Higher-than-anticipated interest rates on city-backed bonds is raising the long-term cost of a new El Paso ballpark by $17 million, as the City Council approved the deal yesterday. City officials had anticipated a rate of 5 percent for nontaxable bonds and and 5.75 percent for taxable bonds. That didn’t attract any bond buyers, so the […]
Tag Archives | mountainstar sports
Finalists announced for new El Paso team name
We have the five finalists for the team name of the new El Paso franchise joining the Triple-A Pacific Coast League next season. The five finalists are: Aardvarks Buckaroos Chihuahuas Desert Gators Sun Dogs “It was not easy to determine this list of finalist name ideas from the thousands of names submitted by El Paso […]
Increased spending approved for new El Paso ballpark
A new budget for a Triple-A ballpark in El Paso was approved last night by the City Council, pushing the total cost of the project to $60.8 million, with team owners picking up the additional costs. The original cost of the ballparl was $52.8 million, and the El Paso City Council had already approved issuing […]
Franchise owners offer $12.1M toward new El Paso ballpark
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 […]
El Paso breaks ground on new Triple-A ballpark
A host of Minor League Baseball dignitaries combined with local politicos to officially mark the ceremonial beginning of construction on a Class AAA Pacific Coast League ballpark in El Paso. Attendees included City, County, State and national dignitaries, representatives of both El Paso and other nearby communities including Ciudad Juárez; leadership from Minor League Baseball, […]
El Paso approves new-ballpark financing plan
After city officials withdrew a request to add $10 million to the project budget, the El Paso City Council passed a plan to issue $52.8 million in bonds for a new downtown ballpark for a Pacific Coast League team. City officials had presented a plan to increase the ballpark budget by $10 million after diverting […]
Judge hears plea to put El Paso ballpark to vote
A U.S. District Court judge heard arguments alleging the process to move ahead with a new downtown El Paso ballpark was the result of racial prejudice, with a decision expected before the end of the month. The lawsuit, filed by former Mayor Ray Salazar, David Ochoa and Jesús Ochoa (no relation), asks Judge David Guaderrama to […]
Voters approve El Paso hotel/motel tax for new ballpark
After much rancor, a federal lawsuit and assertions that voters were being ignored, those same voters roared back with a vengeance, overwhelmingly approving a rise in the hotel/motel tax to fund a new downtown ballpark for a Triple-A Pacific Coast League team. Proposition 3, which raised the hotel/motel tax by two percentage points, with the […]
Tucson, Padres extend affiliation
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 […]
Mayor won’t veto ballpark lease; PCL to El Paso in 2014
El Paso Mayor John Cook says he won’t veto a lease for a new downtown ballpark, clearing the way for the Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) to move there in 2014. MountainStar Sports has a deal to buy the Padres and move the team to El Paso, contingent on the city approving a ballpark […]
El Paso mayor: I’ll announce ballpark decision today
The fate of a new $50-million ballpark in downtown El Paso now lies in the hands of a single man — Mayor John Cook — and he’ll announce his decision today. The El Paso City Council approved a lease for a new downtown ballpark for the Tucson Padre (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) Tuesday by […]
El Paso ballpark approval squeaks through
By a narrow 4-3 margin, the El Paso City Council approved a proposed lease with MountainStar Sports for a new $50 million downtown ballpark for the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), but don’t assume the issue is settled — yet. After hours and hours of public input on the new ballpark, the […]
PCL approves move of T-Padres to El Paso — if lease approved
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 […]