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OT: Fate of the arena

utep2step

MI Miner Maniac
Jul 10, 2001
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“The consulting firms told KVIA that the funds are simply not there for a large or mid-size arena in downtown, but there is a market demand and enough funds for a hybrid-style venue.”

 
“The consulting firms told KVIA that the funds are simply not there for a large or mid-size arena in downtown, but there is a market demand and enough funds for a hybrid-style venue.”

I don’t have a dog in this race, but I’ll just say that when a community is as slow to make progress as El Paso has historically been, it certainly is depressing for those of us who have deep roots there.

I live in Nashville and it’s a polar opposite mindset. For example, a study was done on the costs of renovating Titan stadium and the costs came back at over $1 billion. What the city/business/Titans do, they proposed a state-of-the-art indoor stadium at a cost of $2.5 billion and got it through the red tape in less than a year with ground-breaking scheduled for later this year. SMH
 
“The consulting firms told KVIA that the funds are simply not there for a large or mid-size arena in downtown, but there is a market demand and enough funds for a hybrid-style venue.”

Oh jeez. Here we go. Re-allocating our money without permission/vote to 'bring the community back together'. Must be nice
 
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“The consulting firms told KVIA that the funds are simply not there for a large or mid-size arena in downtown, but there is a market demand and enough funds for a hybrid-style venue.”

I don’t think they can just reallocate the $$$. The bonds were approved for an arena.
 
An 8,000 shitty hybrid arena ? I think it's better to just rely on the DHC
Yeah well, UTEP gets most of the revenue from events in the DHC. The city would like to get more revenue from more events at their own arena. The DHC also has limitations on floor space and tunnel space to set up and break down said floors.

People with interest in downtown properties want an arena there.

Stuff like this is why El Paso is the way it is.
 

SOME ARENA QUESTIONS​

So…where did that 30 MILLION DOLLARS go?

For starters, over 3 Million has been spent just since 2017 on legal expenses. Part of the reason there’s no sign of a downtown arena is that the whole thing has been mired in litigation. Also, there was a feasibility study to see HOW the arena could be built AND still come in at or under budget.”



Read More: City Council Considers Scrapping the Downtown El Paso Arena Plans | https://klaq.com/city-council-el-paso-arena-plans/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
 
We went from being promised a place where Taylor Swift will one day perform to let’s build a new patio for Alfresco Fridays.
spit-coffee.jpg
 
It’s a shame that this project is getting derailed by a few individuals who stand against progress. The arena would have been a great addition for the continued revitalization of downtown El Paso. I don’t have a dog in this fight anymore, but it’s sad to see a proposal that was overwhelmingly approved by voters getting scrapped.
 
It’s a shame that this project is getting derailed by a few individuals who stand against progress. The arena would have been a great addition for the continued revitalization of downtown El Paso. I don’t have a dog in this fight anymore, but it’s sad to see a proposal that was overwhelmingly approved by voters getting scrapped.
Just be glad those buildings are rotting away.
 
I don’t understand why those tenements are still standing. Demo work became some
5 years ago and got halted because of the “residents”. Nothing has been done since then and no residents remain. What is the logic in not completing the demolition ?
There are three residents still living in their homes that have refused to sell to the city. This whole fiasco was caused by UTEP professor Max Grossman. Max got financial support from a Houston Billionaire to pay all the legal fees. The many court battles and delays have doomed the area. All of this has cost the tax payers of El Paso millions of dollars and now there is not enough money for anything close to what voters approved. It is sore spot for me and has actually cost me some friends. It just blows my mind that a millionaire from Houston has been able to eff our city out of an arena.
 
What does the billionaire gain from stopping the arena? Where is his profit or did he spend all that money solely to screw us over?
 
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What does the billionaire gain from stopping the arena? Where is his profit or did he spend all that money solely to screw us over?
He is a History person and Max Grossman convinced him that Duranghetto had historical value and should be saved.
 
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There are three residents still living in their homes that have refused to sell to the city. This whole fiasco was caused by UTEP professor Max Grossman. Max got financial support from a Houston Billionaire to pay all the legal fees. The many court battles and delays have doomed the area. All of this has cost the tax payers of El Paso millions of dollars and now there is not enough money for anything close to what voters approved. It is sore spot for me and has actually cost me some friends. It just blows my mind that a millionaire from Houston has been able to eff our city out of an arena.
I know Grossman claims folks are still living there but I don’t believe it. Half of the buildings are in rubble. There is no way it’s inhabitable
 
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Wow 400 million + now to do a 12,000 seat arena. We have $150 million of the $180 million left. What a joke....

The city should just give back the $180 plus interest back to the 2012 homeowners and start over (yes I know it will never happen). At least put it back to a vote with some options.

I would vote yes for an outdoor arena/soccer stadium or a bad ass science museum.
 
The real question is whether or not the city officials are even capable to pull off this new hybrid venue thingy or is it going to turn into a circus like the arena??
 
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And to think of the hundreds of neighborhoods in Houston that could have used the money to make them look less ghetto.
Can’t make a person with money do something they don’t want to do. Grossman’s money man would rather throw it at Durangito than Houston neighborhood development.
 
