Felipe Calderon President of Mexico in Cintermex

Today we have the visit of President of Mexico Felipe Calderon, who will attend the Expo CANITEC, which brings together the cable companies, equipment suppliers and industry profesionales in an event that offers solutions in technology and trends heading devoted to cable to cable television, where professionals share the improvements for the next generation in content. The building is highly protected by the guards of the President, but expected a large attendance at the event.

Fin de semana largo..........

En este mes de mayo habra un fin de semana largo para muchas familias ya que niños de pre-escolar y primaria tendran libres del dia 01 al 05 de mayo y es bueno para aprovechar las ofertas y comprar los regalos del dia de la madre en McAllen,,

Los invitamos para que crucen por el puente anzalduas,, mas rapido y mas seguro!!!


que tengan un excelente martes....

Your next convention/meeting belongs here at the McAllen Convention Center

There are many reason why your next convention/meeting belongs here at the McAllen Convention Center

The McAllen Convention Center opened in 2007, offering 174,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space, and now McAllen is being recognized internationally as a prime destination city for conventions, conferences, and meetings.

Whether you are planning a tradeshow, convention, corporate meeting or special function, McAllen Convention Center is an ideal location.

The McAllen CVB’s sales staff and convention services team remain dedicated to making meeting planners’ lives easy and their events successful.

Fast Facts:
1) McAllen has over 600 restaurants
2) Over 6,850 area hotel rooms
3) Access to over 20 professional golf courses
4) McAllen Miller International Airport has over 27 daily flights
5) Close to South Padre Island
6) Eco-Tourism steps from the convention center
7) Enriched Mexican American culture
8) Historic Downtown District with Dining & Entertainment

Contact our sales and services team to answer your questions and tell you more about what the McAllen and Rio Grande Valley area offers to your meeting.

Let's Meet In McAllen!
Victor Castillo
Director of Convention Sales
McAllen Convention & Visitors Bureau
(956) 776-8599 Cell
(956) 682-2871 Office
http://www.mcallencvb.com
vcastillo@mcallencvb.com

Staycations Promotion will be offered again for Summer of 2010

Not sure what to do this summer? The McAllen Chamber of Commerce along with other Rio Grande Valley Cities will be offering residents a chance to save some green this summer by vacationing in our area. The McAllen Chamber will provide residents with a package containing coupons to local restaurants and activities in the area upon check in at participating hotels. Log on to www.mcallencvb.com for updates regarding this special promotion.

Caintra

Tomorrow will be held the Caintra monthly meeting where the topic will be the services and programs of the Center for Competitiveness of Monterrey and the Caintra community. They also are promoting a discount card, similar to our Value Card.

More and more people are saying: "Let's Meet In McAllen!"

More and more people are saying "Let's Meet In McAllen!" The City of McAllen is already recognized internationally as one of the fastest growing cities in America, and one of the friendliest cities in America. But that's not all, McAllen is a prime destination city for conventions, conferences, and meetings.

The question is: Is McAllen big enough to host your convention? The answer is Yes!!

The Texas Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) held its 2009 Annual Convention in McAllen accommodating 2,000 high school students during the 4-day event. Texas HOSA Executive Director, Janet Villareal, says they had a great time! "The Convention Center was a magnificent setting for our conference. I have not received nothing but positive comments about McAllen. This is truly a wonderful city to bring your conference to."

The McAllen Convention Center, offers 174,000 square feet of high-tech, state-of-the-art multifunctional meeting space, 59,400 square feet column-free exhibit hall, 23,800 square feet lobby concourse, 16 breakout rooms, and an elegant 10,148 square feet ballroom.

With abundant hotel rooms and a myriad of restaurants, night life, attractions and destinations eager to "show off" for visitors, McAllen is ready, willing and able to handle almost any event, large or small.

Wildlife and nature groups are also saying "Let's Meet In McAllen!" The North American Nature Photography Association recently awarded the 2011 Annual Convention to McAllen. Reasons behind the decision included its tropical climate, abundant birding locations, and the new McAllen Convention Center that is perfectly located and surrounded by shopping and restaurant areas. The traditional architecture and contemporary spirit will not only delight your eyes, it will enrich your senses and make you want to bring your next big event and say "Let's Meet In McAllen!"

