University, county and city officials break ground last Friday at the site of the future UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center in McAllen. Shown from left are Tony Aguirre, McAllen District 1 city commissioner; Fred Farias III, O.D., and chair of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Ramiro Garza, Edinburg mayor; Pepe Cabeza de Vaca, McAllen District 6 city commissioner; state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen); Dr. Michael B. Hocker, senior vice president for UT Health RGV and dean of theUTRGV School of Medicine; Guy Bailey, UTRGV president; Dr. Nolan Perez, University of Texas System regent; Javier Villalobos, McAllen mayor; Ellie Torres, Hidalgo County Pct. 3 commissioner; Michael A. Patriarca, executive vice dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and vice president for UT Health RGV, and Dr. Michael Sander, UT Health RGV chief physician executive. ABIGAIL OLLAVE/THE RIDER PHOTOSUniversity of Texas Rio Grande Valley President Guy Bailey (center) and other officials break ground today for the new 145,000-square-foot UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center at the 495 Commerce Center in McAllen. The $145,723,401 center is expected to open in February 2025. Funding for the project will come from the Permanent University Fund, tuition revenue bonds, and other funding and gifts, including a $1 million donation from the City of McAllen, according to a UTRGV news release. Dr. Michael B. Hocker (left), UTRGV School of Medicine dean and senior vice president for UT Health Rio Grande Valley; Dr. Nolan Perez, University of Texas System regent, and Guy Bailey, UTRGV president, pose with a rendering of the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center. The center is expected to be completed by February 2025.
