Dear Friends and Media,
Mayor Leeser gave an interview to Sara Sanchez of the Oligarchy Gazette (aka El Paso Inc) in which he was asked about the “Arena.” He responded by clearly reaffirming his campaign position:
“There’s litigation pending in the Duranguito area. I believe we don’t need to build an arena in that area. We need to take the money and give the voters what they asked for, which is a performing arts center. It would be perfect to build at the Abraham Chavez Theatre, and then incorporarte the civic center into it. We do not have a viable civic center in our community. I’d love to see Duranguito transformed into, I call it a Riverwalk without a river, with shops and areas where people can sit down and have breakfast and enjoy the beautiful weather.”
In this common-sense statement, the Mayor affirms that the City needs to build what the voters approved, a performing arts center, not a half-billion-dollar multipurpose basketball arena.
He also clearly states his desire to see the neighborhood not only spared, but restored.
It would be nice if, at this point, the City committed to reinforcing the structures in the “Arena Footprint” that were damaged by a bulldozer in 2017 so they will be protected from the elements until they can be restored.
Enjoy your Father’s Day!
Max
Photo Credit: El Paso Inc, November 8, 2020