{"id":76212,"date":"2025-12-04T19:47:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T19:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/76212\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T19:47:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T19:47:13","slug":"has-expo-center-project-failed-or-does-it-just-need-a-little-boost-oversight-board-pushes-for-answers-and-urgency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/76212\/","title":{"rendered":"Has Expo Center project \u2018failed,\u2019 or does it \u2018just need a little boost?\u2019 Oversight board pushes for answers and urgency"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carl Isett and George McMahon summed differences of opinion on the proposed Expo Center project during a Wednesday meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just have to be honest, they failed. They have failed to meet the obligation that we entered into,\u201d said Isett, referring to a development agreement between the nonprofit Lubbock County Expo Center (LCEC) board and Lubbock County.<\/p>\n

McMahon disagreed, strongly supporting LCEC.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not that far away, but they just need a little boost,\u201d McMahon said.<\/p>\n

Both are members of the Local Government Corporation (LGC) \u2013 formed to oversee the project and make a recommendation to county commissioners who have the final decision if the project planned for North University Avenue and North Loop 289 goes forward.<\/p>\n

Voters in 2018 approved a hotel tax (and car rental tax) to fund a multipurpose arena. The nonprofit LCEC held a press conference last month, saying it was ready to present a plan to the LGC.<\/p>\n

LubbockLights.com covered the LCEC $67 million proposal here<\/a>. It called for the county to borrow roughly $32 in bonds, spend $10 million already set aside for the project and use donations and other revenue like naming rights to cover the rest.<\/p>\n

It also called for the county to spend up to a million of hotel tax revenue to cover an anticipated operating loss every year and called for a loan from PlainsCapital Bank for up to $20 million.<\/p>\n

The presentation to the LGC the day after the press conference was tense \u2013 with some LGC members feeling they\u2019d been excluded from important information. Wednesday\u2019s meeting was meant to resolve some of those concerns.<\/p>\n

Other issues in Wednesday\u2019s meeting were:<\/p>\n

If changing plans from a larger project to the latest one \u2013 is there money to pay for new plans?<\/p>\n

Need for better communication and urgency.<\/p>\n

Changing the bank loan\u2019s \u201cterm sheet\u201d \u2013 to make sure the county doesn\u2019t become responsible.<\/p>\n

Is the project better at its current site or downtown?<\/p>\n

LCEC chairman Randy Jordan was not at Wednesday\u2019s meeting and did not want to comment on specifics.<\/p>\n

\u201cLCEC is working diligently to answer questions to move the project forward,\u201d Jordan said.<\/p>\n

Is there money to pay for new plans?<\/p>\n

LCEC dropped a previous $92-million plan \u2013 opting to copy the Taylor Telecom Arena in Abilene, which has already been built.<\/p>\n

That meant discarding the architecture and design work already been paid for and hiring a new firm, Parkhill, which did the Abilene facility.<\/p>\n

Neal Burt, the county\u2019s civil division chief, said some of the engineering work on drainage and roads could be reused.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was some usable information in there, for the future,\u201d Burt said.<\/p>\n

Ashley Cox, a civil attorney for the county, said, \u201cI would hope that there\u2019s some sort of, agreement drafted between LCEC and Parkhill.\u201d<\/p>\n

LGC member Mike Stevens wondered if LCEC has the money for that. He balked at the idea that County Commissioners might have to pay for new plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe County Commissioners are going to have the most designed building in history. If the taxpayers pay both of those tickets, it just seems to be an extremely difficult pill to swallow,\u201d Stevens said.<\/p>\n

The LGC needs to know quickly if the LCEC can cover that cost, Stevens added<\/p>\n

Cox said failing to get an expo center built would also be a bitter pill.<\/p>\n

Urgency and communication<\/p>\n

Multiple LGC members felt like they still didn\u2019t have enough answers.<\/p>\n

Cox met for a couple hours Tuesday with LCEC leaders including Jordan, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a sense of urgency,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n

She plans to create a checklist of what\u2019s been done and what still needs to be done. She asked to appear on the agenda for the next LGC meeting on December 10.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like the opportunity to at least communicate with the whole LGC board,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n

Burt said, \u201cWe have in our talks with Mr. Jordan and LCEC just said this could not keep spinning around with it going nowhere and have stressed the urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n