The McAllen Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to offer assistance and services for conventions and meetings that utilize 100 or more hotel nights in McAllen properties. If your event brings in 500 or more hotel room nights in McAllen you may qualify for some of our incentive packages which include complimentary meeting and exhibit hall space. advance planning assistance, delegate packets, name badges, registration assistance, printing, mailing and marketing, and much more.

The bottom line is that McAllen is an affordable opportunity to host a convention in South Texas. 26 successful events held last year are just an example to make your organization say "Let's Meet In McAllen!"

Contact Information:
Victor Castillo
McAllen CVB Director of Sales
vcastillo@mcallencvb.com
(956) 682-2871 Office
(956) 776-8599 Cell

McAllen Chamber Installs Solar Panel Array

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce building now boasts a 10-panel solar array, generously donated by Green Mountain Energy. The switch will officially be turned on today by McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez at the official dedication ceremony.

We're very excited and appreciative to have received the array from Green Mountain Energy, and look forward to leading the way towards more energy efficient living in the City and Valley by reducing our carbon footprint. There are way too few alternative energy sources in the Valley now-hopefully more businesses and homeowners will begin to consider installing panels, those bird-friendly wind turbines, or other alternative sources.

Music After Hours Pre-Event Concert

Music After Hour this Friday, April 23rd will be at the McAllen Convention Center. We will have 2 stages, one on each side of the reflecting pool where local DJ's will spin their music from 5pm to 11pm. This Music After Hours show is a pre-event concert for the DeadMau5 concert on Saturday, April 24. For more information on this, please contact Greg Schuller at 956-687-2787.

We have been having a whole lot of rain in McAllen the past two weeks-well, a whole lot for us! Everything is incredibly green and the temperature is probably 5 to 7 degrees cooler than usual. This makes it a great time to be outdoors. If you like birding, fishing (the lakes are really full of bass) or any type of sports like golf, hiking, baseball, biking etc., this is the place to be. Actually, I like to swim but have not hit the pool yet because it's been so cool (I'm getting chicken in my old age) but now's the time to start. I'm also remembering a great kyaking trip we took in the Rio Grande last summer-and looking foward to doing it again. Let's meet in McAllen and have fun!

McAllen Chamber of Commmerce Getting Green Energy Right on Time for Earth Day...

"Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 10 A.M. the McAllen Chamber and Green Mountain will unveil the Chamber’s first solar array and the first to power a Chamber in the entire Rio Grande Valley."

The McAllen Chamber of Commere is taking another step towards going green. It has acquired solar energy capabilities. "That's one small step for the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, one giant leap for the city of McAllen." I don't want to take away from crediting Neil Armstrong famous quote, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." I'm simply borrowing this quote to make a point of a small accomplishment that may lead to major positive changes in the community and overall in the enviroment.

Get involved in your community and give a little back to nature,"Go Green..."

http://www.earthday.org/

McAllen's Vida Verde Earth Day Festival this Saturday at Quinta Mazatlan

For all nature enthusiasts, here is one festival you don't want to miss. Live shows, crafts, etc. Check out the website for more information about the event schedule. It's a "green" thing. McAllen, Texas's Vida Verde Earth Day Festival! Celebrate the wonders of Planet Earth during the third annual VIDA VERDE Earth Day Festival at Quinta Mazatlan! People of all ages will enjoy FREE festival activities all day long. Date: Saturday, April 17, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. FREE! http://www.quintamazatlan.com/events/special/vidaverde.aspx

Vida Verde Earth Day Festival! "Save the Date..." This Saturday April 17, 2010

To all nature enthusiats, here is one festival you may not want to miss. Live shows, crafts, etc. Check out the website for more information about the event schedule. It's a "green" thing.

Vida Verde Earth Day Festival!

Celebrate the wonders of Planet Earth during the third annual VIDA VERDE Earth Day Festival at Quinta Mazatlan!

