The fate of the proposed Downtown Arena project in El Paso, Texas, earmarked for a multipurpose center, is now in the hands of the city's voters following a recent decision by the El Paso City Council. In the general election scheduled for November 5, the public will have the opportunity to determine whether the city should retain the authority to issue $128.5 million in general obligation bonds originally allocated for the project, which was initially approved by voters back in 2012. The council voted on this directive on August 13, with the ordinance and ballot measure language approved, as KTSM reports.
As time has stretched on since the project's original approval, and the landscape of El Paso's development has evolved, the call to revisit the voter's decision appears influenced by movements within the city's governance, notably the voices of City representative Brian Kennedy, Chris Canales, and Art Fierro, who in July expressed that the project should return to public vote considering the substantial changes in the city's trajectory over the years, which now includes the construction of a privately funded amphitheater in the city's northeast, the ongoing discussions around the usage of the historic Union Depot, stirred the pot but also emphasized that it's time for the citizen to renew their say in the city's development, as per KFOX14.
Much contention surrounds the project, with notable opposition from officials like Cassandra Hernandez, an outspoken critic who has decried the council's approach as a betrayal to El Paso voters and a loss of credibility for the city. Hernandez questioned the lack of effort in developing alternatives to the arena, citing successful private-public partnerships such as the ones behind La Nube, the new children's science center, as models for potential development strategies that could be more beneficial for the city and its residents, in a passionate critique, she said, "This council, with this decision, will be known for the missed opportunities we have left El Paso citizens without," adding, "This is a complete sham. I want the public to know, they're lying to you ...” as detailed by El Paso Times.
