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As park-goers along the banks of the Neches River may have noticed, the construction site for Pour Neches is making progress.

According to the development owner Min Dai, the highly-awaited restaurant and pickleball project may even be completed before the end of the year if conditions are permitting.

“If the weather goes well and we don’t have any hurricanes, we’re shooting for sometime before the end of the year,” Dai said. “If we can get through it, that’s great.”

Dai said that’s the goal, however, an opening date is not set in stone and is potentially subject to change.

Recent construction developments at the riverfront site include concrete for the parking lot, as well as facility framing and studs. Once complete, the Pour Neches facility will house a full-service restaurant along with pickleball courts. 

“It’s going to be a family and pet-friendly restaurant,” Dai said. “We want a green area for kids to play, and obviously pickleball is a growing sport. We want the whole family to come in and have stuff to do outside the traditional restaurant experience.”

Dai plans for the restaurant to serve a blend of Cajun and Asian fare. He aims for around 90-95% of the offerings to be made from scratch.

Pour Neches will create anywhere from 50 to 75 jobs. Dai said hiring will begin when the venue is 6-8 weeks out from its opening date.