Potential Budget Cuts Put Wyler Aerial Tramway In Trouble

It’s considered a Sun City treasure, but it’s now on the state legislature’s chopping block. Potential budget cuts are threatening the survival of the Wyler Aerial Tramway State Park.

“Anyone who makes a trip to El Paso has to make a trip to the tramway” the park’s superintendent, Humberto Quinonez, said.

The Wyler tramway is one of the city’s top tourist attractions and the only state park to feature an accessible tramway.

However, the state park is one of seven that could shut down for good once funding runs out in September. Texas Parks and Wildlife made the list of expendable state parks based on how cost effective they were in their communities among other factors.

Quinonez said none of the members of his staff have been given official word on the park’s future. “I wish I could find out what’s really going on,” he said.

Quinonez added the tramway would survive with a “hefty” budget cut. “It doesn’t take that much money to operate,” he said.

So what now? El Paso state representative Dee Margo told ABC-7 he’s spoken with state officials about saving the sky-high attraction.

“I said is there some way you could find it in your budget to sustain and maintain the tramway?” Margo said. “The commissioner said yes, he thought he could. He gave me his word, confirmed it in writing.”

Margo said the state is now reaching out to local lawmakers to find out if the city of El Paso can help in any way, including utilities or staffing costs.