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Retailers, hoteliers eyeing Victoria

Chamber official says Caterpillar plant will help spur influx of growth

Matt Ferguson, of Kelchner Excavating, works in April to prepare to start breaking ground on the new Caterpillar plant.
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  • Allison Miles •
  • Originally published May 31, 2011 at 7:42 p.m., updated June 1, 2011 at 8:46 a.m.

  • LEARN MORE

  • Are you a business looking for more information about Victoria and the Crossroads?

    Call the Victoria Chamber of Commerce at 361-573-5277 or the Victoria Economic Development Corp. at 361-485-3190.

New business endeavors could soon call the Crossroads home if the number of inquiries is any indicator.

The Victoria Chamber of Commerce has seen an influx in retailers and hoteliers taking an interest in Victoria, chamber President Randy Vivian said Tuesday.

Vivian said he's probably taken two calls in the past couple of weeks, a big jump from the last six months of 2010, which resulted in zero inquiries.

"From 2008 to the start of this year, we didn't really get many people looking," he said. "Now, I'm working with a couple of site selectors and ... had worked with a couple of companies that are already coming in."

Vivian said he attributed much of the change to Caterpillar's incoming plant.

"There's a lot of interest in Victoria right now," he said. "Caterpillar is going to spur some growth."

Among the new businesses that have already announced plans to locate in Victoria are Pier 1 Imports and Burger Nation, which will both set up shop on Navarro Street.

The chamber isn't alone in its efforts, however. Vivian said he works closely with the Victoria Economic Development Corp.

Development corporation President Dale Fowler could not give specific information regarding the companies interested in Victoria, but said he, too, had seen more inquiries lately. Many of those request information on logistics and the local labor force, he said.

"It's pretty exciting," he said. "I think it's exciting times for Victoria and for this area of Texas."




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Comments

  • will will Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    Why did he (Randy) not mention the NEW MEXICAN food restaurant.....
    called, REYES MEXICAN GRILLE on Navarro that just opened with a FULL BAR and great Margaritas.
    Oh yeah, the Chamber is a right wing quasi PAC for small business owners comprising of old white men.. They take political sides and have comprised their reputation disputing Science.
    I heard racist, sexist and other inappropriate remarks at a CHamber function. Keep your beer bellies and old man bad breath away from my businesses.

    June 1, 2011 at 5:29 p.m.
  • bighorn bighorn Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    How about a list of the business that have opened in recent months, WITHOUT the Chamber being involved, Advocate? The list is much, much longer than the Chamber could ever take credit for....

    Take a drive on US 59 south of town and count the number of new buildings and survey stakes all up and down the highway.

    June 1, 2011 at 4:55 p.m.
  • Gloria7 Gloria7 Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I think the reason Victoria is getting the Cat Plant is because of the bardge canal and also we now have an airport with controlled air space. These large companies look at all the aspects of a community. Just think they could of went to Corpus but they choose this community because they drove through our neighbohoods and liked what they saw and who knows maybe they like chinese buffets. LOL

    June 1, 2011 at 4:53 p.m.
  • fatguy fatguy Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    Wow !! Two whole calls in two weeks !! Impressive.

    June 1, 2011 at 4:03 p.m.
  • roberttx roberttx Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    where are the companies that will be supporting the CAT site ?

    June 1, 2011 at 1:25 p.m.
  • notasheep notasheep Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    It is great that some businesses are "interested" in Victoria. I'm sure partly because of the incentives they would receive. BUT, what I am disappointed in is that more local companies are not being used to build for these companies. If you are going to give a business an incentive to come to our town...at least make it mandatory that the business MUST use local contractors/businesses for all aspects of construction. I don't care if its the bigger companies here in town or the smaller ones...just as long as they are LOCAL.

    June 1, 2011 at 8:57 a.m.
  • WIRE5050 WIRE5050 Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I sure hope Mr. Fowler is getting calls from people that want to open more chinese buffets or mobile food units, I think Victoria has a shortage of these.

    May 31, 2011 at 9:13 p.m.