County, UTEP team up to develop research hub near Fabens Airport

UTEP and the County of El Paso are teaming up to form the new MIRO Technology and Research and Innovation Acceleration Park adjacent to the underutilized Fabens Airport.

The hope is to increase regional economic prosperity by allowing UTEP engineering students to work with industry leaders who will come to the park and create new jobs for the area.

“What it means to us at UTEP is really an opportunity to demonstrate the kind of economic development that can occur in El Paso and serve as a conduit for retaining more of the talent that we have invested heavily on educating here in El Paso,” UTEP President Dr. Diana Natalicio said.

While the County contributes acreage and structural support, UTEP will lend federal funding and student talent.

“We are proud to be collaborating with the County of El Paso to realize this tremendous opportunity for our region to be seen as a major player within the aerospace industry,” said Ahsan Choudhuri, chair of UTEP’s mechanical engineering department.

County Judge Veronica Escobar said it will breath life into a Fabens airport that sees an average of just three crop dusting flights a day.

“The property needs some work,” Escobar said. “It’s going to need a more secure site obviously. Some of the runways are going to need investment. So we definitely have renewed motivation to do that.”

The 10-year timeline of development will include construction, grant funding and implementing different projects.