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When's the last time you went to Albuquerque? I'm not afraid to say that it makes El Paso look good. And yeah, the aquarium is weaksauce. The fact that most people so close to it have never heard of it says it all. But even if it wasn't, it wouldn't make up for the rest.
I've been to Albuquerque a number of times. It's got a bigger balloon fest, it's got a better state fair, it's got more casinos, all sorts of stuff. The only thing it doesn't have that we have here is better weather. It gets too cold up there, otherwise it's a pretty good town. In fact, Albuquerque is so nice that if I couldn't live here, I'd probably live there.
malamute, I have been talking with a couple of the people in the Albuquerque thread, and they have pointed me to some nice pictures and links with info. It seems they have a good connection with their past and their future. they seem to offer many attractions, and seem to be about the same size of El Paso, and meet many of the same criteria for El Paso. So if they can do it, I dont see why El Paso cant.
I am in no way beating on El Paso. my train of thought is, if they can, why cant El Paso? heck you have a major advantage here most cities dont, Mexico. No really, yeah things are bleak now. I understand there are some 2 million people across the border, shopping in America should be a big deal to them, and would seem to be an untapped market.
I just think El Paso can do better than a college level basketball tournament, it should strive to do more for its people, for its kids. I am but a visitor here, the Army will send me some other place in due time... but if there were more to offer me, a future wife and kids, I may retire here. I find many things about this city I like, but I also see the need for major growth and maturity in the local government and the people need to start thinking like a bigger city and loose that small town mentality. Your getting another 60-90 thousand people, just in military alone, now think of the support population that will tag along. El Paso needs to wake up to that fact, and fast.
I've been to Albuquerque a number of times. It's got a bigger balloon fest, it's got a better state fair, it's got more casinos, all sorts of stuff. The only thing it doesn't have that we have here is better weather. It gets too cold up there, otherwise it's a pretty good town. In fact, Albuquerque is so nice that if I couldn't live here, I'd probably live there.
Better those? That's not saying much, and it's not my grading criteria anyway. If all you see is these two towns you don't get out much. But you can keep them both. I personally have had about 3 lifetimes full of the people and mentality. Won't miss ELP nor most of NM, either. And no matter what anyone says it's not going to change within at least a generation. I'm also fed up about 10 times over about all the people I've come across in life who had tried to convince me to stay, as if people of my capabilities can prop up the place. No, thanks. People loathe my type here. So get off my coattails, and don't bother with the sour grapes routine after trying that on me. Hopefully I'm off to humble, but much more interesting beginnings.
malamute, I have been talking with a couple of the people in the Albuquerque thread, and they have pointed me to some nice pictures and links with info. It seems they have a good connection with their past and their future. they seem to offer many attractions, and seem to be about the same size of El Paso, and meet many of the same criteria for El Paso. So if they can do it, I dont see why El Paso cant.
I am in no way beating on El Paso. my train of thought is, if they can, why cant El Paso? heck you have a major advantage here most cities dont, Mexico. No really, yeah things are bleak now. I understand there are some 2 million people across the border, shopping in America should be a big deal to them, and would seem to be an untapped market.
I just think El Paso can do better than a college level basketball tournament, it should strive to do more for its people, for its kids. I am but a visitor here, the Army will send me some other place in due time... but if there were more to offer me, a future wife and kids, I may retire here. I find many things about this city I like, but I also see the need for major growth and maturity in the local government and the people need to start thinking like a bigger city and loose that small town mentality. Your getting another 60-90 thousand people, just in military alone, now think of the support population that will tag along. El Paso needs to wake up to that fact, and fast.
I like visiting Albuquerque, no one is saying anything bad in my opinion about Albuquerque as a whole at all here. I laughed at their aquarium but praised their zoo. Enmity on the other hand has some type of hatred or something towards Albuquerque, NM, and El Paso for some reason, but that's his or her right.
SoldierBoyBliss, El Paso can do many of the things that you are talking about, but not right now that is for sure. The whole American economy is going through a really bad recession. El Paso like the rest of the country is suffering as well. There are cash shortfalls everywhere, in all areas not just El Paso. So for El Paso to start planning on deals such as this right now are foolish, maybe when the economy recovers a little bit more we can start talking about Aquariums or whatever else you are talking about.
Ft. Bliss is booming, booming big time, but that is thanks to the military for helping Ft. Bliss grow in a huge way. Ft. Bliss has a lot of Military money at the moment and with so many soldiers and their families coming, we will reap the benefits for sure, but this is just the beginning for El Paso, we really haven't had time to see the new huge Ft. Bliss in all its glory yet.
