![]() Members of the El Paso City Council are expected to take up a proposal on January 3 that would put an end to a 6-year struggle to build a modern arena in a historic downtown neighborhood. In the fall of 2016, the council approved construction of a $180 million facility, officially called the Multi-Purpose Cultural and Performing Arts Center, to go up in the more than 100-year-old Duranguito neighborhood. That decision sparked a series of legal battles between preservationists and the City of El Paso, with those opposing the project arguing that the neighborhood in question is historically significant and should not be disturbed. Last year city officials said up to $3 million had been spent in legal expenses related to the project, while also noting that the cost of building materials has nearly doubled since the project was first announced. Now two city council members have proposed an agenda item calling for the city to “re-evaluate and repurpose as appropriate the now-insufficient funds” for building the facility. The agenda item, submitted by City Representatives Alexsandra Annello and Joe Molinar, additionally states that no buildings in Duranguito should be demolished. The item also contends that the council needs to examine the use of funds “specific to what the voters approved within existing city facilities that may be renovated or upgraded to honor the will of the voters.” It is thought that with the addition of several new members recently elected to the council that a majority of the members are now in favor of opposing construction of the arena in Duranguito. By Garry Boulard
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Get stories like these right to your inbox.
|