EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Plans for the Sunset Amphitheater in Northeast El Paso are seemingly moving forward as El Paso Community College\u2019s board took action on approving a letter of intent to lease parking, a key piece of the project. <\/p>\n
The amphitheater, planned near the former Cohen Stadium site in Northeast El Paso, was approved by El Paso city leaders in April 2024. It is expected to include a 12,500-seat outdoor concert venue, with the city supporting the project through about $31 million in performance-based incentives.<\/p>\n
The facility was set to open this year, but Venu, the company behind the project, said the timeline has been pushed back to next fall.<\/p>\n
According to Venu, the delay was partly tied to parking that the city of El Paso was set to provide as part of the agreement. <\/p>\n
However, the parking plan is tied to land connected to El Paso Community College, where EPCC\u2019s board of trustees discussed plans to begin the process of possibly leasing the area to the City of El Paso. <\/p>\n
On Friday, EPCC\u2019s board of trustees voted to approve a letter of intent with the city regarding the proposed ground lease and development coordination for the amphitheater. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is just a first shot in what we’re doing with the city, if we do, there’s nothing binding, if we don’t like the deal that they come back with, we can always walk away,\u201d said Brian Haggerty, chair of the EPCC Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n
Robert Mudd, Senior Vice President of Market Expansion for Venu Holding Corporation, said Venu is working with both the city and EPCC on the parking plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re fully aligned on the plan, and we’ve worked in great unity with both the college and the city. And so we’re excited about it. They’re obviously doing their due diligence, which is an important piece of that. And we expect it to work out. And that gives us the path forward. If it doesn’t work out, we’ve got other options to consider as well. We’ll be ready to move,\u201d Mudd said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, according to Venu, while it still has not obtained all permits for the project, the company said the holdup is also due to construction drawings, which are expected to be completed by the end of September, with construction targeted for October.<\/p>\n
The project\u2019s cost has also increased, with Venu stating that the amphitheater is now well over $160 million, up from the original $100 million projection. The company attributed part of the increase to added features, including advanced audiovisual technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe AV that we’re putting into this, which is an additional $30 million, is going to be a game changer. It is going to be on the front page of the music industry\u2019s tab,\u201d said Mudd<\/p>\n
While the amphitheater project is seeing some delays, Venu said it is projecting a $5 billion economic impact over 20 years. The company also projects about $105 million in annual direct revenue once the venue is operating.<\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: Sunset Amphitheater delay pushes opening to fall 2027 as costs jump to $160M<\/a><\/p>\n