FEATURED: South Texas attorneys and husband and wife Omar Ochoa and Leah Wise on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at Edinburg Children’s Hospital, hosting a Valentines Day party for patients and their families. “It was a heartwarming experience getting to visit with families of patients and treat them to gifts and lunch,” said Ochoa. “During dark times there are always people willing to lend a loving hand. We were honored to be able to be a small part of why patients and their families felt loved and cared for today.”
Photograph Courtesy OMAR OCHOA FACEBOOK
••••••
Proposed purchase of more than 26 acres for future UTRGV campus expansion in Edinburg, which may include more parking for Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium, set for action by the UT System Board of Regents on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, reports attorney Omar Ochoa
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]
The proposed purchase of more than 26 acres for future campus expansion of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg – which may include additional parking for the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium, home of the UTRGV Vaqueros football team – is set for action by the UT System Board of Regents on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa.
The stadium and existing parking facilities are owned by UTRGV, whose Vaqueros football team will begin its first ever season of competition in the fall of 2025.
The Vaqueros football team’s opening game will take place at the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg on Saturday, August 30, 2025. They will be hosting the Sul Ross State University Lobos (Wolves).
The Vaqueros football team will be a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) when they begin their inaugural season, which will feature a dozen games in 2025.
A vaquero (vah-kair-oh) is an expert horseman who could adeptly herd cattle and whose skills with a lasso were legendary.
https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/campfire-stories/vaqueros#
“If approved by the UT System Board of Regents – which includes Nolan Pérez, M.D., of Harlingen – this planned growth comes soon after the UT System regents, UTRGV leadership, our state leaders and Valley state legislators, and the countless supporters of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley helped secure $55 million in repairs and renovations to the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium,” Ochoa noted.
https://edinburgpolitics.com/2024/11/18/55-million-in-improvements-for-robert-and-janet-vackar-stadium/#more-6993
The Vaqueros football schedule, which was released on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, for the 2025 season follows (all games to be held on Saturdays):
- August 30: vs. Sul Ross State at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium
- September 6: at Prairie View A&M
- September 13: vs. North American at home
- September 20: vs. Texas Wesleyan at home
- September 27: at Southeastern Louisiana University
- October 4: vs. Houston Christian at home
- October 11: Bye week
- October 18: at Lamar
- October 25: vs. Incarnate Word
- November 1: at Stephen F. Austin
- November 8: vs. Nicholls at home
- November 15: at McNeese
- November 22: vs. East Texas A&M at home
https://www.facebook.com/@UTRGVFootball
Born and raised in Edinburg, Ochoa’s roots run deep in the community.
A graduate of Edinburg North High School, he went on to earn a business degree, a master’s in accounting, and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
A champion for government transparency, Ochoa provides regular reports to the public on the Texas Public Information Act, the Texas Open Meetings Act, and existing and proposed state laws that affect the mainstream and social media and the people’s rights to know about the actions of their governments in the Lone Star State.
According to the UT System Board of Regents agenda packet, officials are seeking authorization from the regents “to purchase two vacant tracts of land totaling approximately 26.24 acres located on the north side of the 3300 Block of East Texas Road near the northeast corner of the intersection of South Doolittle Road and East Texas Road and at the southeast corner of the current end of South Doolittle Road, Edinburg, from IDEA Public Schools, for future campus expansion.
“The two parcels are just to the east of the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium which is being expanded and enhanced to prepare for the inaugural season of UT Rio Grande Valley football in 2025. The institution intends to utilize the two land parcels for future campus expansion, which may include additional parking to service Vackar Stadium.”
“UT System leaders further explained that UTRGV is engaged in additional negotiations with the City of Edinburg to accommodate future needs for improved facility access and improved access to the to-be-acquired southerly parcel,” Ochoa added. “The purchase price is not to to exceed fair market value as determined by an independent appraisal; appraisal confidential pursuant to Texas Education Code Section 51.951.’”
In general, fair market value (FMV) is defined as the price at which a property, asset, or business would sell for on the open market. It’s a legal term that’s used in many areas, including real estate, accounting, and tax law.
FMV assumes that both the buyer and seller are acting in their own best interest, have a reasonable understanding of the asset, and are not under pressure
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fairmarketvalue.asp
Information related to the location, purchase price, or sale price of real property purchased or sold by or for an institution of higher education, as defined by Section61.003 (Definitions), is confidential and exempt from disclosure under Chapter552 (Public Information), Government Code, until a deed for the property is executed.
Information that is confidential and exempted from disclosure under this subsection includes an appraisal, completed report, evaluation, investigation conducted for the purpose of locating or determining the purchase or sale price of the property, or any report prepared in anticipation of purchasing or selling real property.
