140 feet-by-350 feet building<\/p>\n
125 feet-by-270 feet arena<\/p>\n
5,603 permanent seats<\/p>\n
\u201cTaylor Telecom Arena is equipped with a large, flexible meeting room that can be separated into two separate rooms, two concessions stands, announcer stand, grand auditorium speakers, and a concourse that allows for 51 10\u2019x10\u2032 vendor spaces,\u201d the event website said.<\/p>\n
The arena was part of a bond election and package of projects.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Expo Center passed a $55 million bond election in 2016 to renovate the Coliseum, Midway, First Financial Pavilion, Taylor Telecom Arena and Guitar Arena. Renovations were complete in 2021,\u201d the facility website said<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the City Council and County Commissioners will both consider a feasibility study of Civic Center renovations alongside a new multipurpose venue (expo center) downtown. The city and county each paid about $45,000 (for a total of roughly $90,000) for the study.<\/p>\n LubbockLights.com broke the story in February<\/a> a joint venture was under consideration by the city and county to combine renovations with new construction of a new expo center.<\/p>\n Randy Jordan, chairman of the Lubbock County Expo Center (LCEC) Board, was opposed to a joint venture at that time. He still is.<\/p>\n His preference is a separate expo center \u2013 with a slashed construction budget.<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me, we\u2019re going to bring this baby home,\u201d said Jordan.<\/p>\n Jordan did not reveal the new cost estimate publicly and does not plan to until it goes to the Lubbock Government Corporation (LGC) board (which works with the LCEC board). LGC meets on Wednesday to consider the same study.<\/p>\n The expo center is funded by a combination of hotel tax and private donations. The donations have been tough, Jordan said, because the effort got began right when COVID hit.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re the closest we\u2019ve ever been. We\u2019re moving forward with the final stages of our private funding. And we\u2019re real close to being able to come to the table with a complete total package,\u201d Jordan said.<\/p>\n County Judge Curtis Parrish left both options \u2013 downtown or at North University \u2013 on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to hearing the complete feasibility study from the consultants. Lubbock County has many important decisions to make to see this project finally get off the ground,\u201d Parrish said.<\/p>\n Then another group comes into play.<\/p>\n \u201cAny decisions moving forward with the venue project will be made first with a recommendation from our citizens advisory group,\u201d Parrish added.<\/p>\n That is the LGC.<\/p>\n Who are the LGC and LCEC?<\/p>\n The LGC is created under state law and can plan, manage and finance projects. The LCEC is a non-profit 501(c)3 group taking the lead in private fundraising and has participated extensively in the planning of a new expo center.<\/p>\n Commissioners formed the LGC in early 2021 after voters approved a hotel-occupancy tax in November 2018 to fund a new expo center.<\/p>\n Mayor says together is better<\/p>\n Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer said consistently since LubbockLights.com first broke the story that putting both a renewed civic center and new expo center together is the best idea.<\/p>\n \u201cI know they can have a whole lot more to build it with if they build it downtown,\u201d McBrayer said of the expo center.<\/p>\n
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