Top Menu

El Paso council to debate new ballpark tonight

Pacific Coast LeagueThe El Paso City Council tonight will discuss a funding plan and possible term sheet for a new downtown ballpark for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League).

The proposal calls for a 2 percentage point hike in the city’s hotel tax, raising it to 17.5 percent — a move that’s drawn the ire of local hotel owners, but sure to be a hit with taxpayers who must approve the increase in a fall referendum. Hotel taxes, as well as other tourism taxes like rental-car taxes, are usually popular with voters because out-of-towners are seen as the ones bearing the brunt of the funding.

What will be discussed tonight: whether to move ahead with a term sheet with MountainStar Sports Group LLC, contingent on the fall referendum passing. A new ballpark would be built at the current City Hall site, in the midst of the city’s cultural district, with a tentative 2014 opening date.

RELATED STORIES: Diablos casualty of new El Paso ballparkDowntown ballpark planning moving forward in El PasoEl Paso to debate ballpark bond issueEl Paso group seeking downtown ballpark, T-PadsMoorad to Escondido: We need quick action on ballparkObstacles to new ballparks in California: not as bleak as expectedEscondido moving forward with business park on proposed ballpark propertyCity, not Moorad group, to acquire Escondido landEscondido mayor: Time to scrap new-ballpark planMoorad: Leaving Padres in Tucson a possibilityEscondido ballpark vote put off indefinitelyEscondido ballpark vote delayed;State government could kill Escondido T-Pods ballparkNew for 2011: Tucson Padres;Escondido approves Triple-A ballpark — with reservationsMoorad group, Escondido sign MOU for new ballparkEscondido council fills vacancy in advance of ballpark voteCrunch time for new Escondido ballparkPadres raise ante in Escondido ballpark negotiations;Escondido ballpark vote delayed again; new council will decidePadres make it official: Beavers to Tucson in 2011Election shows mixed support for new Escondido ballparkTuesday elections could determine fate of BevosBevos to Tucson for 2011Escondido ballpark vote delayed after pollution found at siteFate of Bevos in the air until November, maybe DecemberPadres pitch one-sided lease to EscondidoEscondido: Show us some money, PadresEscondido in, San Marcos out of Bevos ballpark mix

—-

Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us ateditors@augustpublications.com.

Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.

Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!

Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!

, , , , , ,