At the May 4 Commissioners Court meeting, Tony Rodriguez of the El Paso Sports Commission alleged the County entered into secret talks with UTEP to manage the County Coliseum, leaving the Judge and Commissioners in shock.
Chief Administrator Betsy Keller insisted there will be an RFP for a new management contract, to start October 1, 2027, and that a vendor has not yet been selected.
We asked her via email: “Did you enter into negotiations with UTEP to replace the Sports Commission in the management of the Coliseum, and without the knowledge of the Commissioners Court?”
She responded, “No, I have not entered negotiations with UTEP (or anyone) to replace the Sports Commission in the management of the Coliseum.[…] What my staff has done is work on an RFP to prepare to go out for bid for these services as we head into the end of the current contract with the Sports Commission.”
BRIAN KENNEDY INVESTIGATES
But during public comment at the Commissioners Court meeting this past Monday, Brian Kennedy accused County staff of engaging in an illegal backdoor deal and jeopardizing his own company’s plan to submit a bid.
In other words, Kennedy has standing to sue the County for illegally steering a contract.
He revealed his law firm is investigating and has already acquired evidence of malfeasance: “Beginning last September, there was meetings, lunches, and substantive agreements about handing the Coliseum over to UTEP with an interlocal agreement that would not require a bid.”
He accused County staff of violating both state and federal law and of potentially committing a third-degree felony, concluding with “Someone got caught!”
We applaud Kennedy in his effort to identify and root out corruption in our County and hope he builds a strong case and files suit. It would be interesting to see whether Keller and her staffers would submit to discovery and depositions.