EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County commissioners are expected to take up the first steps toward finding new management for the El Paso County Coliseum, as questions swirl about whether UTEP could become involved in the venue’s future.
Commissioners will discuss an agenda item on Monday that would begin soliciting proposals for future management of the Coliseum.
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The item to begin requesting bids was added to the agenda last week.
If approved, it would start a process to seek bids for who will manage the venue going forward.
The Coliseum is currently managed by the El Paso Sports Commission, which has held the contract since 2003.
That contract is set to expire next year in September.
Tony Rodriguez, the El Paso Sports Commission’s director of communications and events, said he has been told by several organizations that UTEP may be looking to take over operations.
Rodriguez said county commissioners were not aware of any plans for UTEP to take over.
County officials also say a request for proposal to buy the venue is currently being written by UTEP, but has not yet been published.
Rodriguez said the situation has left him feeling blindsided.
“The commissioners don’t know about it or the county judge it’s all been behind the scenes with admin and so we just didn’t put it out there because if you’re gonna go for an RFP make it fair but if you’re already promising it to someone you can’t do that,” Rodriguez said.
“Its a punch in the gut. Because you seem that you’re doing everything right, and yet it’s not enough. And that’s not fair because we’re showing it, we’re proving it, it’s in the numbers,” he said.
In a previous statement, UTEP said it regularly has these discussions with community partners to explore options.
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