A decade since breaking ground in New Caney, Valley Ranch has seen an ongoing wave of new development with more entertainment, dining and shopping options to come, officials with developer The Signorelli Co. said.

What's changing: This year, some major projects have opened or kicked off in the mixed-use development’s Entertainment District. Hope Media Group’s global headquarters opened June 5, and the East Montgomery County Improvement District’s convention center broke ground in March.

The convention center alone is slated to bring $1.73 billion in area business spending and more than 500 jobs over the next 30 years.

Quote of note: “We really want the Entertainment [District] to be energized. We want to be able to walk those streets and hear activity coming out of the building[s],” said Greg Wattson, senior vice president of commercial development for The Signorelli Co.

Meanwhile, some New Caney residents cited increased traffic as one downside to the growth in Valley Ranch.

Two new retail and dining centers with a combined 400,000 square feet of space for tenants are coming soon to Valley Ranch in New Caney, said Greg Wattson, senior vice president of commercial development for developer The Signorelli Co., on Oct. 28. The centers will be called Commerce East and Commerce West.

What to expect: Wattson said he expects some tenants for Commerce West to be announced in late December or late January. A few of the restaurants coming to the plaza will be new to the Greater Houston region, he added. 

The timeline: Construction on Commerce West is expected to kick off in 2026, a representative for The Signorelli Co. said via email Oct. 31. Meanwhile, Commerce East is estimated to open in 2028, Wattson said.

The development will be located at the southwest corner of the Grand Parkway and Hwy. 59 intersection in New Caney. 

• Construction starting in 2026 (Commerce West), opening in 2028 (Commerce East) 
• Grand Parkway and Hwy. 59, New Caney (exact address TBD)

Travelers will be able to fly directly to Rome from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, or IAH, beginning May 1, 2026, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced Dec. 2.

In a nutshell: Italian airline ITA Airways will offer the flights to Rome Fiumicino Airport, Whitmire said during a press conference. The new Houston connection marks the ninth U.S. destination for the airline, officials said.

Joerg Eberhart, CEO and general manager of ITA Airways, said the airline will start with three nonstop flights per week in May and ramp up to five flights per week by June. The flights are already available for purchase through the airline, he said.

Quote of note: “If we look at what’s going on in the Italian economy and the Houston economy, this gives us now the opportunity to go to Italian companies and try to track more of them and locate their U.S. headquarters here in Houston because we’ve got this great service now,” Houston Airports Director of Aviation Jim Szczesniak said.

In a Dec. 2 news conference, officials with Airbnb announced that Houston will receive a $1 million investment that will go toward supporting major community initiatives, expanding green infrastructure and increasing youth access to soccer.

Airbnb's sponsorship will specifically help support two major initiatives—The Green Corridor and Grow the Game.

The Green Corridor: The Green Corridor will be a 14-mile sustainable transit loop that connects key FIFA World Cup 26 venues, including the FIFA Fan Festival site in East Downtown and NRG Stadium.

Grow the Game: Part of Airbnb's $1 million sponsorship will go toward the Grow the Game program to renovate soccer fields in underserved communities, launch free or low-cost youth clinics and tournaments, and create certification pathways for coaches and referees.

One more thing: The 2026 World Cup draw is set for Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C., at noon Eastern Standard Time. The draw will determine the groups and matchups for next summer's tournament.