Pro-El Paso ‘Campaign’ Found After Land Deal Disintegrates

By Martin Bartlett

EL PASO — A day after a major land deal between the city and Hunt Communities falls through, ABC-7 discovered a ‘campaign’ by Hunt’s CEO praising the Sun City to those outside of El Paso about the strength of the economy.

Great press and bold headlines praising the growth of El Paso across the statewere the result of a public relations ‘blitz’ by Hunt CEO Woody Hunt and Redco CEOBob Cook.

According to an article in the Dallas Morning News, Cook emphasized the expansion of El Paso’s Fort Bliss community and the economic prosperity it would bring the city.

The article highlights the city’s robust housing market, defense contractors eyeing the city and the like in order to draw bigger business and expand the idea of El Paso as ‘growing.’

But the sudden withdrawal of Hunt Communities from the Northeast Master Plan because of the city’s failure to delineate subdivision ordinances seems to contradict that praise.

City officials contend that because of a downturn in the real estate market, the land development opportunity became more of a burden than a boom for Hunt Communities.

“I don’t think anything can help the city when it just flops like that,” said Gene Hill, a northeast resident.

Many northeast residents echoed that sentiment, saying they were disappointed that the city’s first ever master plan community has been indefinitely stalled.

“[The market]’snot like it used to be — not like it was in say June of last year,” Hill added. Hunt maintained the decision was based on the city’s seeming indecisiveness, but many contend the choice was driven by business and the bottom line.

“I think that hunt pulling out was a smart idea,” Hill concluded.