Airport closure could affect business perception of Borderland, expert says
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- A recent airport closure could negatively affect how businesses view the Borderland region, according to a local economic development leader.
Jon Barela, CEO of BorderPlex Alliance, said the closure risks reinforcing what he called a false narrative about El Paso and the surrounding region.
“El Paso in 2024, according to FBI statistics, was ranked as the safest city over a half-million in the United States,” Barela said. “But these stories tell a very false and very misleading narrative.”
Barela said BorderPlex Alliance has been successful in attracting high-wage jobs to the area, describing the organization as being on the “cutting edge” of economic development efforts. He noted that the region had a record year, with companies including Meta and other industries expanding or relocating to El Paso.
However, Barela said that following the airport closure, some top investors have expressed concerns about bringing business to the Borderland.
“This false narrative, this urban myth that exists outside of our region, that we are a dangerous and lawless frontier, unfortunately does not optimize, nor does it help us grow these wonderful jobs that we’re trying to attract to our region,” he said.
Barela said in the future hopes that there will be improvements on the communication chain, not only not only intergovernmental communications between federal agencies, but also communication between federal agencies and our local leaders.
