El Paso mayor talks about future of downtown revitalization

In recent years, El Paso has seen changes to downtown, from the return of the El Paso Streetcar to Southwest University Stadium and the reopening of San Jacinto Plaza.

ABC-7 talked with Mayor Dee Margo about what is to come in 2019 to continue downtown revitalization.

Margo said he wants two major hotels to be complete in 2019, The Plaza Hotel and The Paso Del Norte Hotel.

The mayor said there is an estimated $300 million to $400 million in investment happening in downtown.

“The revitalization dollars are driven by the projects themselves. what we’ve done in the way of rebates, it’s driven by that particular project,” Margo said.

“We’re not dealing with general fund dollars here. Every project stands alone and creates its own opportunities for incentives.”

One project at the top of the city’s list is the multipurpose arena proposed to be built in the Duranguito neighborhood.

“I would hope we get the ball rolling on the multipurpose special events center, I think that can be a real driver. We need more convention space,” Margo said.

Despite the latest legal challenge for the city, Margo said if the arena is eventually approved, it would take an additional year for the design process and public input.

On Thursday, an appeals court in Austin temporarily suspended a permit that would allow the city to demolish buildings within the arena footprint in Duranguito.

Read more about it here.

Margo said the arena is a project that is “seven years late.”

The arena was approved by voters in the 2012 Quality of Life Bond election.