Opposition to the arena is pretty widespread. At least, opposition to putting it in the proposed location.
Texas State Senator Jose Rodriquez is against it. So is County Commissioner David Stout. The El Paso County Historical Commission opposes it. And probably a thousand other people, at least.
And yet the El Paso City Council approved it unanimously, and so far they’re not backing down.
Unanimously. District 2 Representative Jim Tolbert. District 3 Representative Emma Acosta. District 4 Representative Carl Robinson. District 5 Representative Dr. Michiel Noe. District 6 Representative Claudia Ordaz. District 7 Representative Lily Limon. And District 8 Representative Cortney Niland.
District 1 Representative Peter Svarzbein had to go re-primer his Jeep (or something), so he ducked out before the vote, but he has publicly expressed support for putting the arena in the heart of El Paso’s most historic neighborhood.
And yesterday at City Council he said he wanted a residential component in the arena. From the El Paso Times:
“It should be a versatile facility that creates an outdoor space and also combines residential,” Svarzbein said. “It should engage people on the street level.”
Uh huh. Residential. Maybe he wants to put a hotel there so they can get those tax credits Rep. Niland promised.
Is it too much to ask that our elected “representatives” explain what they’re thinking? I mean, really.
Where the hell are they coming from?
You need to be invited to the “back-door” and Home/restaurant meetings (oh excuse me, these are private, non Governmental affairs) where the decisions are made. This is anything BUT a transparent government. I guess I missed the discussions BEFORE the announcement about the arena being build in that location, just like I missed the Ballpark discussions BEFORE they put it up for a vote.
Each time, they will tell you that they will be MORE transparent in the future but they have learned that El Paso voters do not care and so they don;t care about us either.
Go ahead, re-elect the crooked and elect someone that has proven back-door is the way to go for City Mayor too. You reap what you sow…..