A massive Sam's Club is rising out of the dirt on the east side of Weslaco, and it is not exactly being shy about it. Framed exterior walls now tower over the roadside, the ground is scraped clean and leveled, and a branded fuel island is taking shape alongside it. City officials and on-site observers say the warehouse and gas plaza are expected to open later in 2026 and will rank among the region's largest single retail investments in years. Blue dust screens, temporary fencing and heavy equipment already ring the site as crews push through the framing phase, as reported by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
What’s Being Built
State project filings list the development as a roughly 167,644-square-foot Sam's Club paired with a 9,211-square-foot fuel station, with official permits showing an August 25, 2025 construction start and an August 16, 2026 projected completion date. According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, those are the figures and timeline formally registered for the project.
Regional reporting has pegged the total investment at about $46.5 million, reflecting updated cost estimates covered by the RGV Business Journal.
Where It’s Rising
The club is planned for nearly 22 acres at the northwest corner of Barbee Drive and Farm-to-Market Road 1015 (International Drive), a tract commercial marketers have pitched as part of a growing retail corridor. Property listings for the FM 1015 frontage spotlight the tract and its retail potential in materials carried on LoopNet.
Local accounts of the groundbreaking and the Weslaco Economic Development Corporation's updates on construction pace have been featured in community and regional business coverage, including Texas Border Business.
Jobs, Incentives and the Local Pitch
Weslaco leaders have been quick to frame the project as a jobs generator for the Mid-Valley. At the groundbreaking, Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said, "There's going to be over 200 employees." To help land the deal, the city approved a seven-year property tax abatement worth roughly $2 million in exchange for employment guarantees, internship slots for local high school and college students and donations to area nonprofits.
Those commitments, along with the abatement terms, were detailed in local reporting and public filings highlighted by MySanAntonio.
Timeline, Traffic and What to Watch
Sam's Club's state filing lists a permit completion date of August 16, 2026, but city officials say the store is expected to open later in 2026, with the exact date hinging on final inspections and equipment installation. Transportation work and lane expansions along FM 1015 have been staged to absorb the additional traffic the warehouse and fuel station are expected to bring, according to local coverage.
Keep an eye out for formal hiring announcements and membership sign-up promotions as the project moves from framing to interior build-out and systems testing. When the company publicly rolls out its hiring timeline, that will be the clearest tell for when shoppers can actually wheel a cart down those new aisles.
