City of Eagle Pass Inaugurates $3.6 Million International Bridge System Administration Building
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2024
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas, together with the Eagle Pass International Bridge System, hosted the inauguration and grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony of the new state of the art $3.6 million Camino Real International Bridge Administration Building on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at the Port of Eagle Pass amid over 300 persons in attendance.
City of Eagle Pass Marketing Director Aide Castano welcomed all the guests and dignitaries to the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as introduced all the dignitaries present at the event.
The administration building commenced construction on August 2020 and was completed three and a half years later. The building is tucked away on a small hill at the Camino Real International Bridge at the Port of Eagle Pass overlooking the municipal golf course, two international bridges, and Shelby Park belonging to the City of Eagle Pass taxpayers.
Pastor Brian Cisneros of Access Church in Eagle Pass delivered an invocation prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The U. S. Customs and Border Protection Color Guard presented the colors of the flags at the ceremony.
Eagle Pass recording artist Jessica Sanchez sang a beautiful National Anthem.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. welcomed all the guests and stated that “it was a special day for the City of Eagle Pass, a long time coming—25 years in the making of this administration building.” Salinas noted that the City Council’s priority is the economy and that it is thriving, citing the Port of Eagle Pass’s $32 billion export and import trade figures in 2023. Salinas added that 60% of the City of Eagle Pass’s fiscal year budget is funded from general revenues of the Eagle Pass International Bridge System. Salinas noted that the City of Eagle Pass is currently working on expanding the Camino Real International Bridge by adding six new lanes of traffic in the immediate future and that many new projects are coming to the City of Eagle Pass.
Eagle Pass Mayor Pro-Tem William “Billy” Davis eloquently stated “as we overlook the banks of our beautiful Rio Grande….we are reminded of the yellow rose of Texas which symbolizes friendship between our City of Eagle Pass and our neighbors in Piedras Negras and Mexico.” Davis quoted former Mexican President and Priest Benito Juarez statement that “among nations, the respect for one another is the basis of peace.” Davis added the City of Eagle Pass looks forward to continued prosperity and economic development between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras. Davis noted that while Eagle Pass is currently in the news for other reasons, Eagle Pass is a beautiful and safe community to live and work in.
City Councilwoman Monica J. Cruz stated that “it is a happy day today. Thank you to the Bridge System and Mr. Homero Balderas, Director, for making this new administration building happen.” She congratulated the Bridge System employees on their new administration building.
Interim City Manager Ivan Morua thanked the State and federal governments for funding this much needed project, the architects of the building, the contractor, and the employees of the Bridge System. He thanked Bridge System Director Homero Balderas for managing the construction of the building.
Eagle Pass Bridge System Director Homero Balderas stated he wished to thank everyone for attending the grand opening ceremony and welcomed them to this momentous occasion, which took 25 years in the making to build this Bridge System administration building, the Mayor and City Council for making this building possible, including past Mayors and City Council members. He noted the project was made possible due to a team effort among all the parties who worked on the design, construction, and financing of the building. He stated he thanked the “owners of this building, the Bridge System employees” for their dedication and loyal services.
The formal grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony was sponsored by the Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce with City Council members Davis and Cruz and Mayor Salinas, Bridge System Director Homero Balderas, and Bridge System employees participating in the ribbon cutting.
Following the ribbon cutting, guests and dignitaries were provided personal tours of the state of the art administration building, featuring a scenic view of the Eagle Pass Municipal Golf Course, the two Eagle Pass International Bridges, Shelby Park, and the Rio Grande with Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico on the opposite side.
The only eyesore at the historic and momentous event was the militarization of the City of Eagle Pass Shelby Park, golf course, and international bridges by Governor Greg Abbott’s controversial Operation Lone Star program under the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department who have taken control and possession of Shelby Park, municipal golf course, and the City property underneath the two International bridges with razor sharp military grade concertina wire, shipping metal containers, and hundreds of DPS Troopers and Texas National Guard soldiers while denying access to the U. S. Border Patrol to these public properties. Governor Abbott and the State of Texas have seized control of these beautiful public parks belonging to the City of Eagle Pass as part of an epic political and legal battle between the State and the United States government concerning enforcement of immigration law.
While all this was happening during the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony, the Camino Real International Bridge was bustling with traffic going to and coming from Mexico at the Port of Eagle Pass, ringing up the cash registers for the City of Eagle Pass general revenue fund.
Guests were also treated to refreshments and light snacks following the ceremony and entertained by one of Eagle Pass’s finest Mariachi Band as the sunset over the western horizon and the Rio Grande.
