Okay, My Turn to Talk About the Stadium
I haven't posted much, if anything, about the stadium because I wanted to get all the facts before I opened my big mouth.
But with so much changing in this issue, I'm not sure I ever will have all the facts. But in my time watching the issue unfold, I realized that there was something happening more interesting than the actual debate about the stadium.
Its the heat between the two sides on the issue. So let me do what I do best and just tell it like it is. This fight is stupid. Lets be honest, none of you really give a crap about baseball as much as you all are trying to act like you do. This is about frustration over several issues over the years and this is the issue that has congealed the opposition to the majority on council. So lets be honest, this isn't about baseball and its barely, just barely, about he stadium itself. How do I know? Because none of you let out a peep about a $45 million school in Clint for 700 or so students. (Go ahead, look it up.)
Okay, so lets get to my thoughts on the stadium itself. For those of you who have never left El Paso, you should. Go to a town, any town, with a vibrant downtown area. Guess what, they almost all have a stadium as the anchor to their vibrant downtown area.
Yes, I like the idea of a new stadium. Yes, I want Triple-A ball in El Paso. Yes, I think the best place for the stadium is Downtown. And yes, I want El Paso to move forward. I don't apologize for that.
SIDEBAR: I think the far east would also be a good spot. Around the I-10 and Loop 375 area. Lets face it, Cohen blows. The wind is crazy over by the mountain. The northeast has some growth, but the area is finite. The population center in this town is on the eastside, there's plenty of room, and its already the cool side of town with all cool restaurants and bars anyway. Plus it would be an economic plus for people in the valley as well.
So I hope we get the stadium and the ball team. I'm not a Padre fan and will never be. But I want to see TALENT in town. The Diablos, God bless'em, suck. The last time there was decent baseball talent on the field in this town was when Randy Johnson played a game for the Diablos when he was rehabbing an injury.
The main attraction to Cohen isn't the Diablos, as it should be. Its not the nice facilities because, well, they aren't nice. Its also isn't the scenery because the fans have their backs to the damn mountains. Lets face it, the main attraction to Cohen has been the cheap beer and cheap taco nights. Oh, and fireworks and most of the people who watch the fireworks don't watch them from Cohen. They watch them from Transmountain.
Now...here's what I don't like about the stadium.
The deal.
It blows. We are the one's putting up $50 million and yet the city agreed to caps? Are you freakin' kidding me? The business guys are professional negotiators. The people negotiating on the behalf of the city suck. We need to recoup the money we put in to the stadium. Or at least a big chunk of it. So we should be able to make money off of ticket surcharges, parking, etc. Hell, we should get a piece of the merchandising action as well.
A public-private partnership isn't the public footing the bill and the private companies call the shots. That's irresponsible.
I get the urgency in the deal, but that shouldn't be the concern of the city. That is the concern of the private parties involved. Let them buy some time. They are businessmen and businesswomen, I'm sure they've bought some time to make a deal happen in the past. We are talking about a boatload of money and we need to slow down and do it right.
Creating urgency in a deal is a sales tactic. Ever try to buy a car? They pressure you with the clock. That's what is happening now.
And what is with the crap about the tenant is calling the shots for events in the stadium? Who is the genius that thought that was an acceptable term of the contract? They pay rent and then get to decide what events take place there? What the hell?
All of you that are against this stadium should also be against the Dallas Cowboys. Yep, I said it. And not just because I hate the Cowboys but because you are being a gigantic hypocrite if you are cool with the Cowboys new digs but are complaining about a ballpark because they were financed in the exact same manner.
One more thing. I have to give Representative Acosta credit. She's taking a HUGE risk. If she plays her cards right, she's everybody's hero and would likely be back in the picture as a viable mayoral candidate. But if she doesn't play her cards right and El Paso loses baseball she becomes the villain and people aren't going to be happy with her.
Acosta has already gained concessions from the money guys. Caps have been removed or adjusted because of Acosta. Good for her.
In conclusion, I WANT baseball in El Paso. Real baseball, not the stuff being played at Cohen. I want progress. I want a better El Paso. I want a vibrant downtown.
And I want a better deal.
So what should happen?
The private entities need to sweeten the deal to the city.
Make us an offer we can't refuse.
Not an offer we should refuse.