The term sheet<\/p>\n

Not all members of the LGC had seen the term sheet of the proposed PlainsCapital loan in the November meeting. That caused some concern, with Jordan saying it\u2019s a confidential document.<\/p>\n

But on Wednesday, Cox said everyone can put off the term sheet for another day. She\u2019s asking LCEC to go back to PlainsCapital for some changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve gone through [the term sheet] with the red pen and said nothing in this term sheet can encumber county assets,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n

State law does not allow the county to take out a conventional bank loan.<\/p>\n

Burt said, \u201cIf someone were to welch on a $20 million loan, and the entity, the board, said, \u2018I\u2019m insolvent,\u2019 that financial institution is going to go look at someone new [to collect the money].\u201d<\/p>\n

That cannot be the county, Burt insisted.<\/p>\n

The county can borrow money by issuing bonds. During the meeting, lawyers called bond counsel said the county could borrow $32.1 million at the low end or up to $34.2 million at the high end.<\/p>\n

Chances are good the county can issue tax exempt bonds with an estimated interest rate of 4.72 percent. If the county needs to instead issue taxable bonds, the rate goes up to an estimated 5.82 percent.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Expo\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tExpo Center\u2019s future makes two pit stops this month \u2013 both in front of county oversight board<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 2, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Next\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tNext few weeks will tell if oversight board\u2019s Expo Center questions are answered enough to get decision<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNovember 17, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"County\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tCounty oversight board withholds blessing for expo center, wanting more answers on financial issues<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNovember 14, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Study:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tStudy: No matter where expo center goes, outdated Civic Center, surrounding areas need dramatic improvements<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 20, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Future\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tFuture of Civic Center, Expo Center on line in City Council, Commissioners Court meetings<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 14, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"New\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tNew law soon lets Lubbock raise money for Civic Center project<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAugust 7, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"County\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tCounty deadline proposed for Expo Center; if Corley\u2019s proposal passes, 120 days to finish planning or the county goes it alone<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarch 7, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Plans\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tPlans being discussed to move Expo Center downtown, paired with updated Civic Center; Expo leader still hopes it works on north Lubbock site<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 21, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

What about Downtown?<\/p>\n

The city this year invited the county to consider putting an Expo Center on the same property as the Civic Center. The two sites could be jointly administered and thanks to some help from the Texas Legislature, the city of Lubbock has a way to raise millions of dollars for the joint project.<\/p>\n

The city is authorized to create a Project Finance Zone and keep a portion of sales taxes with a 3-mile radius of the Civic Center that would otherwise go to Austin. It\u2019s worth an estimated $121.7 million over 30 years.<\/p>\n

The city could also increase its hotel tax and combine that money with the county\u2019s revenue.<\/p>\n

McMahon asked one of the bond counsel, Jason Hughes, if jointly managing the Civic Center and Expo Center is deal killer for the county\u2019s bond.<\/p>\n

Hughes answered, \u201cAnother party could certainly manage the facility if it were downtown.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon said, \u201cYou\u2019re not helping me. I was hoping you would tell me that wasn\u2019t possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon not only defended LCEC\u2019s fundraising efforts, he fully supports LCEC\u2019s desire to keep the project at North Loop 289 and North University.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, my gut feeling is that if they were to get started in actual construction, they could close that [fundraising] gap,\u201d McMahon said.<\/p>\n

\"McMahan,George McMahan (left), Carl Isett (center, top) and Mike Stevens (lower right) during Wednesday\u2019s LGC meeting. Credit: Staff photo.<\/p>\n

LCEC said in the last meeting, if the bank loan goes through, there is enough money to make it all work. But Jordan repeatedly admitted over the last couple years, fundraising has not gone as well as hoped.<\/p>\n

McMahon said, \u201cI think you got a bunch of people telling you, \u2018Yeah, yeah, let\u2019s get this done. We\u2019ll help you get the bond done.\u2019 And then he [Jordan] goes back to these people. \u2018All right, I\u2019m ready for y\u2019all\u2019s help,\u2019 Everybody flaked on him and disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isett still expressed frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very frustrated that we have been doing this month after month, year after year. And we keep getting the same smoke blown our direction and nothing gets done. No action,\u201d Isett said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just feel like it\u2019s not a good deal tomorrow. It\u2019s not a good deal today,\u201d Isett said.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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