EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) \u2014 After more than two decades under the same management, El Paso County is opening up the future operation of the El Paso County Coliseum to competitive bidding, and potential operators got an early look at the process during a tour and pre-proposal conference held on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The El Paso Sports Commission and El Paso County hosted the tour of the Coliseum and other facilities on the property.<\/p>\n
\u201cShowed them the property, showed them the Coliseum and the other arenas that we have here on property from the men’s center to the judge arena to the pavilion and the parking lot,\u201d said Tony Rodriguez, communications director for the El Paso Sports Commission.<\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: <\/a>El Paso County seeks proposals for management, operation of county-owned Coliseum<\/a><\/p>\n The tour followed May\u2019s approval of a competitive bidding process for management of the venue, amid discussion of the University of Texas at El Paso possibly taking over operations.<\/p>\n The Sports Commission has managed the Coliseum since 2003, and that contract expires in September 2027.<\/p>\n Six bidders attended Tuesday’s pre-proposal conference, including the El Paso Sports Commission, UTEP, and attorney and former Sports Commission CEO Brian Kennedy.<\/p>\n Rodriguez said the Sports Commission plans to submit a bid and pointed to recent efforts to meet the county\u2019s strategic goals for the venue.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I got here in 2022, they asked for more combative sports. That was part of their strategic planning. And so that’s what we did,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n Emily Schmalz reports on the bidders touring the El Paso County Coliseum ahead of the bid deadline<\/p>\n<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: El Paso County commissioners approve bidding process for Coliseum management<\/a><\/p>\n Attendees were able to ask questions about the facility and the bidding process. <\/p>\n County documents state potential bidders have until Thursday to submit questions, which will be answered in a future document.<\/p>\n Kennedy said he is representing an international management consultant. <\/p>\n Asked what his company has planned for the Coliseum, Kennedy said, \u201cI’m going to save that till I turn the bid in.\u201d<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: <\/a>Rumors of UTEP takeover prompt El Paso Sports Commission director to seek answers<\/a><\/p>\n Kennedy also explained why he decided to get involved.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m not bidding because I think that there’s something wrong. I’m bidding because I think I have an idea that may not have been approached before,\u201d Kennedy said.<\/p>\n UTEP representatives attended the event but declined to comment.<\/p>\n County documents show bids are due by noon on June 25 and will be opened publicly later that day.<\/p>\n More information on the process can be found here<\/a>. <\/p>\n