Would 180 Million Be Enough To Build A Decent Downtown Arena? (San Antonio: theater, luxury)

[Ms Kitty 98]

Within the next ten years downtown El Paso will have a new arena, so would 180 million dollars be enough to cover a state of the art arena; with at least an 18,000 + seating capacity including luxury suites and a press box?
In San Jose California they built a 19,000 seat arena at a cost of 162.5 million dollars in 1988,today that same arena would cost 261 million dollars to build; The HP Pavillion was what turned downtown San Jose into a sparkling attractive area.
I sure hope that El Paso's downtown arena will be built without any flaws,have proper seating including with all the perks and luxuries,I would assume that the arena will cost slightly more along with all the land acquisitions.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Ms Kitty 98

Within the next ten years downtown El Paso will have a new arena, so would 180 million dollars be enough to cover a state of the art arena; with at least an 18,000 + seating capacity including luxury suites and a press box?
In San Jose California they built a 19,000 seat arena at a cost of 162.5 million dollars in 1988,today that same arena would cost 261 million dollars to build; The HP Pavillion was what turned downtown San Jose into a sparkling attractive area.
I sure hope that El Paso's downtown arena will be built without any flaws,have proper seating including with all the perks and luxuries,I would assume that the arena will cost slightly more along with all the land acquisitions.

I'm sure the developers, or planners realize that the area they want to put the stadium in is land locked, that may, or may not be an issue. For what El Paso needs now, the stadium, as is, will probably suffice. It would sure be tough for the voters to swallow a "mistake" if they want to expand the venue to make it multipurpose, but not have the space, or money. BTW, that is a lot of money/taxes you are talking about; look how hard it was just to get the 50+ million. 50 million is a lot to an individual, but for constructing public venues, not really. The high schools here in my area spend up to 75 million on their venues alone, so you can see how 50 million is not so much for a public venue. But it is a start, it will get built, and it will never get cheaper. Better to spend now, than wait in the future when what would have cost 50 million becomes 100 million, just as in San Jose. Let's see what develops.

[Ms Kitty 98]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

I'm sure the developers, or planners realize that the area they want to put the stadium in is land locked, that may, or may not be an issue. For what El Paso needs now, the stadium, as is, will probably suffice. It would sure be tough for the voters to swallow a "mistake" if they want to expand the venue to make it multipurpose, but not have the space, or money. BTW, that is a lot of money/taxes you are talking about; look how hard it was just to get the 50+ million. 50 million is a lot to an individual, but for constructing public venues, not really. The high schools here in my area spend up to 75 million on their venues alone, so you can see how 50 million is not so much for a public venue. But it is a start, it will get built, and it will never get cheaper. Better to spend now, than wait in the future when what would have cost 50 million becomes 100 million, just as in San Jose. Let's see what develops.

This area were they are going to build the new arena is south of the Abraham Chavez Theater,right across the street and there is a bus terminal there now with a few other blighted buildings that would qualify for eminent domain.
Once this facility is built there would be no need to expand it if they build it right the first time;now pending that 180 million dollars is enough money for the whole project itself.
In your neck of the woods I would say that there is more wealth and more spending power were even the high schools can afford to build nice venues that would be compatible to even some colleges or universities.
As for a fifty million dollar baseball stadium considering that this is El Paso, it well have to do; in Albuquerque
they built Isotopes Park for 25 million dollars, and it seats over 12 thousand spectators, but that stadium is over ten years old.
So you are right about spending now than waiting later because building materials cost keeps getting more and more expensive, that by the time they build it it might turn out to be just like the Don Haskins Center as far as size is concern. Just the think that back in the day the Don Haskins Center cost 12 million to build.

[mistabinks]

The stadium and the arena are separate projects. The arena is going to be multipurpose.

[katzpaw]

The arena needs much more land than the stadium. Plan El Paso and other studies have identified 5 potential downtown sites for this roofed "multi-purpose entertainment center"

1) the existing Convention Center site & Chavez theater -this appears to be the developer's preference - and would require the relocation of both
2) immediately south of the Convention Center (Santa Fe to Leon, San Antonio to Paisano) - this includes many individual properties including a bus depot, old fire station, Lynx Exhibits, and much nice architecture
3) the triangle south of Paisano - including the new Sun Metro bus depot (odd shaped site)
4) south of the Union Depot train station (too far out,odd shaped site)
5) west of the Union Depot train station (too far out, too small)

Google maps: http://goo.gl/maps/FpKzQ
Plan El Paso: http://planelpaso.org/wp-content/upl..._for%20web.pdf

El Paso Downtown Sports Facilities Study - showing options: http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_cler...06261212-1.pdf
Conclusions: The Converntion Center site is best for the Arena, south of Paisano is best for the MLS soccer facility

[Ms Kitty 98]

The city has no intention of knocking down the Abraham Chavez Theater or the Convention Center; the most probable choice to build the arena is the property right next to where the bus terminal is located. To the south of it between Santa Fe Street and Leon, bounded by San Antonio Ave and Paisano Dr, it's just the matter of acquiring those properties or using eminent domain.

[smguy101]

The best place for an arena would be the area immediately south of the Convention Center.
There is no way the city is going to tear down the convention center and Abraham Chavez Theater.