$100 million shopping center for Ft Bliss (El Paso, Fort Hood: sales, homes, employment)

[Fred1209]

Very good news for the area as another big retail project breaks ground.

Fort Bliss RETAIL: $100 million shopping center poised to offer unique experience on post - El Paso Times

[Gary Siete]

How is it very good news? It's only accessible to military families and will take $ away from off base businesses. IMHO, while it will affect off-base businesses, the military population is not big enough to generate sufficient sales for a center that size and it will become another North Park Mall with empty stores.

sqft (from El Paso Times)
242,507 PX
33,000 10 screen movie theatre
146,000 other retail
37,000 fast food
111,180 adjacent grocry store
569,687 Total Sqft (approx)

For comparison - the Walmart SuperCenter at TransMountain/54 is about 130,000 sqft and the controversial Farah proposal at Hawkins/i-10 would be about 500,000 sqft.

[usmc el paso]

Originally Posted by Gary Siete

How is it very good news? It's only accessible to military families and will take $ away from off base businesses. IMHO, while it will affect off-base businesses, the military population is not big enough to generate sufficient sales for a center that size and it will become another North Park Mall with empty stores.

sqft (from El Paso Times)
242,507 PX
33,000 10 screen movie theatre
146,000 other retail
37,000 fast food
111,180 adjacent grocry store
569,687 Total Sqft (approx)

For comparison - the Walmart SuperCenter at TransMountain/54 is about 130,000 sqft and the controversial Farah proposal at Hawkins/i-10 would be about 500,000 sqft.

Very true. It's a shame that even regular veterans like myself won't be able to use these facilities. Hopefully they change their policy because who knows if it will be successful with just Ft. Bliss soldiers and their families.

[armywifeandmom]

I just ran across the information about this new center while I was shopping at the Px.

My personal opinion is that at Fort Bliss it's not sustainable and it would take money away from the local communities. Which I strongly disagree with after having seen and experienced just a bit of El Paso in the last few weeks.

If this were a shopping center slated for development say at Fort Hood. Then I would say "okay, sounds feasible". Only because in CenTex one must travel a bit to enjoy certain stores and etc..even though the towns near Fort Hood are developing rapidly themselves.

In my personal opinion, the relationship between El Paso and Fort Bliss must be respected at all costs because El Paso is not a city that developed because of or is dependent on Fort Bliss...much different scenario.

In all honesty, whoever designated this shopping center for here needs to go back to the drawing board...and they also need to buy a clue about the communities that surround each military base...Just my sassy but humble opinion.

[XChucoresident]

This is good news not for me..but for my parents becasuse my dad retired from the military..I can get on but only with them..!

[mistabinks]

I have to disagree. For once, local planners are getting ahead of a problem instead of reacting to a problem.

Not at of the Ft Bliss troops are here yet. It might still double in population. Why wait until it is overcrowded to address the problem. Also, the shopping complex will not be completed tomorrow. By the time it is completed, a lot more soldiers will be here.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by armywifeandmom

I just ran across the information about this new center while I was shopping at the Px.

My personal opinion is that at Fort Bliss it's not sustainable and it would take money away from the local communities. Which I strongly disagree with after having seen and experienced just a bit of El Paso in the last few weeks.

If this were a shopping center slated for development say at Fort Hood. Then I would say "okay, sounds feasible". Only because in CenTex one must travel a bit to enjoy certain stores and etc..even though the towns near Fort Hood are developing rapidly themselves.

In my personal opinion, the relationship between El Paso and Fort Bliss must be respected at all costs because El Paso is not a city that developed because of or is dependent on Fort Bliss...much different scenario.

In all honesty, whoever designated this shopping center for here needs to go back to the drawing board...and they also need to buy a clue about the communities that surround each military base...Just my sassy but humble opinion.

