By all means.
Here’s the El Paso Times inadvertently weighing in on the arena controversy.
Now, with a baseball stadium and the ongoing Downtown streetcar project having the unforeseen consequence of splitting Downtown in two, some business owners are concerned that the city might ignore Union Plaza. They worry that city officials will instead focus most of their efforts on helping to spur development near San Jacinto Plaza, where the eateries and bars that lace the area include International bar, Pallets Flair Cocktails, Anson 11 and Café Central.
John Geske, co-owner of the Garden which closed earlier this year, called the baseball stadium the “worst thing that could have happened to Union Plaza.”
“We’re down in a hole now,” Geske said. “I’m not a stadium hater, I think the Chihuahuas are fantastic for El Paso, but as far as Union Plaza, it hurt us.”
You think the baseball stadium and streetcar project cut downtown in two? Wait till the City builds an arena in Union Plaza. The ballpark, Civic Center and arena will be a dead zone that no pedestrian will dare to traverse, at least for the 200 days of the year that all three are likely to be dark.
I mean, figure 71 days for baseball games, another 25 for D-League basketball, and a generous 60 days for other events at the arena and convention center. That leaves 200 some days that the whole hub is likely to be dark.
A neutron bomb would be a kinder and gentler way to put the Union Plaza Entertainment District out of its misery.
Our city leaders are either stupidly obstinate or obstinately stupid.