People of all ages will enjoy FREE festival activities all day long!
Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Fee: FREE!

http://www.quintamazatlan.com/events/special/vidaverde.aspx

McALLEN STAYCATION PROMOTION

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce along with the Hidalgo County Coop will soon announce their STAYCATION PROMOTION 2010, in this promotion you will be able to take advantage of great prices in hotel rooms rates and many other attractions throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Please stay in tune for more information on STAYCATON PROMOTION.

Thank you,

Teo

McAllen hotel occupancy

Today I received an email which said the hotel occupancy of Holy Week and was very happy to know that despite the events of recent times, the Monterrey people confirmed that McAllen is their favorite city for shopping.

Special Music After Hours Show

Next Friday, April 23rd, Music After Hours will be at the McAllen Convention Center performing on 2 stages from 5pm to 11pm. Over 20 local DJ's will be performing at this DeadMaus pre-event outdoor show. The McAllen Chamber of Commerce, the City of McAllen, M3 Productions and Energetik are all working together to make this event happen. This event is FREE and open to the public. Let everybody know about this show and we will see you there.

People meeting in McAllen can now enjoy baseball at both the collegiate and professional level. With the season just beginning I'm happy to brag about our University of Texas Pan American team. We have a new athletic director and a new coach who bring a really high degree of professionalism to this prestigious University-recently more famous for academics than athlethics. UTPA has a rich history of success in baseball and I expect it to regain that stature. Let me know if you want a schedule of games. Our pro league team, the Roadrunners, has won it's league in recent years past and also provides a quality experience. Both teams play in a relatively new and very comfortable stadium. So, let's meet in McAllen and let's go out to the ballgame! By the way, if you are bringing a group to McAllen and want a group outing to the ballpark, we can make that happen. Call me or email at 956-682-2871 jdeuser@mcallencvb.com

Hundreds of devotees of nature photography visiting McAllen in 2011

Hundreds of devotees of nature photography are visiting McAllen in 2011. They will explore history, culture and natural diversity combined in one place, McAllen.

The Seventeenth Annual Nature Photography Summit and Trade Show is scheduled to take place in McAllen, March 9-13, 2011. The summit includes portfolio reviews, workshops, a trade show, vendor sessions and an awards celebration.

The North American Nature Photography Association or NANPA is an organization dedicated to photography of nature. Established in 1994, the association has more than 3,000 members currently. It annually sponsors many events and conferences, such as NANPA Road Shows, in the United States. Their official website is http://www.nanpa.org/

Stay up to date by visiting LetsMeetInMcAllen.com

Dining in McAllen....

McAllen has over a hundred restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines! Come join us for dinner...log on to www.mcallenchamber.com for a complete list of restaurants.

McALLEN HISTORICAL BOOK

Just to give you an idea how proud the citizens of McAllen are about their city, McAllen Centennial Publications, is planning on a publication on the history of our city. Come and join us for a 15-minute program on a dynamic book about the first 100 year of McAllen's History. For more information please call 682-2871.

Thank you,

Teo

A special invitation for this evening at Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen

INVITATION
Mayor Richard Cortez and the City Commission invite you to be their special guests for “Franco Iglesias Opera Ensemble," featuring six world-renowned vocalists. The evening under the stars will honor the internationally acclaimed MAESTRO IGLESIAS
and the Rio Grande Foundation for the Performing Arts. Tonight, Thursday, April 8,
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Quinta Mazatlan, 600 Sunset, McAllen. RSVP with Sonia Cantu at 681-1001. Dessert buffet & wines will be served.

Last night I attended our "Broadway in McAllen" production of STOMP. It was the second time I've seen this delightful show and I think I enjoyed it even more than the first time. This show makes you smile and laugh for an hour and a half without a single word of dialogue. It's amazing what "miming" and body language can communicate! Broadway in McAllen has been a long-time partnership with the CVB, bringing this type of entertainment to town four to six times a year. It's another "quality of life" issue that makes McAllen a great place to live. Come see us when you can and let us "meet you in McAllen."

Broadway in McAllen & Other Area Shows...

