Despite claims the Expo Center project failed to raise enough money, Lubbock County commissioners approved next steps Tuesday afternoon on a 4-1 vote.
Randy Jordan, chairman of the non-profit Lubbock County Expo Center Inc. (LCEC), presented the latest plan and a resolution to the commissioners for approval.
The resolution calls for a new design which largely copies the Taylor Telecom Arena in Abilene.
As LubbockLights.com previously reported, the resolution confirms the location at North Loop 289 and North University Avenue – rejecting an alternative to move the venue downtown. The resolution also gets the county to work on borrowing roughly $32 million of the estimated $67 million total cost.
The remainder of the money comes from private fundraising by LCEC. Jordan said pledges of $25 million have been made. That does not mean it’s money in the bank, and those pledges might be paid over a number of years.
County Judge Curtis Parrish expressed concern and voted “no.”
Parrish told Jordan in the meeting, “My problem is I don’t believe you have the best interest of the county in mind.”
Parrish told Jordan he had the best interest of the project – not the county – at heart.
An attorney, Ashley Cox, who works for the county, said she and her colleagues were intricately involved in protecting the county’s interests.
Auditor Kathy Williams said Lubbock County must know the total cost of the project. But she hasn’t seen enough in terms of financial documentation.
Cox said more documentation would be provided at the right time to show the money is available.
Cox admitted there has been a communications breakdown.
“No one has done a good job with that. We don’t know what we’re doing,” Cox said.
But Cox said communication will get better. And an Expo Center must be built.
“We cannot un-ring that bell,” Cox said.
“It would decades to litigate and figure out,” Cox said of more than $20 million of hotel and rental vehicle taxes that have already been collected since voters approved them in 2018.
By contrast, the current plan is workable Cox said.
And if the documentation is not good enough by the time final plans come up for a vote, then commissioners can vote against it, according to Cox.
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County oversight board withholds blessing for expo center, wanting more answers on financial issues
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Parrish offered two amendments to the resolution – both failed for lack of second.
The first amendment said the Expo Center “may” be located at North Loop and North University.
The location is important because proponents of the latest plan rejected the city’s partnership offer. Under the city’s alternative, the Expo Center would go on the same site as a renovated Civic Center with a new flagship hotel nearby. But critics point to traffic flow, lack of parking and the lack of room for future facility expansion.
The second amendment said Lubbock County will not incur any design cost. But in the meeting, LCEC said the only cost on the table right now is $375,000 for design work, and LCEC is paying – not Lubbock County.
The vote Tuesday is not quite the last word. Commissioners will still need to approve the final new design and a construction project which will need to specify a guaranteed maximum price.
This story was posted as developing news shortly after the commissioners voted. Be sure to check back with LubbockLights.com for updates.
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