El Paso right now is thinking ahead by going with its $1.1 billion mobility plan. We need to fix our highways and other priorities first before we plan for amusement parks, aquariums, malls. We used to really have a small town mentality when we just had two freeways, soon we will have 5 in the future.
El Paso has a new 4 year medical school, a new full fledged children hospital going up, several new UTEP building going up, Ft. Bliss growing by leaps and bounds, the zoo doubling in size, the $1 billion mobility plan, downtown renovation, continue to be the second safest city in the country even with Juarez next to us. I think we are doing all right for a city in a recession right now. When the economy picks up, lets bring up this topic again, but right now? Nope. Especially when investors who help in building many of these attractions are not investing as much because they are nervous at the moment. Smaller "large" cities such as El Paso are having an even harder time than other larger metro areas because there is more risk in El Paso ATM.
As for shoppers from Juarez and Mexico, El Paso has Cielo Vista, Bassett, Sunland Park, Las Palmas and the Outlet Shoppes all of them with lots of stores. The Fountains another mall across from Cielo Vista will be going up when the recession dies down but it should be up within 5 years.
I know the new Freedom Crossing mall will be off limits to most people coming from Mexico, but its still nice to see Ft. Bliss getting a new mall like this.
Freedom Crossing at Fort Bliss : The Story : Photo Gallery (http://freedomcrossingatfortbliss.com/the-story/photo-gallery - broken link)
malamute, I have been talking with a couple of the people in the Albuquerque thread, and they have pointed me to some nice pictures and links with info. It seems they have a good connection with their past and their future. they seem to offer many attractions, and seem to be about the same size of El Paso, and meet many of the same criteria for El Paso. So if they can do it, I dont see why El Paso cant.
I am in no way beating on El Paso. my train of thought is, if they can, why cant El Paso? heck you have a major advantage here most cities dont, Mexico. No really, yeah things are bleak now. I understand there are some 2 million people across the border, shopping in America should be a big deal to them, and would seem to be an untapped market.
I just think El Paso can do better than a college level basketball tournament, it should strive to do more for its people, for its kids. I am but a visitor here, the Army will send me some other place in due time... but if there were more to offer me, a future wife and kids, I may retire here. I find many things about this city I like, but I also see the need for major growth and maturity in the local government and the people need to start thinking like a bigger city and loose that small town mentality. Your getting another 60-90 thousand people, just in military alone, now think of the support population that will tag along. El Paso needs to wake up to that fact, and fast.
I think there's a number of reasons for El Paso being different. A lot of the people who were here have left or their children leave and I don't see the reasons for that changing much. That means those with the history here didn't stay. Then there are those who move in but they also tend to leave - or their kids will leave so its the same thing.
One thing with El Paso is you don't really find many people with deep roots here. So many, more than in other cities either came here from other cities or another country, or their parents did. It's a more transient kind of city - which is good and bad - no one "owns" it. Look at the plaques on old buildings, the hospitals and you wonder how many of the city founder types still have any descendents here.
Then the people who live here by choice - how many passed up the big cities because they didn't want the congestion, the traffic - and they came here because you could zip from one side of town to the other in 30 minutes or they found it comfortable here because it's a small town in attitude but with the conveniences of a big city.
And we're out here away from it all - we're isolated. It's not like Austin where you have everyone in Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houson plus all the small towns in between a short drive away.
Yes we do have the 2 million shoppers from Juarez, that's what supports Cielo Vista mall and all those little downtown shops but I don't think we can expect too much from them considering the way their own city is going. As far as the military, I think they'll always come and go, they're a big part of this city but many will want to return home where their own roots are. Maybe with so many more coming, there will be more deciding to retire here.
I think El Paso is just different - and not everyone likes how it's different, but some do. It might always be a ways off the beaten track.
Better those? That's not saying much, and it's not my grading criteria anyway. If all you see is these two towns you don't get out much. But you can keep them both. I personally have had about 3 lifetimes full of the people and mentality. Won't miss ELP nor most of NM, either. And no matter what anyone says it's not going to change within at least a generation. I'm also fed up about 10 times over about all the people I've come across in life who had tried to convince me to stay, as if people of my capabilities can prop up the place. No, thanks. People loathe my type here. So get off my coattails, and don't bother with the sour grapes routine after trying that on me. Hopefully I'm off to humble, but much more interesting beginnings.
I've seen other towns, lived in them. I've seen the bumper-to-bumper traffic, the grey slush of their snow, I've seen their ghettos, their crowded suburbs which go on for miles and no visible open space.
It's all a matter of preference, the need to sit in traffic for 4 hours a day, or the need to put up with terrible weather, cold temperatures.
I don't see why anyone would try to convince someone who is aching to get out to stay - what's the point of that? People have always left this town - and people will always come and stay a while.
