s driven by business owners, so they know and they feel everything.
That’s our mission — to support small businesses and big businesses. It’s a great organization to be part of, and it’s vital to the community.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: For sure. Edinburg has seen tremendous growth. You all had the State of the City address a week or two ago, and you mentioned there were about 127 subdivisions going up in Edinburg. So there’s big population growth. What are we seeing on the business side? Are we seeing the same thing?
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes, we are. And I’m glad you brought up population growth. I tell people, in the 2010 Census there were about 77,000 people, and now we’re at 108,000. So it shows that the city is growing.
And with that, so are businesses. We have over 3,500 businesses in the city. It is growing. Sometimes you don’t see it as much as in other cities where growth runs down one lane or one avenue. Edinburg is growing north, south, east, and west, especially to the north.
So yes, there are a lot of businesses coming in. There are a lot of opportunities. We have the university, we have the health care system, we have entertainment. There are a lot of key components driving the success of the city as a whole. And obviously the city and its entities — the EDC and the city itself — do a great job of keeping up with that growth.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: You mentioned entertainment, and one of the biggest things the Valley has right now is UTRGV football. Talk to me about how that has impacted Edinburg — and really the region.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Definitely. We had a running joke for a while that we were still undefeated. But football just drives a different type of environment, energy, and business.
Everyone knows the Friday night lights culture, and the Rio Grande Valley is a perfect example. When a Valley high school team makes the playoffs, the Valley travels. They’ll go to San Antonio, Corpus, Houston, wherever, to support them, even if they’re not from that particular city. It’s just one of those things that is deeply tied to this community.
So UTRGV football was a long time coming. A lot of steps had to take place. The merger of the two universities, the health care component, the School of Medicine — all of that drove more people and more funding. And then the students played a huge role too. They were the ones who voted to implement football.
One of the things we always heard was that something was missing — that college experience, that university experience everyone talks about. Now it has opened the doors to everyone. There’s the band, the cheer squad, dance, swimming — all these things opened the door. There are new opportunities for our kids and for other students to experience university through different athletic programs. And ultimately, education is the key. So it has opened a lot of doors for us.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: And it’s not just education. It’s the business community too. My understanding is that businesses in Edinburg are seeing game-day impacts. We sent out a reporter to gauge the atmosphere, and people were excited. I know the economic impact is something you all are going to touch on at an event coming up. Talk to me about that. You’ve got a big headliner coming through.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes. And you’re absolutely right. We’re not even talking about the business aspect yet, which will be delivered at that point.
But just to give some sense, a local meat market would say their big day used to be Sunday, and now it’s Saturday and Sunday. People are tailgating. Restaurants are seeing more business. Hotels are being impacted.
So a lot of small businesses, especially those near the university, are being affected in a positive way. It’s driving people here on a Saturday — 12,500 people gassing up, eating, going to stores before and after the game. So it does trickle down.
We’ve also seen it from visiting teams. We’ve had alumni organizations and schools contact us asking what restaurants they can go to, where they can stay, where they can watch the game. We help lead those efforts and connect them to businesses.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: That’s a really good resource — a list of where people can go watch the game, where they can stay, those kinds of things.
RONNIE LARRALDE: And we have all that on our website.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Great. So it’s already there.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes. So it’s definitely impacting our business community a whole lot.
With that said, we’re having this big conference coming up next week.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Yes, April 23.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Correct. It’s definitely a conference that is needed, especially for our growing community. And it’s not just for Edinburg. It’s for the whole Rio Grande Valley.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: So it’s open to any business, not just Edinburg businesses.
RONNIE LARRALDE: That is correct.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: And not just chamber members either.
RONNIE LARRALDE: That is correct.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Okay, so for those who don’t know, talk to us about the Business Playbook.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes, the Business Playbook. A little history on that: we have a very aggressive board. We’re governed by 13 people who represent the business community, so they understand what’s going on.
This really started last year during a membership drive. Everything we do is membership-driven. You don’t have to be a member of our chamber to attend this event or many of our events. Some are exclusive, but for the most part, they’re open. There are just different perks — member rates versus nonmember rates, and a lot of opportunities that come with membership.
So the board wanted to provide something business-based and membership-based. I’ve always dreamed that way for a lot of things — entertainment, football, all of it. Why not us? Why can’t we have those things?
So they took that same approach with this conference. Why can’t we have a big conference that’s affordable, right here in our backyard, and bring in a keynote speaker who’s nationally recognized? That was one of the things really driving them from last year’s membership campaign to now.
That leads us to the Business Playbook. We talked a little bit about how to tie the theme together. A little background is that April 23 is also NFL Draft Day.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Okay.