Information that is confidential and excluded from disclosure under Subsection (a) is not subject to a subpoena directed to an institution of higher education, its governing board, or any officer, agent, or employee of an institution of higher education.
https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._educ._code_section_51.951
Individuals may view the UT System Board of Regents meetings on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 and Thursday, February 20, 2025, either as they are taking place, or the videotaped version, and download the full agenda packet at:
https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/meetings/board-meeting-2025-02-19
Other items involving UTRGV campuses and sites throughout deep South Texas scheduled for action by the UT System Board of Regents in its upcoming February 19/20, 2025 meetings are:
• Authorization to purchase a vacant tract of land totaling approximately 7.22 acres located at 1100 North McColl Road, within 495 Commerce Center business park, McAllen, from United Insurance Company of America, for future campus expansion.
The parcel has street frontage on three sides and is located within the 495 Commerce Center, approximately two blocks away from two parcels totaling approximately 38.99 acres purchased on behalf ofUT Rio Grande Valley in December 2021, pursuant to Board authorization granted on June 24, 2021.
495 Commerce Center is the location of the UT Rio Grande Valley/McAllen Independent School District Collegiate Academy, which opened in Fall 2024, and the location of the UT Health Rio Grande Valley Cancer and Surgery Center, which is scheduled to open in Spring 2025.
Purchaser may amend the deed restrictions for the property in a manner that more broadly facilitates campus development and the institution’s mission uses.
• Authorization to purchase two contiguous parcels of land totaling approximately 1.05 acres and improved with an approximately 6,506-square-foot vacant medical office building, surface parking lot, and driveway located at 1601 Treasure Hills Boulevard, Harlingen. The property is located within approximately one-quarter mile of the institution’s Harlingen campus and will initially be used by the UT Rio Grande School of Pediatric Medicine.
The seller is identified as Rick W. Bassett, M.D., and/or Ann Marie Bassett, or related entities.
• Repair and Renovation of the Brownsville Visual Arts Complex – Amendment of the current Capital Improvement Program to include project; approval of total project cost; approval of design development;
appropriation of funds and authorization of expenditure; and resolution regarding parity debt
UT System Chancellor James Bennett Milliken concurs in the recommendation of Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Archie L. Holmes Jr., Ph.D., the Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Jonathan Pruitt, and UTRGV President Bailey that the UT System Board of Regents amend the current Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to include the Repair and Renovation of the Brownsville Visual Arts Complex project and approve the recommendations for the project at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley as follows:
a. amend the CIP to include project with a total project cost of $39 million;
b. approve design development plans; and
c. appropriate funds and authorize expenditure of $39 million from Revenue Financing System (RFS) Bond Proceeds.
On January 31, 2025, the chancellor approved the project for Definition Phase.
The proposed project includes renovations to the recently purchased, former Longoria Elementary School, to house the School of Art and Design (School). Currently, the School operates out of leased space from Texas Southmost College.
This project will reduce the amount of space leased, support space demands of the program, and is conveniently located near the Brownsville Campus.
The comprehensive scope of renovations to 14 of the existing 15 buildings includes hazardous materials abatement, minor demolition, life safety enhancements, upgrades to building codes, accessibility upgrades, site enhancements, roofing, and exterior improvements. One existing building will be demolished, and a new restroom facility will be added.
• Port Isabel Marine Ecosystems Research Facility.
On August 29, 2023, the Chancellor approved the Port Isabel Research and Redevelopment project for Definition Phase. On December 19, 2024, the project name change to Port Isabel Marine Ecosystems Research Facility was approved.
The proposed project will consist of seven research labs for the Marine Science program to include graduate student workspace, conference, and administrative support areas. The new single-story building is designed to meet and withstand harsh marine environment conditions, windstorm, and flood surge conditions.
The program is currently housed in five portable research buildings which are nearing life expectancy due to coastal location with longtime exposure to marine conditions. The mechanical systems and the subflooring are in immediate need of replacement in several buildings. Upon completion of the project, the portable buildings will be removed, which will decrease the institution’s deferred maintenance.
This proposed project has been approved byUTSystem staff and meets the criteria for inclusion in the CIP. Approval of design development plans and authorization of expenditure of funding will be presented to the Board for approval at a later date. It has been determined that this project would best be managed by the UT Rio Grande Valley Facilities Management personnel who have the experience and capability to manage all aspects of the work.
In other related news, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valleyofficially kicked off its Spring 2025 semester with a record-breaking enrollment of more than 31,500 students on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, according to a recent UTRGV news release by Alvaro Ayala.
Despite severe weather conditions that forced the university to halt operations on the first day of classes, originally scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, 2025, students arrived ready to dive into the new semester.
In a video message, Dr. Guy Bailey, President, UTRGV, welcomed students and wished them luck on their higher education journey.
“This semester, my goal for UTRGV remains the same: to see more of our students graduate. Graduation is the ultimate measure of success for you, for our university and for our region,” Bailey said.
He noted that UTRGV is set to exceed 60,000 graduates this spring and that the university will begin its countdown to its 10th anniversary, which will be celebrated next fall.
“Best of luck this semester, and let’s continue to show the world all that is good about higher education right here at UTRGV,” he added.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.
••••••
For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature (TitansoftheTexasLegislature.com).
