McAllen: Harbour splashing fun planned

McALLEN – The Harbour, a 19-acre waterside entertainment development, located near the intersection of I-2/Expy. 83 and Bentsen Rd., has broken ground. Amenities of the development will include a 40,000-sf family entrainment complex, a four-story hotel and restaurants surrounding a lake.

Hurricane Alley, the family entertainment complex, will be the main attraction. The complex will include a 22-lane bowling alley, laser tag, billiards and “an elevated ropes course,” according to the company.

Grupo Feruan, the developer, acquired the 14-acre property in May 2012, according to Hidalgo County Appraisal District records, which estimate the land’s market value at nearly $3.3 million.

The McAllen City Commission authorized economic incentives for Grupo Feruan USA by offering a ten-year property tax agreement on the development’s lake and family entertainment complex, according to Keith Patridge, McAllen Economic Development Corp. CEO.

The deal also included a sales tax rebate agreement, which takes effect when the entertainment complex’s taxable sales hit $4 million. Other incentives include half-off the building permit and job creation incentives, said City Manager Mike Perez. Additionally, McAllen also agreed to fill the lake.

Construction on The Harbour’s major attractions should be completed by July 2014, but construction of individual restaurants, retail and office locations may continue until 2016, according to the development’s traffic impact analysis.

Read more at the Monitor.