To be honest, I kind of hope most people don't end up enchanted with New Mexico and start pouring in, and I think there's already too much sprawl and concrete here in El Paso. It was a great town when it was half the size it now is.
Malamute, what you describe is not a positive thing. The city needs to offer reasons to stay, not force people away. I read on here something about a brain drain.. you need these people to stick around and make it better... the world is changing and El Paso has to change with it, or it will be lost. In my short time here so far, I have seen a dramatic change in the number of cars on the road, and congestion, just wait till the 60-90 thousand new people show up.
Malamute the city is gonna grow, more concrete and steal will be laid. You have to embrace change or try to find that small token city you loved here, because its gone now in El Paso. People need to wake to that fact. The Soldiers are but a small portion of the growth you can expect here... they are one major upswing, but with that many people more will move here to capitalize on the Army with new business, we can only hope some of them are in the entertainment/attraction business. because El Paso needs something to distracts, entertain, and educate its population.
Malamute, what you describe is not a positive thing. The city needs to offer reasons to stay, not force people away. I read on here something about a brain drain.. you need these people to stick around and make it better... the world is changing and El Paso has to change with it, or it will be lost. In my short time here so far, I have seen a dramatic change in the number of cars on the road, and congestion, just wait till the 60-90 thousand new people show up.
Malamute the city is gonna grow, more concrete and steal will be laid. You have to embrace change or try to find that small token city you loved here, because its gone now in El Paso. People need to wake to that fact. The Soldiers are but a small portion of the growth you can expect here... they are one major upswing, but with that many people more will move here to capitalize on the Army with new business, we can only hope some of them are in the entertainment/attraction business. because El Paso needs something to distracts, entertain, and educate its population.
Here, I will try again...
Quote:
Originally Posted by NativeTXn
SoldierBoyBliss, El Paso can do many of the things that you are talking about, but not right now that is for sure. The whole American economy is going through a really bad recession. El Paso like the rest of the country is suffering as well. There are cash shortfalls everywhere, in all areas not just El Paso. So for El Paso to start planning on deals such as this right now are foolish, maybe when the economy recovers a little bit more we can start talking about Aquariums or whatever else you are talking about.
Ft. Bliss is booming, booming big time, but that is thanks to the military for helping Ft. Bliss grow in a huge way. Ft. Bliss has a lot of Military money at the moment and with so many soldiers and their families coming, we will reap the benefits for sure, but this is just the beginning for El Paso, we really haven't had time to see the new huge Ft. Bliss in all its glory yet.
El Paso right now is thinking ahead by going with its $1.1 billion mobility plan. We need to fix our highways and other priorities first before we plan for amusement parks, aquariums, malls. We used to really have a small town mentality when we just had two freeways, soon we will have 5 in the future.
El Paso has a new 4 year medical school, a new full fledged children hospital going up, several new UTEP building going up, Ft. Bliss growing by leaps and bounds, the zoo doubling in size, the $1 billion mobility plan, downtown renovation, continue to be the second safest city in the country even with Juarez next to us. I think we are doing all right for a city in a recession right now. When the economy picks up, lets bring up this topic again, but right now? Nope. Especially when investors who help in building many of these attractions are not investing as much because they are nervous at the moment. Smaller "large" cities such as El Paso are having an even harder time than other larger metro areas because there is more risk in El Paso ATM.
As for shoppers from Juarez and Mexico, El Paso has Cielo Vista, Bassett, Sunland Park, Las Palmas and the Outlet Shoppes all of them with lots of stores. The Fountains another mall across from Cielo Vista will be going up when the recession dies down but it should be up within 5 years.
I know the new Freedom Crossing mall will be off limits to most people coming from Mexico, but its still nice to see Ft. Bliss getting a new mall like this.
Freedom Crossing at Fort Bliss : The Story : Photo Gallery (http://freedomcrossingatfortbliss.com/the-story/photo-gallery - broken link)
None of that really consequential to the way the public collective thinks around here. I'll take road congestion and snow over that any day. The stuff people tolerate around here is the sort of thing to be tenderized, set on fire and whatever's left flushed down the toilet just to be safe. You're talking about a town where people get excited over a new Walmart. Nuff said.
THERES A NEW WALMART! just kidding, but there is one on Montana and loop 375 opening soon. lol
NATIVETXN, saw your original post no need to read it again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enmity
None of that really consequential to the way the public collective thinks around here. I'll take road congestion and snow over that any day. The stuff people tolerate around here is the sort of thing to be tenderized, set on fire and whatever's left flushed down the toilet just to be safe. You're talking about a town where people get excited over a new Walmart. Nuff said.
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