A ballpark should be more than just a ballpark: it should be designed to be an integral part of the community. With distinct neighborhoods and design decisions that tied the ballpark’s look into historic downtown El Paso, Southwest University Park is Best New Ballpark of the Year in the 2014 annual awards from Ballpark Digest. […]
It could take an additional $10 million to complete the new El Paso ballpark slated to host the relocated Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) next season, with city and MountainStar Sports officials slated to discuss the matter. Currently there’s no proposal on the table: just a note from MountainStar’s Josh Hunt that the […]
To close a funding gap in construction of a new downtown El Paso ballpark, team owners MountainStar Sports have offered to pay $12.1 million to cover the overages. Under the proposal, the city would borrow $60.8 million toward the new ballpark instead of the original $52.8 million. (Why is the city borrowing more? Municipalities typically […]
A lawsuit against El Paso city employees alleging misconduct regarding the financing of a new El Paso ballpark was dismissed yesterday; meanwhile, the official groundbreaking of the Triple-A facility will take place Thursday. The lawsuit, filed by former Mayor Ray Salazar and five other plaintiffs against City Manager Joyce Wilson and city Reps. Cortney Niland […]
Yes, we know this is an unnecessary formality, but we’re compelled to report it anyway: the San Diego Padres and the new ownership of the Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) extended their player-development contract (PDC) through 2014. It wasn’t technically necessary, but it happened anyway: the extension period occurred under the Jeff Moorad […]
The Class AAA Pacific Coast League has approved the move of the Tucson Padres to El Paso in 2014 — if the City Council approves a lease at today’s meeting, a decision where the outcome is still up in the air. This email from league offices, as released by team purchaser MountainStar Sports (Josh Hunt […]
With support on the City Council for a new downtown ballpark wobbly, MountainStar Sports warns that bringing a Triple-A team to El Paso is contingent on a ballpark lease being passed Tuesday — but a key council member has declared her opposition to any deal without a public vote. With Mayor John Cook poised to […]
This pretty much wraps it up: the Pacific Coast League has preliminarily approved the purchase of the Tucson Padres by MountainStar Sports Group, which plans on moving the Triple-A franchise to El Paso in 2014. The ownership group received approval of its Preliminary Application Review (“PAR”). Branch B. Rickey, president of the PCL, sent a […]
Paul Foster, one of the four owners of a potential El Paso Triple-A team, says opposition to public funding of a new downtown ballpark was expected and understandable, but a purchase of the team is at hand. Foster, along with his wife Alejandra de la Vega Foster, businessman Woody Hunt and his son, Josh Hunt, are […]
The potential owners of a Pacific Coast League team in El Paso pitched the circuit’s executive committee last Friday on the merits of their group and the city. The El Paso ownership group is MountainStar Sports Group (Woody Hunt, Paul Foster, Josh Hunt and Alejandra de la Vega Foster). Consultants presenting on behalf of the group […]
The El Paso City Council is set to discuss a proposed downtown ballpark for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). A few financing plans for a new El Paso ballpark have been floating around in recent months, ranging from a privately financed facility to one funded from the proceeds of a large […]
