Economic development corporations (EDCs) are usually non-profits dedicated to assisting new and established business to grow and succeed. Each state and many local governments have these agencies to focus on long-term growth for the region. EDCs differ from chambers of commerce that promote the interests of businesses in a particular geographical area. Generally, state EDCs work with local EDCs by offering low interest loans, grants, tax credits and incentives to attract businesses.
Businesses We’ve Worked With
Throughout the years, the Alamo EDC has helped a number of businesses in our city through tailored incentives, loans and grants for starting, relocating or expanding. This also propels the local economy and reinforces the state economy. A few businesses we’ve helped include:
I Kids Academy
I Kids Academy provides afterschool care, meals, snacks and transportation for kids. It’s equipped with five large classrooms that total 3,060 square feet of space, eight regular bathrooms, a unisex bathroom, a handicap bathroom, a fully-stocked kitchen, a dining area with small, child-sized tables for meals, an 850 square foot large fenced outdoor play area and a front office.
The classrooms all have closet space, built-in cubbies and are equipped with age-appropriate toys and curriculums. The building is also air-conditioned. The front has a circular driveway that provides a convenient drop-off and pick-up area for parents.
Soleil Rehab Services
Soleil Rehab Services, a speech, physical and occupational therapy service provider, began as a husband running transportation, billing, answering phones and marketing, and a wife performing speech therapy on a few patients. This successful company has grown into an office staff that serves patients with poor feeding/swallowing skills, Down syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and many other issues.
The Original Willie B’s Bar-B-Q
The Original Willie B’s Bar-B-Q, a restaurant catering to good southern meat and fixings, first opened its doors in 1992. Since then, it’s grown into a South Texas staple that has Texas Monthly, Winter Texans, locals and people from across the world coming to get a taste of some delicious barbeque. In 2016, this savory restaurant needed to meet the demands of a growing customer base. Together with the Alamo EDC, the restaurant expanded into a bigger, more functional area where more customers could dine and experience true barbeque dishes.
Medek LLC
Established in 2009, Medek LLC offers the wholesale distribution of single-use food service disposables, paper goods and janitorial supplies across northeastern Mexico, Brownsville, Laredo, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Austin. With a growing number of clients that include restaurants, bakeries, convenience stores and more, Medek LLC strives to continuously bring quality products to clients. The company has already started laying the foundation to a new 12,000 square foot warehouse and adjacent 1,850 square foot office building.
Tailored Incentives for Your Business
Our incentive programs spur private sector investments and job creation that ultimately support sustainable economic development strategies that leverage investments from other public and private sources. Incentives that can help your business include:
- Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones – These involve tax increment financing for projects within identified areas.
- Grants to new and existing businesses – These grants are based on available resources and are only for offsite improvements where the resulting asset falls within public domain, such as but not limited to:
- Water distribution
- Sewer collection
- Drainage
- Public thoroughfares
- Medians
- Street lighting
- Solid waste collection
- Signage
- USDA-Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) – This program is another resource for rural communities.
- USDA-Rural Development: Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) – The RBEG program provides grants to EDCs for rural projects that finance and facilitate the development of small and emerging rural businesses and helps fund distance learning networks and employment-related adult education programs.
- The Local Business Retention Program – Supports local business organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and promotional events like community festivals. We also assist existing businesses on a case-by-case basis depending on the number of jobs created or saved, the investment or equity contribution of the business and the long-term self-sustainability of the project.
Let’s Talk Business
If you would like to learn more about the advantages of doing business in Alamo or how we can help you, give us a call at 956.787.6622 or visit us at 715 E. Business 83.