PORT ISABEL – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department missed the deadline for the completion of the renovation of the local lighthouse.

Valerie Bates, marketing director for the city, previously told CHANNEL 5 NEWS this weekend was the target date to re-open the lighthouse to the public.

On Friday, she said the date had to be delayed.

Business owners around the area said they’ve been hurting with the closing of the lighthouse for about a year and a half now.

“We’re going to make a big push when this is open to promote that it’s open because we want increased traffic to our business community,” Bates said.

Bates said the railing around the top of the lighthouse is now complete and crews are working on the final touches.

Now, they hope to re-open the lighthouse to the public by the last week of December.