El Paso City Council approves sending Multipurpose Center funding back to voters

Update: Just after noon Tuesday, El Paso City Council voted 5-3 to approve sending the funding for the Multipurpose Performing Arts and Entertainment Facility, also known as the Multipurpose Center or MPC, back to the voters to decide.

City Reps. Kennedy, Molinar, Fierro, Rivera and Canales voted in favor of sending the authority to issue the remaining bonds for the project to voters in November. Voting against were City Reps. Acevedo, Hernandez, and Salcido.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council will decide today whether or not voters should determine the future of a proposed multipurpose facility.

The Multipurpose Performing Arts and Entertainment Facility project was approved by voters 12 years ago as a part of the 2012 Quality of Life Bond. Officials said the multipurpose center is the only remaining project from that package for which there are bonds that have not yet been sold or delivered.

Mayor Oscar Leeser, as well as representatives Isabel Salcido and Chris Canales, made remarks in favor of allowing the public to vote.

Representative Cassandra Hernandez said that it would be a "missed opportunity" not to continue the project, adding that when an investment is made in the community, the community is uplifted.

When voters approved the multipurpose center in the November 2012 election, the estimated cost of the center was about $180 million, according to City Representative for District 8, Chris Canales.

Today, Mayor Leeser said the project would cost much more if it were done today.

As of 11:55 a.m., the city council is still discussing the matter and has not yet made a decision.