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By Steve Taylor, Reporter
WESLACO, Texas – The lightning-fast fiber optic broadband Brownsville now enjoys could and should be extended across the Rio Grande Valley.
This is the view of Jorge Cardenas, chief information officer for the City of Brownsville. Cardenas spoke about the need for regional cooperation at a workshop on broadband and data centers organized by the RGV Broadband Coalition. The workshop was held at the offices of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council.
Cardenas said he has heard about a project to connect Del Rio, Laredo and Zapata County with fiber optic. And another to connect Laredo to Corpus Christi. Why can’t the Valley think regionally, he asked.
He pointed out that the City of Brownsville secured a $22 million grant from the Texas Broadband Development Office that will help spread Brownsville’s fiber optic network to 17 neighboring communities. But, he said, the Valley could have got a lot more than $22 million, had cities been prepared to collaborate in the preparation of a bid.
“We need to really brainstorm and see what everybody is doing and really come up with a plan for the region. I have learned that it is best when we work together as cities,” Cardenas said.
“The last grant that we got, there was $230 million available. We applied for $22 million and we got $22 million. What if, and I reached out to several cities about, hey, let’s come together, let’s work together, let’s go for $120 million, $150 million for the region. I didn’t hear back.”
Cardenas continued: “Before you bring a data center, we have got to be connected (with fiber optic broadband). And in order to be connected, we’ve got to work together.”
Cardenas began his remarks by talking about his experience. He said that whilst serving in the Marines he was one of a group known as the Cable Dogs.
“We started running a lot of the cable infrastructure in 2004-2008, in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have probably laid over 700 to 1,000 miles of fiber in my lifetime. I did a lot of myself, I learned a lot… trenching, pulling, splicing… and became a master instructor of fiber optics in 2012 So I’m very familiar with this topic.
Cardenas said when he arrived in Brownsville it was known as the worst connect city in the nation. “Definitely, that’s not a title that you want to have. So, when I got here, we had a project to build 100 miles of fiber, and we designed it in a way with the economic development in mind. Our former city manager was big into economic development, so her and I were able to work very closely, and with my experience in broadband and technology, it took us to where we designed the infrastructure for the future, to help bring businesses in, to bring economic development to the region.”
Now, Brownsville’s lightning-fast fiber optic does not just cover the city, Cardenas explained.
“It also covers Olmito, Rancho Viejo, Los Fresnos, and is close to Rio Hondo and Bayview. It’s not close enough yet, but we just got another grant, $22 million. It’s going to take us from Brownsville all the way to Los Indios, up to San Benito, up to Bayview, Arroyo, Laguna Vista, Port Isabel, close to the new (South Padre Island) bridge, and then coming down to the Port (of Brownsville) and then also connecting to the new city there, Starbase.”
Cardenas then discussed data centers.
“Data centers need several things, but I think the top three are power, water, and broadband. Without any of those three, there is no data center. There is nothing.”
Cardenas spoke about “hyperscaler” data centers. A hyperscale data center is a massive data center that provides extreme scalability capabilities and is engineered for large-scale workloads.
“There’s no hyperscaler data center close to this region. The closest one we have is in Dallas. But this area is growing so fast. This area is just booming. So, it’s only a matter of time before we’re going to need a hyperscaler data center.”
Cardenas said he is aware of the negative opinion many people have about data centers, including many Valley residents.
“I think one thing we need to realize is that a data center is a ‘must have’ in a community. Maybe not all communities, right, because you don’t need four or five data centers here in the region. But we do need a data center, and they will be built, whether we like it or we don’t. It will be built.”
Cardenas said he would not be surprised to see SpaceX develop one.
“We see what’s happening with SpaceX going public, and the billions they’re getting, and the land they’re buying. So, either a city builds it or they build it themselves. They just spent $80 million last week on turbines to generate their own power. So, what do you think is going to stop them from building their own desalination plant at the ocean, where they are already?” Cardenas said.
“So, those are things that we have got to start thinking about. We have got to connect the dots on what is happening in the region. We need to be ready… and I think that’s where the regional collaboration is very, very important.”
Cardenas added: “A data center is key for your success as a city. You might not need again a full blown hyperscaler in your city, but you definitely need to start thinking about the future of AI and how cities are going to operate. So, this is an avalanche. You cannot stop it. I can tell you that right now.
“It’s not going to stop the same way nobody stopped the internet back in the 90s. People said, ‘oh, it’s just a fad. It’s going to come in and it’s going to go.’ Guess what? It’s still here, and it’s still growing. So, same thing with data centers, same thing with AI. All of you have phones, and every app in your phone, where does that come from? A data center.”
Editor’s Note: Here is a video recording of the remarks Jorge Cardenas made at the RGV Broadband Caolition workshop. He is introduced by Jordana Barton-Garcia, director of the nonprofit:
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