El Paso Emerging as a Major Player in Texas
by Mayor John Cook

Our days as a dusty cow town on the border have come to an end. Now more than ever, El Paso is demonstrating its position as a major player within the great state of Texas and beyond.

Some time back, Houston’s Mayor Bill White called to see if I would be interested in joining with the mayors of Texas’ largest metropolitan cities to discuss our approaches to common problems. This past summer, the mayors of Houston, San Antonio and El Paso met in Houston to share our approaches to pension plan obligations and health benefits. Other large cities sent representatives to participate. Having just gone through rescuing the police and fire pension plans, El Paso definitely took a leadership role in letting the other cities know what we had to go through to address the unfunded liabilities that were endangering the viability of the plans. Benefit packages were a more difficult issue because our compensation plans are so different from one another; however, we are exploring the possibility of synergistic approaches to prescription medications. If the six largest cities in Texas were to negotiate a contract for the most common meds we might be able to save our employees thousands of dollars every year. Houston is taking the lead to compile the data that the cities are researching.

In November, we held our second meeting. Mayor Phil Hardberger of San Antonio hosted this summit where we discussed our approaches to energy conservation and finding issues where we could speak with a unified voice via our state legislative agendas. The mayors of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston joined us at this meeting.

Our third session will be in late February or early March in El Paso. I anxiously await this next session as we’ll continue to build synergistic approaches to common issues – this time discussing water conservation – and pick up where we left off on the developing legislative strategies. More than that, though, my excitement stems from the wonderful opportunity this will pose to showcase our beautiful city and the progression and potential our city emits. The strong resolve El Paso as a whole maintains to work towards enhancing its community far outshines that dusty old image.

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What downtown El Paso could really be like?
by Bob Cook, REDCo President

There has been a lot of talk recently about a new “Downtown Life”. Residents are asking for it, city officials are looking for ways to build it and many of REDCo’s clients will want to know about it. The question everyone should be asking is what is a “Downtown Life” and how do we build it so that it is mutually satisfying to all constituents. Here are a few thoughts about a potential new “Downtown Life”.
How about a downtown that is a getaway destination for families on the weekend? The Insights Museum, Holocaust Museum, the El Paso Museum of Art and the Adair Margo Gallery are great places to start. These museums offer a chance for family bonding and fun, while at the same time offering a learning experience for the education of children (and adults) of the rich history and culture of this region. We are already treated to some of the world’s best known and loved traveling exhibitions, and we should continue to nurture this.

How about a downtown shopping experience that is second to none? The current redevelopment plan proposes a wide variety of specialty shops and department stores to supplement the existing businesses already located downtown. Whether it is top of the line designer clothes, state of the art electronics, rare books or five-star dining options, our revitalized downtown will have something for everyone.

How about a downtown that is alive with activity? El Paso’s downtown will be the place that people go to see and be seen. What is that smell? That is the smell of the finest European coffee the world has to offer. What’s that sound? It is the sound of an acoustic set from an “up and coming” El Paso band. No, wait, it is the sound of children playing, the sound of heavy conversation, and the sound of college students typing away as they enjoy free wi-fi service. What’s that I see? A magician on a street corner? A sidewalk art exhibit? Fans filing in to a new arena to watch professional ice hockey? This is my idea of entertainment!

How about a place where everyone feels comfortable and safe? People of all ages could play chess and hackysack at sidewalk cafes and public gathering spaces. I envision parades, rallies, and festivals of all sorts. I envision a downtown where everyone is welcome and everyone feels at home whether they are natives, transplants or just passing through. This downtown that I am envisioning is the heart of this fair city of ours and it is the focal point, and the center of our unity. I envision El Paso’s revitalized downtown as being a source of pride for the community and the final nail in the coffin to the age-old myth that “there is nothing to do in El Paso”.

In the middle of my downtown El Paso is this notion - our downtown life will not be defined by the retail or dining experiences. It will not be defined by public works of art or the crowds of people themselves. El Paso’s downtown life will be a reflection of some of the accolades that the city has already received, such as being named the 2nd Happiest and ranking the 3rd Safest Major City in America. Our downtown will be a place of goodwill between neighbors and friends. It will be the centrifugal point of the melding of the cultures of the America’s future and the center of our economic force.