The reservation and resort life in Rosita
Rosita is home to the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. In the 1980s, the rural valley east of the Rio Grande became a 118-acre reservation for the Native American tribe after they camped near the international bridge to Mexico for many decades. When the tribe opened the Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel in 1996, it brought around 700 new jobs to the area along with new homes and hotels. “That area has been very popular with Airbnbs and rental properties,” says Sandra Esquivel, a local All City Real Estate agent. “There’s a lot of growth in the area because that’s where the casino is.” With home prices well below the national median, an elementary school and a roughly 8-mile drive to Eagle Pass, Rosita is a border town with some of the biggest attractions in Maverick County.
Low-cost homes on the outskirts of Eagle Pass
Older homes are spread across long dirt country roads south of the highway. Traditional and contemporary homes are the primary architectural styles in this community, and the median sale price is about $180,000. “It’s far from the city – more on the outskirts,” Esquivel says. “A lot of new construction is headed toward that area.” Many smaller fixer-uppers have gravel, dirt and pebble landscaping with barn gates and chain link fences, costing between $135,000 and $200,000. Newer mid-sized homes were recently built on grassy quarter-acre to half-acre lots with trees and wild bushes and range from $200,000 to $350,000.
A bedroom community south of the El Indio Highway
Eagle Pass is 8 miles northwest of Rosita when driving on El Indio Highway. There are two 24-hour hospitals in the city, including the Stat Emergency Center and the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center. A Greyhound bus stop on 2nd Street has services running 55 miles north to Del Rio and over 140 miles east to San Antonio and its international airport. Those without their own vehicles can reserve region-wide transportation 24 hours in advance through the Southwest Area Regional Transit District, with rates ranging from $2 to $60 for round trips outside the city limits.
Eagle Eats, new arrivals and resort restaurants
There are many Mexican, barbecue and sit-down casual restaurants in Eagle Pass, with new openings including Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden and Bubba’s 33. Most of Rosita’s local dining options are found within the resort, which also has a few bars and cocktail lounges. Burgers, barbecue and sandwiches are available at the Red Sky Grill, while Riverbend Cafe is well known for its tacos, tortas and menudo. Breakfast is served at the in-house IHOP, and The Marketplace has four kitchens: Freddy’s Steakburgers, Grande Pizza Co., Eagle Eats and Wok Inn Asian Cafe. Azul is a fine-dining experience with offerings such as Australian lamb medallions and tomahawk steak. There's a Casino Grocery & Market on El Indo Highway, and Eagle Pass has an H-E-B and Walmart.
Poker, bingo and karaoke nights at Lucky Eagle Casino
The Lucky Eagle Casino is open 24 hours a day and features over 3,000 electronic gaming machines, a 12-table poker room and a bingo hall. The Que Pasa Lounge is the hotel’s nightclub. It hosts live music and karaoke nights, and guests can swim in the outdoor pool. Outside of the resort, there’s a small playground and basketball court at Los Guajillos Park, while more family parks and community playgrounds can be found farther north past the El Indo Highway.
A local elementary school and college campus
The Rosita Valley Elementary School has been in the community since 1993 and has a C-plus on Niche. It’s zoned for the Eagle Pass Independent School District, which is rated a B-minus. Eagle Pass Junior High has a family services program that assists low-income families with housing, nutrition and medical resources and earns a C-plus. Eagle Pass High School offers advanced placement courses and is rated a B. Sul Ross State University operates an auxiliary campus in Eagle Pass and earns a B.