RONNIE LARRALDE: So that’s a big component, especially with UTRGV football. It’s that steppingstone to success, becoming a professional athlete at that level. We kind of spun that into the Business Playbook — having a playbook for success and providing different components at the seminar.
And obviously, we talked about the keynote speaker.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Right. Big name. A very recognizable name here in our area.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Tell us who’s coming.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Emmitt Smith. He’s a great speaker, if you haven’t seen him speak. He definitely has a lot to bring to the table — teamwork, leadership, a lot of things that drive success in business.
He obviously knew football, and then transitioned into being an entrepreneur and business owner. He’s involved in real estate. So besides the highlights — 15-plus years and being the all-time leading rusher — he definitely brings other aspects to the table. He’s a great motivator.
So this is definitely a conference you’d find at a national level, and it’s right here in our backyard. It’s very affordable. We’re proud of our board for putting something like this together to help our business community.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Wow. How did you get Emmitt Smith?
RONNIE LARRALDE: I know, everybody asks me that.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Did you just send him an email?
RONNIE LARRALDE: That’s exactly how it went, right? We’re so used to quality-of-life events, and as you know, we have different events that we do for the community, so we usually book artists. It was really our network.
That’s one piece everyone forgets about — your network is really your net worth. Talking to the person we always deal with for artists, someone we’ve built a relationship with over 10 or 15 years, and just asking, “Hey, by chance, do you know…?” It was really just a phone call. That’s how it happened.
And little by little, it happens. It happens at the corporate level, too. Knowing someone, having that network, is really strong.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: And that’s one of the things you all point out too — networking. Because like you said, your network usually leads to your net worth. That’s something business owners will be able to do at your conference. What else can they expect, aside from Emmitt Smith?
RONNIE LARRALDE: Definitely. We have some seminars lined up, and we’re getting ready to release all of those. There are different components.
Obviously, there are networking opportunities. Being there with local business owners, entrepreneurs, and people with experience is important. You’re going to get to hear from a few of them.
One of the sessions is on marketing and social media. We understand how important that is. I always say you have to combine everything. You can’t be one-dimensional. We talk about the three phases of football. It’s kind of the same thing in business.
You have face-to-face interaction — meeting with someone individually, attending events — but you still need that digital presence.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: If you’re not online, if you’re not on social media, do you even exist?
RONNIE LARRALDE: Exactly. That’s a huge component. So one of the sessions is called “The Call Play: Marketing and Social Media.” We’re going to have a few individuals there to talk about those topics — people who are known in the area for that work.
We also have a session on leveraging local resources — making sure there’s a game plan to success. We talked about the university, which is huge, but there are also a lot of resources people don’t take advantage of.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Like SBDC.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Right. That’s one. Texas Workforce is another. The Center for Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Success. These are things people just don’t always know about, and the goal is to get the word out.
We also have one on law and taxes. The HB 9 bill that just came up for business owners. Hearing from the appraisal district, hearing about different components that will help a business owner throughout the year.
And they’re going to be there speaking about it. You’re going to have the opportunity to ask questions. It’s more of a dialogue, not just sit and listen.
Then we have others — the Franchise Playbook, talking to franchise owners; Locker Room Success, which focuses on successful small business owners; Vaquero Outfitters is one example, especially with the rise of UTRGV. So there are a lot of different components that are going to be part of this conference.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Awesome. So a little bit of everything. Not just your headliner, but something with substance too.
And I know that’s not the only thing you all have coming up. We were discussing earlier that you’ve also launched initiatives to connect students with the small business community through internships. Talk to us about that.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Correct. We teamed up with a local bank and with UTRGV to provide this internship program. We had some funds available through the bank’s sponsorship, and we were able to connect chamber members — another key benefit — with university students.
We were able to help 14 small businesses get interns through a micro-internship program. Two weeks, sometimes three or four weeks, but something relatively small, at no cost to the business.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: At no cost?
RONNIE LARRALDE: At no cost. Everybody has that to-do list that they say, “It’s not needed right now.” Maybe it’s a website. Maybe it’s employee handbooks. Maybe it’s digital work. We were connecting those business owners with university students to help plug those gaps.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: What kind of students were they? Finance, marketing, a little of everything?
RONNIE LARRALDE: A little of everything. Communications. Mostly business students. Different students helping with different components. It was a great program that just started this past year, so we’re hoping to continue it, go back to the drawing board with the university and the bank, figure out a way to increase the amount, and help more small business owners.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Okay. What else is going on at the chamber?
RONNIE LARRALDE: One thing I failed to mention is that we’re going to have UTRGV football present its economic impact numbers at the conference. This will be the first time those numbers are released.
