ABC-7 poll finds growing support for Duranguito arena construction among El Pasoans
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA-TV) -- An increasing number of El Pasoans support the construction of a downtown arena in the Duranguito district, according to an ABC-7 scientific poll conducted each of the past three years.
The poll asked TV news viewers currently living in El Paso County the same question in 2018, 2019 and now in 2020: Are you in favor or opposed to the construction of the downtown arena in the Duranguito district?
In 2018, only 26 percent of viewers said they were in favor of the plan. That approval increased to 31 percent in 2019 and 39 percent now in 2020.
As support has increased, opposition has slipped. In 2018, 37 percent of those surveyed said they were opposed to the plan. That number dropped to 31 percent in 2019 and now 22 percent in 2020.
The poll, conducted in September, comes just months after the Texas Supreme Court again rejected to hear a case on the matter.
"I think it's an affirmation," Mayor Dee Margo said about the increase of those in favor since 2018.
But famed Texas philanthropist JP Bryan, who's financially backing the legal fight to preserve the area for its historic value, sees the numbers differently.
"I still think there is enormous opposition," Bryan said, citing another 39 percent that were undecided. Bryan says that shows 61 percent of those surveyed did not say they were in favor of the plan.
Margo is zeroing in on the voters who approved all three signature "Quality of Life" projects from the 2012 bond election.
"When 70 percent approve something then I feel like it's my fiduciary duty to implement. There are not do-overs," he said.
Millions of dollars have been spent on litigation by both sides. A once $180 million budget now has both sides acknowledging that amount cannot get the job done. Margo has suggested the project could cost at least another $70 million while Bryan predicts the arena would cost upwards of $400 million.
"We are not opposed to the arena, per se," Bryan said. "We're only opposed to putting it in a place that will destroy a great future economic opportunity for your city."
But the mayor argues the arena is needed and the location in the Duranguito district provides the best economic opportunity.
"Bottom line is we are 40,000-square feet short in our convention space at our convention center," Margo said. "Irrespective of all the debate to Duranguito, the bottom line is we do need more space, for more convention space, to attract more conventions and people to El Paso."
City officials have said the next step as they move forward on the project is the completion of an archeological study of the construction site. A permit granted by the Texas Historical Commission for that study remains on hold under a separate legal challenge from Max Grossman, an architectural historian and professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, who has led the legal battle against the city for years.
While that remains the lone legal hurdle standing in the way of the City of El Paso, Bryan believes the fate of Duranguito could ultimately be decided where it all began -- at the ballot box.
"The more important decision is going to be made on November 3," Bryan said referring to Election Day. "If you've got a mayor totally opposed to the project, I doubt that it will have much future."
ABC-7 asked each of the six mayoral candidates the same question posed in the poll about Duranguito. To read each of their responses and see their discussion about Duranguito during the ABC-7 mayoral debate, click here.