I would vote yes for an outdoor arena/soccer stadium or a bad ass science museum.
Unless the NWSL is coming to El Paso, a soccer stadium is not needed and unnecessary. MLS is never coming here. The Locomotive play 17 home games a season. What about the other 348 days of the year?

What events would an outdoor arena hold? How many people want to attend outdoor concerts during the hotter months?

The baseball stadium is already adequate for soccer, concerts, and other outdoor events.
 
Unless the NWSL is coming to El Paso, a soccer stadium is not needed and unnecessary. MLS is never coming here. The Locomotive play 17 home games a season. What about the other 348 days of the year?

What events would an outdoor arena hold? How many people want to attend outdoor concerts during the hotter months?

The baseball stadium is already adequate for soccer, concerts, and other outdoor events.
Well the money is already allotted. Not sure what good a hybrid arena will do. I thought USL teams had to have a stadium within a certain time of existence (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm open to other options as well. I just want a better city for my family and all of us. Tired of all the rhetoric and excuses.
 
Well the money is already allotted. Not sure what good a hybrid arena will do. I thought USL teams had to have a stadium within a certain time of existence (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm open to other options as well. I just want a better city for my family and all of us. Tired of all the rhetoric and excuses.
That was what we are told when the Locomotive started 5 years ago. I believe that is just an excuse for USL/Team owners can use when the team isn’t “successful”. The Locomotive haven’t mentioned their own stadium in forever and even before COVID, it was highly doubtful they would ever be able to get one downtown. As long as the Locomotive are in business, they will be playing at SUP. There are no plans, no site, no mention of a stadium for them.

Part of the Locomotive ownership group, owns FC Juarez, and they can’t even get a stadium going for them. That is a for a 1st division team playing well-known teams, using an old stadium with a track around it.

I too would like something done with this money. I just don’t think El Paso needs an arena or something outdoors. El Paso needs to be different and try something “outside the box”. What that is, I don’t know.
 
SOS for citizens who want more for our city......next will come the study to find out why companies, shopping and better job opportunities for younger families won't come here. I think we know why and we don't need a 1 million study to tell us.
The good majority of white or black people with money will never want to visit here. Even ex-El Pasoans that leave, would never come back and live here.
 
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It’s a shame that this project is getting derailed by a few individuals who stand against progress. The arena would have been a great addition for the continued revitalization of downtown El Paso. I don’t have a dog in this fight anymore, but it’s sad to see a proposal that was overwhelmingly approved by voters getting scrapped.
What Rot said👆
 
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The good majority of white or black people with money will never want to visit here. Even ex-El Pasoans that leave, would never come back and live here.

El Paso native here. And I would absolutely move back if I could. It's not a lack of fun things to do that have kept me away. I would not only buy season tix to Miners basketball, I'd also have my butt in my seat for 99% of the games.
 
Wow 400 million + now to do a 12,000 seat arena. We have $150 million of the $180 million left. What a joke....

The city should just give back the $180 plus interest back to the 2012 homeowners and start over (yes I know it will never happen). At least put it back to a vote with some options.

I would vote yes for an outdoor arena/soccer stadium or a bad ass science museum.
The city’s first mistake was thinking they could build a nice arena for $180M. These things cost at least double that.
 
That was what we are told when the Locomotive started 5 years ago. I believe that is just an excuse for USL/Team owners can use when the team isn’t “successful”. The Locomotive haven’t mentioned their own stadium in forever and even before COVID, it was highly doubtful they would ever be able to get one downtown. As long as the Locomotive are in business, they will be playing at SUP. There are no plans, no site, no mention of a stadium for them.

Part of the Locomotive ownership group, owns FC Juarez, and they can’t even get a stadium going for them. That is a for a 1st division team playing well-known teams, using an old stadium with a track around it.

I too would like something done with this money. I just don’t think El Paso needs an arena or something outdoors. El Paso needs to be different and try something “outside the box”. What that is, I don’t know.
 
The city’s first mistake was thinking they could build a nice arena for $180M. These things cost at least double that.
Depends on what your definition of nice is. What do we need a nice arena for? Who is going to be the primary tenant? Nobody ever answers that. People will throw out GLeague and Minor League Hockey. Come on, people will go downtown for that on a regular basis? I don’t think so.
 
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Depends on what your definition of nice is. What do we need a nice arena for? Who is going to be the primary tenant? Nobody ever answers that. People will throw out GLeague and Minor League Hockey. Come on, people will go downtown for that on a regular basis? I don’t think so.
They have no primary tenant. That said, if it can’t host sports, I agree it shouldn’t be built.

I’d put it back up for another vote.
 
They have no primary tenant. That said, if it can’t host sports, I agree it shouldn’t be built.

I’d put it back up for another vote.
Even if it can hold sports, what will come here? Canelo won’t. A big WWE PPV won’t. There is no reason to build a nice one. NHL or NBA ain’t coming.
 
Even if it can hold sports, what will come here? Canelo won’t. A big WWE PPV won’t. There is no reason to build a nice one. NHL or NBA ain’t coming.
I understand your logic. I think there’s a lot of build it and they will come in play here.
 
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