As part of the deal with MountainStar where they will be hosting USL soccer at the ball park, it appears that the new team needs a practice facility.
Item 31.1 on the Tuesday, October 2, 2018 city council agenda contemplates giving the team the right to use two soccer fields at the Westside Sports Complex for five years. In return the team (aka COMPANY) will bring the fields up to USL standards and then maintain them.
“COMPANY’s occupancy and use of the Facilities shall take precedence over any other use of the Facilities during the Team’s pre-season training camp, regular season, and post-season … as shall be deemed included in Exhibit B …”
In other words during the period described in Exhibit B the team will have control over the fields.
Exhibit B is shown below:
For the 2018 USL season pre-season ran from the February 3 to March 16. Regular season was from March 16 to October 14. The post-season will start October 20 and end November 10.
Kids, we will let you know when you can use the field.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
On the one hand it relieves taxpayers of the previously unbudgeted cost of mantaining the fields. On the other hand, MountainStar chose to acquire a team. Since the team is now here without city incentives, we should not give them any incentives. Personally I think they should pay rent in addition to maintaining the fields.
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The existing stadium was a huge incentive, as was exclusivity for downtown events. Mountainstar has been given about $500 million in incentives over the life of the stadium contract, money that taxpayers must pay. They have their hand out again because it worked so well last time. The city is still trying to build an arena that they will give to mountainstar.
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Why does mountainstar buy sports teams if they cannot afford facilities for them to use? This is not a taxpayer responsibilty, it is essentially welfare for the wealthiest people in town.
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We have miles and miles of OPEN desert all around El Taxo. If Mountain Star Sports wants, needs a field tell them to go out there some where, improve the desert and make themselves a practice field. Just another “Opportunity” for politicians to GIVE AWAY El Paso and get NOTHING in return. Just like their ball field that TAXPAYERS were scammed on. Taxpayers will never get that paid for or ever realize a dime in pay-back or profit.
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I enjoy SOCCER and so do MANY in this area do too!
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I enjoy both baseball and soccer, but I refuse to support any team that is owned by people who are worth hundreds of millions of dollars and still think taxpayers should subsidize their private businesses.
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Foster just bought more than 8,000 acres of land from the federal government, but he can’t afford a patch of grass for a practice field? Hunt has developed thousands of acres on the west side and is building a shiny new tower downtown with tax subsidies, but can’t afford a practice field? Stop the charade and streamline things. Just go ahead and give Woody and Paul check signing privileges for the city bank accounts.
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Mountain Star Sports bought the politicians, who scammed, forced the taxpayers to buy the ball field for them. Now they OWN the politicians, the city of El Taxo and the taxpayers, home owners pay the bills for whatever THEY want and it just keeps going..
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Brutus, the answer to your question is, the kiddies can play during Christmas vacay, just as long as they wear a jacket, of course. l guess l’m suppose to be grateful that the gods and goddesses that make up Council are “transparent” enough to inform me that they don’t need our input on this issue. And speaking of kind-hearted people, (cough cough) MountainStar is kind enough to pay for the upgrade and maintenance! This is the equivalent of them paying for my rent right after they kick me out of my apartment so that they can live there. With “generosity” like this, who needs enemies? Finally, after doing some research, the USL is the lower version of MLS. Translation: cheap ticket prices, which means that there isn’t going to be tons of high dollar/high rollers flying into town throwing zillions of $ into the local economy. Spending $2 to receive $1 in extra revenue = deja’ vu….all over again.
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Just when you think Paul & Woody might stop asking for more handouts, they ask for more handouts.
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And the politicians that they OWN in El Taxo will just continue to support the idle rich, sell out the people, taxpayers, give them everything they want. They have to, because otherwise the rich give up ownership of the politicians and the money in the back pockets, campaign “donations” ends.
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What are the specifications and costs for upgrades to meet USL standards? A higher quality lime for chalking lines? A different frame and net for the goals? What a scam.
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Cost? El Taxo politicians don’t worry about no stinking cost. Because it’s always on US, the taxpayers, homeowners. They purpertrate the scams for the people who own them and WE pay. for all THEY owe.
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Two questions: who pays for the lights if practice is after dark? And, what provisions are being made to ensure the kids have a safe bathroom experience given they will be sharing the facility with a bunch of pro soccer players. Let’s face it, professional sports players aren’t known for exceptional manners or squeaky clean police records. The taxpayers paid for this facility with the understanding it would be used for kids soccer. MountainStar ought to be paying for extra security to ensure kids and athletes aren’t interacting inappropriately and any electrical costs associated with their practices. I know supposedly they will be doing some kind of soccer camp for kids, but they should also be ensuring that shared use is fully compensated for.
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