The operators of our ball park will certainly have something to say if the city moves forward with plans to tear down our convention center and build a new arena right next door to the ball park.
That is unless the folks from the ball park end up running the arena too.
From what we can see hosting events at both facilities at the same time will be an absolute nightmare.
Does this mean that the arena will sit empty whenever the ball park is hosting an event?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Brutus,
Your question seems to assume both a certain level of intelligence among those planning all of this and that there has been some actual thinking and planning down to the details level behind this whole endeavor.
IF so, the only polite response seems to be, “Have you MET this city?”
LikeLike
No one has yet explained why we must have this arena, let alone why we must have it downtown, creating the kind of gridlock that will keep people from going downtown…what is it that we don’t get now that we can get if we have the arena? The arena may be the “signature project” of the QOL bond but whose signature is it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Follow the money and that will tell you where the arena will be built.
LikeLike
The ballpark sits empty for several months during the off season already. I’ve always wondered how all those “there’s nothing to do in El Paso” ballpark advocates justify their wonderful entertainment venue when it just sits there for half a year. Soon they may be able to alternate between the arena events and the ballpark but the ballpark will still be sitting empty for a good while just like now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Although we plebeians paid for the park, it belongs to Foster and Hunt. It is their private property and can only be used for their own pleasure and as they see fit. You mean you didn’t know that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not true. The city owns the ballpark.During the “off season” the city can rent it, use it, keep the proceeds. They cannot host an event that would be destructive to the park. The company that runs the CVB — rents out Abraham Chavez and the Plaza — will no doubt run the arena. The fact that there are not many events at the ballpark outside of the ballgames shows we probably don’t need an arena. City Council should put it to the voters. Do they want to “un-approve” the arena that they voted for 6 years ago?
LikeLike
Please read https://elpasospeak.com/2013/11/07/el-paso-ball-park-lease-continued/
The city can use the ball park for “civic-oriented, community not-for profit or educational events such as City ceremonies, conferences, conventions, meetings and training sessions”.
Brutus
LikeLiked by 1 person
The operative word is “rent.” We gave Mountainstar a ridiculously low lease rate and now we still have to pay them to use it. I think the city is entitled to something like one day of usage per year, if that.
LikeLike
Anonymous, it’s called sarcasm.
LikeLike
Details, details. We small-minded people have to stop sweating the details.
LikeLike
Am I the only person who finds it odd that some members of city council find excuses not to be present when scheduled council meetings are about contentious topics and controversial votes are to take place? It’s unfortunate that their explanations are accepted at face value as though they are legitimate reasons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is obvious that our city father’s have insisted on the downtown ballpark and now the arena to satisfy the demands of the Foster and Hunt families. Both families own a lot of real estate downtown that house lots of office space, retail stores, restaurants and bars. They want more businesses downtown because it means lots of rental money for their already deep pockets.
Additionally, the contract given Mountain Star sports group is amazingly generous. Who the hell negotiated that contract for the city? Joyce Wilson should have her head examined after she betrayed the next 2-3 generations of El Paso taxpayers.
LikeLike