Mcallen has a little bit of everthing it's convention centers cater to conventions, concerts, and braodway "type" shows. I went to an ANNIE show last year and there have been numerous shows like that, such as CATS and today & tommorrow STOMP will be there. for more information: http://www.mcallenconventioncenter.net/events/featured/civic_auditorium/stomp.aspx

If we take a 5 minute drive south of 10th St. from McAllen airport/mall area, you will run into another entertinment venue, the State Farm Arena, formally known as Dodge Arena. This week, Disney on Ice will be there on April 7-11, 2010. For more information: http://statefarmarena.com/

vacaciones todavia!!!

Pues a los niños les queda todavia esta semana de vacaciones y a todos nuestros amigos que desean visitarnos en McAllen se les recomienda salir temprano de Monterrey ya con gasolina y snacks para que no paren en el trayecto y así poder cruzar por el puente anzalduas temprano y con mas seguridad,, así como de igual manera se les recomienda cargar gasolina en EU y regresar a Monterrey por el mismo puente,, de preferencia temprano, antes de anochecer para evitar cualquier contratiempo...

Pues aprovechar esta semana que aun queda libre para seguir descansando y difrutando de la Semana de Pascua en McAllen...

Que tengan un excelente y productivo martes!!!

Cámara de Comercio de McAllen presente en redes sociales

Mantenerse bien informado sobre McAllen, Texas, es más fácil de lo que se pudieran imaginar, y esto gracias a las redes sociales que lo facilitan para que no solo residentes del Valle de Texas, sino turistas de cualquier parte de México y del interior del país, puedan planear su viaje a la “Ciudad de las Palmas” también conocida como “El Trópico de Texas.”

Además de contar con el portal informativo www.mcallenchamber.com, La Cámara de Comercio de McAllen ahora utiliza una cuenta de Twitter para su Buró de Convenciones y Visitantes. Ya sea a través de un teléfono celular inteligente o de una computadora personal, solo se requiere visitar http://twitter/mcallencvb para enterarse de las novedades o lugares interesantes a visitar en McAllen, ya sea para negocios o de placer.

Steve Ahlenius, Presidente de la Cámara de Comercio de McAllen, dice que estas plataformas sociales son otro vehículo para dar a conocer el mensaje de la Cámara al mundo entero. “Las redes sociales nos permiten informar sobre lo que se puede hacer en McAllen, y los proyectos en los que estamos trabajando” dijo Ahlenius al explicar que él como mucha gente es una persona activa que aprovecha la tecnología del internet tanto para asuntos personales como de negocios.

Pero la presencia de La Cámara de Comercio de McAllen en el internet no está limitada a Twitter, ya que una cuenta de Facebook permite intercambiar mensajes, fotos, y dar a conocer sobre eventos, hoteles, restaurantes, asi como conferencias y convenciones que tendrán lugar en el majestuoso Centro de Convenciones de McAllen, ubicado en el Expressway 83 y la carretera Ware.

Sobre novedades relacionadas a la cultura, arte y entretenimiento, también se puede acudir a un blog en el cual se puede encontrar una sección en español. Para instrucciones en como conectarse a todos estos sistemas solo hay que visitar mcallenchamber.com

Easter Egg Hunt!

The City of McAllen Parks and Recreation Department will host the First Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 3rd at Municipal Pool (1921 N. Bicentennial) in McAllen.

Municipal Pool will be open for Public Swim at 1:00 p.m. with the Underwater Easter Egg Hunt scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. Public Swim will also be available following the festivities.

The Easter Bunny and Gus & Goldie plan to make a special appearance at the event. The Parks & Recreation Department will also provide hot dogs and drinks to those participating in the festivities.

The price of admission for Public Swim is $2.00 which also includes admission for the Underwater Easter Egg Hunt.

University Interscholastic Leaque in McAllen

All is under way for the University Interscholastic League Golf Tournament April 19-22, The event will be held in McAllen and Edinburg for boys and girls high school ages. Over 300 people are expected for the tournament between players, coaches and parents. This event will bring out of town and regional participant to McAllen.

Thank you,

Teo