Only on ABC-7: Abraham Chavez Theatre’s revenue reviewed

The Hispanic cultural center subcommittee, tasked with developing the details of locations for the city’s new cultural center, is working on its final report to give to city council later this year.

One plan is to house it in the Abraham Chavez Theatre in downtown El Paso.

“How is (the theater) utilized now? Is it available? It’s an old building. It’s a little tired,” the subcommittee chair, El Paso District Attorney Jaime Esparza, told ABC-7 on Aug. 18.

ABC-7 contacted Destination El Paso, the department in charge of bringing events to the Chavez Theatre and other city-owned venues, to find out how much revenue the theater brings into the city.

Numbers given to ABC-7 by Destination El Paso show that the theater has seen increased revenue, event days and attendance each year since 2013.

Data show that in 2013, the theater brought in $387,928 in revenue. That amount jumped to $537,826 in 2014 and as of June of this year, the amount was $660,732.

In 2013, the theater held events on 65 days with a total attendance of 55,714. It added an additional event day in 2014, but increased total attendance to 68,068 people. The number of event days has jumped to 74, with 79,364 people attending events at the theater as of June 2015.

Destination El Paso General Manager Bryan Crowe told ABC-7 that the same information was given to the subcommittee.

“It’s not our position to make a positive or negative recommendation,” Crowe said, when asked if he told the subcommittee members that the theater is doing well and has a good reputation.

The Abraham Chavez Theatre has been ranked in the top five for Texas venues and in the top 200 globally. The ranking is based on utilization and revenue.

“The revenue goes back to the city,” Crowe said. “We serve at the pleasure of the city of El Paso, so it will be up to the subcommittee to make a recommendation to the council and then for the council to choose to act on those recommendations.”

ABC-7 confirmed that the subcommittee is formulating its recommendations for city council. The deadline to turn those over to the city is in December.

It should be known soon thereafter whether the Chavez Theatre is the recommended site of the new cultural center.