I'm neutral on this. Who will get to work at the new Fort Bliss shopping center? Military family members? If so then I can see it being a good thing because many of those people would not be hired in the local community. Hay que hablar muy bien el espanol o no hay empleo. El Paso is first and foremost a border town.

[mistabinks]

I already know a lot of people (civilians) that are working on base. Everything from temporary work (labor, construction) all the way to white collar work (dentists, medical field). I would guess that they would hire civilians to work at the shopping mall.

How odd though. I don't speak Spanish very well but I have a full time career and a successful small business.

But yes, El Paso's backbone is being a border town much much more than being a military town. That might come as a shock to newcomers. You will be welcomed with open arms anywhere in the city. Give it a chance, you may or may not like it.

[armywifeandmom]

Originally Posted by malamute

I'm neutral on this. Who will get to work at the new Fort Bliss shopping center? Military family members? If so then I can see it being a good thing because many of those people would not be hired in the local community. Hay que hablar muy bien el espanol o no hay empleo. El Paso is first and foremost a border town.

I don't know the answer to that question but if it is like any of the retail I have seen on other military posts, Aafes and other retail vendors (those that receive a contract with the govn. to operate on post ex's: Burger king, pizza hut, etc..) do hire civilians to work in those stores.

Although I am new to El Paso, I do agree that El Paso is completely a city unto itself. We must view ourselves as guests of this city within the military community.

Originally Posted by mistabinks

I already know a lot of people (civilians) that are working on base. Everything from temporary work (labor, construction) all the way to white collar work (dentists, medical field). I would guess that they would hire civilians to work at the shopping mall.

How odd though. I don't speak Spanish very well but I have a full time career and a successful small business.

But yes, El Paso's backbone is being a border town much much more than being a military town. That might come as a shock to newcomers. You will be welcomed with open arms anywhere in the city. Give it a chance, you may or may not like it.

I was quite shocked to be welcomed with open arms in El Paso. It's such a pleasant change from so many other assignments that we have had in the past 17 years together.

Also, I appreciate all the locals that posted to this thread to give me a perspective from someone that lives here not just stationed here.

Here is another thought based only on personal experience and anecdotes...

I moved here from the largest military instillation in the USA. At the height of the population there at that post there were three divisions of soldiers assigned to that post. Then you add in their family members, the retirees and their family members, gov. employees and you have a huge town. That post that I left had been Forscom since prior to the beginning of the war. To make a long story short, what does having a much bigger population of soldiers at Fort Bliss mean for El Paso? Soldiers that are Forscom and will begin deploying out of this post en masse? ~~~ Money!

The soldiers and their families get much more money during deployment and given what I've seen many of them like to spend it

I would just like to see them spend it with the good people of El Paso myself rather than some supersized Aafes on post. JMHO.

Sorry for the long post~ but the problems I encountered at a huge instillation of military wasn't so much the jobs or the shopping, it was the infrastructure of the town nearby...not enough roadway to support huge influx of soldier and families, not enough homes, schools being maxed out, hospitals being maxed out (beyond the military hospital). And lastly Water usage, a precious commodity in the west, can sometimes be overloaded.

Sorry I made such a long post and thanks to anyone who took the time to read my opinions.

[elamigo]

I believe it is good news. First of all, this is for Soldiers and their families morale support. This is one of many reponses of feedback from them of things they would like to have. I support morale support activities and programs for our families. They deserve that.

The local economy? I am not going to dispute this way one way or the other. I will say this though, I venture to say Ft. Bliss leadership and the city of El Paso leaders did sit down and discussed this. Also, I also think studies were made to see how it will affect the local economy. It may affect some areas but it will also mean employment to many local people.

I do not think anyone in this forum is informed of any studies done and what discussions with the city produced, does anyone know?

The economy concern is valid but it is just that from my standpoint. People tend to say all these things out of emotion but what are the numbers to back those concerns?

I was glad to attend the groundbreaking ceremony. The Soldiers and their families will be better served.

You have a great day.
El Amigo