Monday saw the United Soccer League announce a new expansion team set to begin in 2016. That team will be owned by Alonzo Cantu, a co-owner of the NBA D-League team Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and play in the town of Edinburg, TX in the southern part of the state. The Vipers have been praised repeatedly for their ability to develop players for the NBA and be looking to bring those skills to soccer.

The expansion award is pending a suitable venue for the as yet unnamed team. The club is looking to build a 5,000 seat venue next door to their basketball arena and is in discussions with the local government to put that plan into motion. The Monitor's Dennis Silva II described it as: "Cantu’s vision includes a stadium with a sports complex and multiple fields for youth leagues. He wants to host fairs, festivals and outdoor concerts." It would follow the model used by Major League Soccer sides FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids, both who use the fields to great use as training fields and supplimental income sources.

Darrell Lovell reported last week that the Houston Dynamo had officially partnered with Cantu to form a USL team, with the Dynamo running the soccer side of the business while Cantu and his team handled the business half. Having a local owner who has shown himself to be successful at running a sports team, especially a developmental one, will be critical for the Dynamo as they look to expand their brand in the area. The Dynamo already have an Academy system set up in nearby McAllen, which is likely to be a major of talent for the USL team.

Likely one of the top signings for the team would be Christian Lucatero, the extremely talented attacking midfielder who will play with Oregon State. However, as he told ProsAmerika's Nayib Moran:  

"I definitely have to look over it [a professional contract], I mean if it’s a really good contract, then of course, but if it’s one of those mediocre contracts, I would just go to Oregon State and build up from there, you know, increase my stock."

The youngster signed on with Oregon State after the Dynamo didn't offer him a professional contract, which they might have done if they had a USL team to start the 2015 campaign. It's these type of exciting youngsters that the Dynamo will look to move to the South Texas club.

Once a stadium is secured and a name chosen, it likely won't borrow the Dynamo name, a formal ceremony will be held to announce the team.