City Council chooses to appeal judge’s decision on Downtown arena

The battle over the Downtown arena in Duranguito will continue!

City Council voted Tuesday to appeal a judge’s decision this week that stated the City of El Paso cannot use any funding at all to make the facility sports specific.

Just a few minutes after City Council took that vote Tuesday, the Paso Del Sur group that opposes building the facility in Duranguito held a news conference and criticized the City of El Paso for its decision to appeal what they felt was a completely clear ruling.

“We are appealing,” Mayor Dee Margo announced after an executive session at the end of Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

After the 6-2 vote, with City Representatives Alexsandra Annello and Sam Morgan voting against appealing, the Paso Del Sur group that opposes the arena spoke with the media in Duranguito.

“This problem was not caused by the residents of Duranguito,” attorney Carmen Rodriguez said “The problem the City is facing right now was caused by the City itself.”

The City vowed in addition to appealing to continue to work within the Duranguito site on the acquisition of properties, while working with the state’s Historic Preservation Commission. The City will also seek clarification as to what they can provide in the multipurpose center and how it can be funded, while moving ahead with designing a facility that can feature a variety of special events.

“If we want to have a Disney on Ice, does that preclude us from having a hockey game,” Margo asked. “We don’t know. That’s the reason for the appeal.

Attorneys fighting to keep the facility out of Duranguito were surprised to hear the City is appealing.

“I think it’s quite clear and I think Judge (Amy Clark) Meachum was quite clear,” Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid attorney Cassandra McCrae said. “The ordinance did not authorize a facility to be designed or constructed primarily for sports. The City has claimed a victory here, and yet it’s appealing. That’s another point of confusion for me.”

The Paso Del Sur group estimated legal costs for the city have reached $1.5 to $2 million.

“The cost to el paso taxpayers has been enormous and it’s a shame,” City Rep. Dr. Michiel Noe said, blaming those opposed to building the facility in Duranguito.

“The City Council is being led to appeal this case when it really should not be appealed,” Rodriguez added. “It is going to cost El Pasoans and taxpayers so much money.”

ABC-7 reached out to the City to see if it would verify the amount spent on legal services to this point, but the City has yet get back with a number.

On Monday, ABC-7 was told an appeal would be expedited and would likely not take years, but months. Noe told ABC-7 Tuesday it could take up to a year!