Triple A Baseball Coming to El Paso! (Mission, San Diego: hotel, house)

[Chuco]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

Foster & Hunt want a downtown stadium.

The City wants to relocate City Hall.

This is pretty much killing two birds with one stone.

The city hired the firm Urban Design+ to study where the best location would be for a triple A ballpark in downtown. The firm found the city hall to be the best location to build one, also it would be the quickest place to build one as well. The current city hall building has lots of problems already, as Mistabinks posted earlier an article from a couple years ago that the city was already looking at replacing it with a better new building in another location. "Killing two birds with one stone" is exactly right with this situation.

For anyone who thinks there are better locations in downtown, in which a ballpark can be built within a couple years, read the Urban Design+ study for yourself: PDF file of the study here: http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_cler...06261212-1.pdf

I also hope they build the soccer stadium and the arena soon, these will help bring in tons of visitors and their money to the downtown area. El Paso is definitely moving in the right direction.

[mistabinks]

Thanks for that Urban Design link. I have not read that before. Not in it's entirety at least.

[Chuco]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

Thanks for that Urban Design link. I have not read that before. Not in it's entirety at least.

No problem, I got it from the city website page that discusses tomorrows council meeting
www.elpasotexas.gov - City Council Agenda

It's agenda #12.

Check out also these cool pdf attachments on there.

http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_cler...261212-2.2.pdf Explains details of the new park and the new team.
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_cler...261212-2.4.pdf Shows positive impacts of other teams and stadiums in other cities downtown's, also has drawings of what a stadium could look like at the EP city hall location.

There are several more PDF's on there too. I like how they are requiring the new team to stay for a minimum of 25 years. So they won't be running off any time soon like the old Diablos did.

[Ms Kitty 98]

Originally Posted by Chuco

No problem, I got it from the city website page that discusses tomorrows council meeting
2.4.pdf"]http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/06-26-12/06261212-2.4.pdf[/url] Shows positive impacts of other teams and stadiums in other cities downtown's, also has drawings of what a stadium could look like at the EP city hall location.

The link above really blew my mind with the preliminary stadium renderings, I guess it would become an awesome sports venue and downtown landmark. Seems they might even have to incorporate Missouri Street into the ballpark concept to give it additional room.
Then today East El Paso city rep, Emma Acosta said that the city might build a new city hall edifice next to the court houses, not being specific but those are the original downtown plans to consolidate all government buildings in one downtown district.

Originally Posted by Chuco

There are several more PDF's on there too. I like how they are requiring the new team to stay for a minimum of 25 years. So they won't be running off any time soon like the old Diablos did.

Yes you are correct, former El Paso Diablo's owner Jim Paul sold the AA franchise to some place called Springfield, not sure if it's the same Springfield from the Simpsons since there are so many cities named Springfield all over the country. Lol, I'm just kiddin but they did end up in Springfield Missouri or Illinois or somewhere called Springfield ??

[mistabinks]

Jim Paul sold the Diablos franchise to Brett Sports and Entertainment who eventually sold the team to St. Louis Cardinals organization. The team was then moved to Springfield, Missouri.

[Ms Kitty 98]

I knew it had to do with Springfield, because there is where they ended up, I didn't have all the details, but El Paso lost out or Jim sold us out, I know that the city fought to keep the Diablo mascot name in El Paso.

[TexasCCW]

I am really impressed with the leg work that has already been put into it. It has me excited about all the opportunities coming to El Paso. I would like to be there when they vote this afternoon! Thanks to the Hunt and Foster families for making this a possibility.

[TexasCCW]

It's approved!! Sorry for yelling, but i'm excited!!

[mistabinks]

Whoo Hoo!

[Ms Kitty 98]

Well here is the first move by city hall to bring a triple AAA team to El Paso, I hope they do it right and build a right size stadium, because downtown El Paso is not Northeast El Paso. So I feel that there will be more demand for more stadium seats
more or less like a double deck stadium, but first, one step at a time and the first step has gone forward.
Now about the new city hall! 640 city employees will be displaced all over downtown for several years because no 33 million dollars is going to cover the cost to build a new building. City hall was ten stories and contained nearly 230 thousand square feet of office space, in comparable size, the new Federal court house is eight stories, about 230 square feet of office space and cost over 75 million dollars to build.
New drama and new headaches coming to future city leaders as to what to do,how to build and where to build at how much?