So that’s going to be a huge luncheon and seminar portion. We’re going to have athletic director Chasse Conque on that panel. Our mayor, Ramiro Garza Jr., will also be there, along with Harig Govind, who owns the TownPlace Suites by Marriott and is a past president of the chamber board and the EDC.
He’s seen the impact firsthand — visitors, teams staying there, and not just there. Sometimes the demand is too large, so teams stay in neighboring cities too. Like we said, Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley benefit as a whole.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Because when somebody comes in, they’re not thinking, “I’m only going to shop in Edinburg.” Maybe they stay in McAllen, maybe somewhere else. But it does draw economic activity. So those numbers will be presented at the conference?
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes. It’s going to be a huge unveiling. We’re happy to see what that has brought to the table, and I know a lot of people are waiting for that portion. It’s definitely a key highlight, along with Emmitt.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: We’re certainly curious about that. We want to know what the impact has been.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Yes.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: All right.
RONNIE LARRALDE: So, transitioning into what the chamber does, on top of this conference and the seminars we put on — which are open to everyone — we also offer what we call continuing education programs, learning from experts, whether it’s through the university or local businesses.
We bring them to the table and connect business owners so they can learn from the best who are already doing it here.
We also offer networking services, advertising opportunities. Our newsletter is huge. We have a big following. We also get a lot of visitors. I haven’t even talked about that. We’re different from some other chambers because we have that visitor center side. We also oversee the CVB, so Explore Edinburg.
We get a lot of people coming in, and that’s why we also work in the hotel and restaurant industry, trying to bring events and conferences down, anything that’s going to draw tourism to the city. So we do a little bit of everything, including quality-of-life events.
We just had Fiesta Edinburg, which drew in 25,000 people to Bert Ogden Arena.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Wow.
RONNIE LARRALDE: That’s something that draws people from the entire Valley. And then our next big event is the Fourth of July. Everyone will start hearing about that now, especially with America’s 250th birthday coming up. It’s a huge event right here.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Huge event. Huge.
RONNIE LARRALDE: It’s like 12,000 to 15,000 people right here in your own backyard. I think that’s the driving force behind the city and the chamber of commerce — providing these opportunities and experiences that people used to go outside the Valley to find, and now bringing them here.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: And correct me if I’m wrong — I think I heard this at the State of the City — but Edinburg has had hundreds of events per year. The number in my head is over 300. Is that accurate?
RONNIE LARRALDE: I’m pretty sure it’s 150.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Okay.
RONNIE LARRALDE: But we also have the Night of Lights Parade, which is a big draw. The cultural arts department does a good job with events, and we forget about Parks and Rec too — the 10K, the marathon, the triathlon. There are different events across departments that all combine into that larger total.
We’ve kind of positioned ourselves as the city of festivals. Each department has those events that they drive. They’re all needed, and we’re proud of them.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: So if somebody wants to become a chamber member, or if they want to participate in the conference, where do they go?
RONNIE LARRALDE: The Edinburg Chamber is right across, almost across, from City Hall. I recommend people come in because it’s a gorgeous building. It’s the Southern Pacific Depot, and in two years it’ll be 100 years old. It’s a historical landmark here.
But you can also visit us online at edinburg.com. You’ll find all of our membership information there. You can click through to the conference too. Emmitt Smith’s face is right there on the front.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: You can’t miss it.
RONNIE LARRALDE: Exactly. You can still purchase tickets today. The member rate is $50, and the nonmember rate is $75.
We’ve all been to conferences where you’re paying that just for drinks, and that’s not even including hotel and travel. So one thing the board really wanted to drive is affordability. That’s a big word right now. Something in your own backyard where you can better yourself as a person, as a business owner, and be under one roof for what we think is a top-notch conference here in the city of Edinburg.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Ronnie, anything else that you want to relay to the public that maybe I didn’t ask?
RONNIE LARRALDE: Just thank you for your partnership. I do want to thank some of our partners and sponsors — the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, obviously a key component of this, the Edinburg EDC, which has been huge.
We’re blessed to have that connection between the city, the EDC, and the chamber. I always talk about us being a relay team. The EDC brings business and jobs in, and we make sure businesses are maintained and that we drive people to those establishments.
We also have Lone Star National Bank as one of our sponsors, and TownPlace Suites by Marriott. And of course the city. We’re always partners with them. They’re great people. We’re excited for this administration, and the city is doing really well. So definitely want to give them a shoutout.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Great. Well, Ronnie, thank you so much for being with us today. We really appreciate it. And again, for the folks at home, at work, if you want more information, edinburg.com.
RONNIE LARRALDE: edinburg.com.
NAXI LOPEZ-PUENTE: Edinburg.com. All right. Thank you so much for being here. And for everyone at home, we’ll see you next week. Remember to subscribe.
