By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
February 15, 2013
While a city such as Sacramento struggles to find investors for the Kings and a new downtown arena, residents in El Paso, Texas, are using sports as a catalyst to redevelop their entire city. El Paso is beginning construction on the projects approved in November’s $473 million quality of life referendum. Scheduled to break ground this year is a new $50 million downtown, Triple-A baseball stadium, one of the major reasons for the public support. The quality of life package also included a multipurpose arena, parks, and museum and zoo upgrades.
So what can other cities takeaway from what’s being done in El Paso? Two things. First, don’t be afraid to invest in yourself, and second, if you’re going to invest in sports infrastructure, don’t neglect other essential projects like parks, museums, and other recreational activities.