But with so much changing in this issue, I'm not sure I ever will have all the facts. But in my time watching the issue unfold, I realized that there was something happening more interesting than the actual debate about the stadium.
Its the heat between the two sides on the issue. So let me do what I do best and just tell it like it is. This fight is stupid. Lets be honest, none of you really give a crap about baseball as much as you all are trying to act like you do. This is about frustration over several issues over the years and this is the issue that has congealed the opposition to the majority on council. So lets be honest, this isn't about baseball and its barely, just barely, about he stadium itself. How do I know? Because none of you let out a peep about a $45 million school in Clint for 700 or so students. (Go ahead, look it up.)
Okay, so lets get to my thoughts on the stadium itself. For those of you who have never left El Paso, you should. Go to a town, any town, with a vibrant downtown area. Guess what, they almost all have a stadium as the anchor to their vibrant downtown area.
Yes, I like the idea of a new stadium. Yes, I want Triple-A ball in El Paso. Yes, I think the best place for the stadium is Downtown. And yes, I want El Paso to move forward. I don't apologize for that.
SIDEBAR: I think the far east would also be a good spot. Around the I-10 and Loop 375 area. Lets face it, Cohen blows. The wind is crazy over by the mountain. The northeast has some growth, but the area is finite. The population center in this town is on the eastside, there's plenty of room, and its already the cool side of town with all cool restaurants and bars anyway. Plus it would be an economic plus for people in the valley as well.
So I hope we get the stadium and the ball team. I'm not a Padre fan and will never be. But I want to see TALENT in town. The Diablos, God bless'em, suck. The last time there was decent baseball talent on the field in this town was when Randy Johnson played a game for the Diablos when he was rehabbing an injury.
The main attraction to Cohen isn't the Diablos, as it should be. Its not the nice facilities because, well, they aren't nice. Its also isn't the scenery because the fans have their backs to the damn mountains. Lets face it, the main attraction to Cohen has been the cheap beer and cheap taco nights. Oh, and fireworks and most of the people who watch the fireworks don't watch them from Cohen. They watch them from Transmountain.
Now...here's what I don't like about the stadium.
The deal.
It blows. We are the one's putting up $50 million and yet the city agreed to caps? Are you freakin' kidding me? The business guys are professional negotiators. The people negotiating on the behalf of the city suck. We need to recoup the money we put in to the stadium. Or at least a big chunk of it. So we should be able to make money off of ticket surcharges, parking, etc. Hell, we should get a piece of the merchandising action as well.
A public-private partnership isn't the public footing the bill and the private companies call the shots. That's irresponsible.
I get the urgency in the deal, but that shouldn't be the concern of the city. That is the concern of the private parties involved. Let them buy some time. They are businessmen and businesswomen, I'm sure they've bought some time to make a deal happen in the past. We are talking about a boatload of money and we need to slow down and do it right.
Creating urgency in a deal is a sales tactic. Ever try to buy a car? They pressure you with the clock. That's what is happening now.
And what is with the crap about the tenant is calling the shots for events in the stadium? Who is the genius that thought that was an acceptable term of the contract? They pay rent and then get to decide what events take place there? What the hell?
All of you that are against this stadium should also be against the Dallas Cowboys. Yep, I said it. And not just because I hate the Cowboys but because you are being a gigantic hypocrite if you are cool with the Cowboys new digs but are complaining about a ballpark because they were financed in the exact same manner.
One more thing. I have to give Representative Acosta credit. She's taking a HUGE risk. If she plays her cards right, she's everybody's hero and would likely be back in the picture as a viable mayoral candidate. But if she doesn't play her cards right and El Paso loses baseball she becomes the villain and people aren't going to be happy with her.
Acosta has already gained concessions from the money guys. Caps have been removed or adjusted because of Acosta. Good for her.
In conclusion, I WANT baseball in El Paso. Real baseball, not the stuff being played at Cohen. I want progress. I want a better El Paso. I want a vibrant downtown.
And I want a better deal.
So what should happen?
The private entities need to sweeten the deal to the city.
Make us an offer we can't refuse.
Not an offer we should refuse.
This is exactly why people think Agenda 21 people are nuts. This is straight up crazy. If they wanted to own all of downtown, why would they decimate it? That makes ZERO business sense. Wow.
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