UTEP president asks taxpayers to support $99M Sun Bowl upgrades to attract major concerts

UTEP officials want El Paso County taxpayers to pay for $99 million worth of improvements to the 46,000-seat, 60-year-old Sun Bowl stadium to attract more large music concerts that have been skipping the city.

Bringing in the huge concerts that have become a national trend will not only help music lovers but also bring in multiple millions of dollars into the El Paso economy, according to a UTEP study, Heather Wilson, president of the University of Texas at El Paso, said at a Friday news media briefing.

"We're only using the Sun Bowl for 30 days a year," including UTEP football games, two Monster Truck shows, and a few concerts, Wilson said. It also hosts the annual, nationally televised Sun Bowl college football game.

"This is one of the most underused facilities in this entire region," Wilson said. "So, the question that comes — how can we as a community get more out of this iconic facility and accomplish our mission better, and positively impact the community?"

No bond, no project

The answer, she said, is to have El Paso County Commissioners Court add the $99 million Sun Bowl project to the proposed county capital improvement bond issue tentatively set to go to El Paso voters in November.

The UTEP project would be only part of what Wilson said could be as much as a $500 million bond issue. However, she hopes voters will be given the option of voting on each project separately.

No other funding is available to do the project, including from donors and the UT System, which owns the stadium, she said. So, if it's not part of the county bond issue, the project will not be done, she said.

What does the $99 million buy?

Here are the main improvements covered by the $99 million project:

• Upgrade the electrical system to power big concerts. Currently, promoters have to rent a diesel generator for about $90,000 to have enough power, Wilson said.

• Buy an "all-drivable field cover system" to put over the stadium's artificial turf during concerts. Promoters now have to rent a cover for $300,000.

• Widen the stadium's south entrance so semitrailer trucks hauling concert equipment can easily and quickly enter and exit the stadium. Delays in moving equipment cost promoters money that they generally don't want to spend, Wilson said.

• Upgrade stadium team locker rooms, and add food service and other amenities sought by concert promoters for their music stars, and improve concession stands for fans.

The list of improvements is the result of asking concert promoters what the Sun Bowl needs to make "El Paso a must stop rather than a gas stop" for major concerts, she said.

By bringing in only eight additional, huge concerts per year, the Sun Bowl could bring in $2.06 billion over the life of a 30-year bond from tourism, retail spending, local tax revenue and new jobs, according to a study done by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness at UTEP, Wilson reported.

Commissioner Leon against UTEP plan

At least one county commissioner is against UTEP's proposal.

"While I acknowledge the need for investment and improvements in the Sun Bowl, I stand by the (county) Bond Advisory Committee's recommendations to prioritize our community's basic needs first," El Paso County Commissioner Carlos Leon said in a statement released Friday, May 24.

"We need to stick to the basics . . . ," Leon said.

More: El Paso City Council greenlights plan for 12,500-seat amphitheater in Northeast El Paso

UTEP sends request to commissioners

UTEP officials have been talking to county officials for some time about various Sun Bowl proposals, Wilson said.

The county built the stadium, opened in 1963, and turned it over to UTEP, Wilson noted. But the UT System owns it.

On Thursday, Wilson sent a letter to county commissioners with UTEP's formal request that the Sun Bowl project be included in any bond issue.

Under the UTEP proposal, the county would have the right to use the Sun Bowl six or seven times a year, Wilson said. However, her understanding is the county would not be interested in staging concerts, she said.

County seeks public input on bond projects

Wilson urged El Pasoans who support the Sun Bowl project to attend one of 12 meetings the county is holding over the next three weeks to get public input on a lengthy list of project proposals for the possible bond issue.

The first meeting is Wednesday, May 29, at the Jefferson High School cafeteria, 4700 Alameda Ave., from 5:30-7 p.m.

These meetings will get further public input on a list of 31 projects that the 11-member Bond Advisory Committee recommended after a first round of bond community meetings earlier this year. Those meetings looked at a list with more than 100 proposed projects.

Sun Bowl project on 'alternative' list

The bond committee also has a list of six "alternative projects," including the Sun Bowl project and County Coliseum revitalization plan. It also has a list of 25 recommended projects to be done with certificates of obligation, that require no approval from voters.

"Commissioners Court has not made a final decision on whether or not they will be pursuing a bond (issue) and are looking for community feedback before making a decision, which is expected to come sometime in July or early August," according to a county media release.

More information on the UTEP project and proposed county bond projects, including the list of community meetings, are available online at utep.edu/sun-bowl and capital.epcounty.com.

Vic Kolenc may be reached at 915-546-6421; vkolenc@elpasotimes.com; @vickolenc on Twitter, now known as X.

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This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso taxpayers may fund $99M Sun Bowl renovations for big concerts