El Paso City Council votes to let voters decide on Multipurpose Center’s future

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story listed Mayor Oscar Leeser as one of the people who voted in favor of the motion. Leeser did not participate in the vote.

EL PASO, TX (KVIA) -- The fate of the long-debated Multipurpose Performing Arts and Entertainment Facility is once again in the hands of El Paso voters. On Tuesday, the El Paso City Council voted 5-3 to send the project back to the ballot in November, allowing the public to decide whether the project should proceed.

City Representatives Joe Molinar, Art Fierro, Henry Rivera, Chris Canales and Brian Kennedy voted in favor of the motion to return the remaining bond authority for the project to voters. Representatives Josh Acevedo, Cassandra Hernandez, and Isabel Salcido opposed the idea.

The project has faced numerous delays, site controversies, including the proposed Duranguito location and Union Depot, and escalating costs over the years.

During the council meeting, Representative Hernandez expressed concerns about the timing of the decision, noting that six of the current council seats will be vacant come November. She says council is losing credibility with this decision and that council is “making decisions that are more personal and politically motivated as opposed to wanting to improve the city."

However, Mayor Leeser spoke to ABC-7 and argued that it was time to return the issue to the voters, “Back in 2012, the voters were asked to approve an item for $180 million. It couldn't be built back then. The voters were misled, and it's very important that we start talking about it. Now the voters will have an opportunity to say, yes, we still want it or we don't want it."

In addition to sending the project back to the voters, the council also approved a comprehensive communication strategy to educate the community on the ballot item. The plan includes hosting nine community meetings, one in each district and one hybrid. This is in effort to provide detailed information about the project and what the vote will mean. The strategy also involves funding for an educational campaign, featuring mailers, a dedicated website, social media outreach, and other forms of engagement.

Representatives Acevedo and Salcido, who opposed the project, told ABC-7 this step is crucial prior to the November election. “My goal for this ballot in communicating to the public is giving them all the information they need to feel confident in voting,” said Rep. Salcido.

ABC-7 will keep you updated soon as we learn the exact dates and details for the community meetings.