“Thank you, Mayor Quintanilla, for that kind and generous introduction. The work that you have done and continue to do for the city of Mercedes, my home town, is invaluable. 

“I want to thank you for all the long hours and hard work you put into this project and congratulate you for the role you played in making today’s ribbon cutting a reality. 

“I also want to express my sincere gratitude for John Klein and the company he works for, the Chelsea Property Group, for investing in the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets mall.  John, I also want to thank you and your company for the generous gift you made today to the Mercedes School District.  I think we should all give him a round of applause for such a generous contribution.

“In conjunction with the new Mercado Delta and the Donna-Rio Bravo International Bridge, the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets mall in Mercedes will provide the final leg of the triangle that will spur a revitalization of the local and regional economy.

“This mall will position Mercedes as a destination for upscale outlet shopping.   I am told that the more than $50 million investment in this mall will generate millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to benefit us both on the state and local level.  Most important, the mall will create approximately 800 quality jobs. Jobs that, in turn, will further reduce the unemployment rates in this area that are still too high in comparison to the rest of the Rio Grande Valley.

“This event today is the result of countless hours of ‘heavy lifting’ by many, many people who believe as I do that this new outlet mall will be yet another catalyst for economic growth in the Rio Grande Valley.   It is an important ingredient in the formula we are using to diversify this area's economic base in order to create and maintain a sustainable economy.

“I want to congratulate Ricardo Rios for being named the General Manager of the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets.   I wish him well in the days, weeks and years to come, but especially during the Midnight Madness event the mall will hold at midnight the morning after Thanksgiving.  I cannot begin to imagine the crowds that will flock to our area to take advantage of all the sales at the numerous new and diverse shops in the mall.   

“Ricardo, all I can recommend that you do during Midnight Madness is keep your chin up, eyes open, and a good sense of humor.  You will need all of the above as you deal with what we all hope will be throngs of people anxious to spend their money in the outlets.  I am certain that you will do fine.

“I would like to take this opportunity to present you, Ricardo, as a representative of the new outlet mall, with a flag of the United States of America. It has been flown on top of the Capitol, and it is with great pride and with great hope that I present it to you today to be flown atop the new outlet mall.   I hope it helps bring you, the mall and our community much success.

“In closing, thank you again for inviting me to join you today to celebrate this historic event.  

“Congratulations to everyone here for all they have done to make this day possible.”