EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The El Paso County Coliseum is safe from being torn down, according to a press release sent by the office of El Paso County Commissioner David C. Stout.
The Coliseum has been removed from the General Services Administration’s (GSA) final options for modernization of the Bride of the Americas (BOTA) port of entry, according to the press release.
As we previously reported, proposed plans by GSA to expand BOTA would require them to build where the El Paso County Coliseum and El Paso County Events Center (ice rink) are currently located.
“This is great news for this historic, publicly owned County asset,” said Commissioner David Stout. “It’s one of the outcomes I’ve joined with community members to achieve. In fact, plans to renovate the Coliseum, which were originally on the list for the County’s upcoming bond proposal, were removed because of uncertainty around whether the GSA would take the property. I pushed to have the Coliseum added back to that list, and with this news, it seems we have a much clearer path to complete these renovations if voters so choose.
“With respect to the BOTA modernization, I thank the GSA for listening to my office and the community and for making this decision. Now, the next critical step is to protect community health and quality of life by redirecting commercial traffic to other ports of entry.”
A public meeting will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26 at Hilos de Plata Senior Center, 4451 Delta Dr.
The GSA will present three alternatives for the modernization of the BOTA port of entry:
No action
Viable Action Alternative 1A- multi-level modernization (high/Low booths) primarily within existing port boundaries with minor land acquisition immediately adjacent to the port and additional land acquisition to the east (13 acres). No El Paso County land to be acquired.
Viable Action Alternative 4- multi-level modernization within the existing port boundaries with minor land acquisition immediately adjacent to the port and elimination of commercial cargo operations. No El Paso County or TxDOT DPS land to be acquired.
“Make no mistake – this is great news, but we still have difficult work ahead to convince GSA to choose Alternative 4,” Commissioner Stout said. “That would be a huge step toward revitalizing a part of the community that for too long has been a sacrifice zone for heavy industry, highways, and other significant pollution sources.”
“Pollution includes tiny particles, called PM 10, solvents such as benzene, and ozone, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states ‘can harm our health, especially on hot sunny days when ozone can reach unhealthy levels. Even relatively low levels of ozone can cause health effects,'” read the press release.
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