Max Grossman sent in a more lengthy post than the portion that we post today.
We have found that shorter articles make a stronger point with our readers.
From Mr. Grossman:
What a difference 20 years makes! I have attached a Wall Street Journal report by Patrick Barta entitled “El Paso Bets Union Plaza Will Enliven Downtown.” Back in those days, Union Plaza was a 19-block neighborhood that was designated as an entertainment district. We read: “By the end of 1999, $53 million will have been spent to make Union Plaza such an attractive entertainment district that Mayor Carlos Ramirez and City Council members figure businesses will be fighting to lease space. And proponents see a revitalized Union Plaza with new retail stores and restaurants as a boost for the entire downtown, bringing in more jobs and greater tax revenue.” That was about the time when the City of El Paso published its now-famous 1998 cultural resources survey of downtown El Paso, which identified numerous potential landmarks and historic sites throughout the Union Plaza neighborhood.
The link to the original article. WSJ 22 Apr 1998
elpasospeak 
When we fail to recognize and learn from our mistakes, we tend to repeat them, don’t we? Some of us have been crying out loud about this long term poor planning, and no one wants to hear it. When certain misguided souls decided to tear down City Hall and build a Ball Park, y’all wouldn’t listen. Now, y’all want to build an arena, even though it is pretty obvious that nobody except some rich guys want this. And, you’re tearing down what was once a pretty damn good baseball park because you think you have to cut off our nose to spite your face. Stop. Just. Stop.
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Who is the “you” and “ya’ll” you keep referring to?
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John must be referring to himself.
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The public’s short attention span and unwillingness to read long, detailed pieces is one reason we have so many problems both locally and nationally. It’s a problem with people of all ages, not just the young.
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Perhaps it is more of an intolerance to Cantinflear…
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Gibberish comes in both short and long pieces, as many tweets by politicians prove.
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An elite few master planning almost anything seems unwise. Now, I wish the best for Union Plaza and the ballpark, but they have not revitalized downtown nor will they. A prosperous future for El Paso, in my opinion, is dependent on a well educated citizenry, not the wise direction of elite planners or plutocrats.
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Yes.
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