By Steve Clark
Brownsville Herald
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. says he’s cautiously optimistic that voters will approve Proposition A – regarding the Cameron County Venue Project – on May 7.
The proposition asks whether the county’s existing venue/visitor tax revenue can be used to help build a $100 million, 10,000-seat multipurpose arena that would serve as an anchor for the 1,300-acre Madeira master-planned, residential/commercial project now under construction in north Brownsville.
Voters defeated the proposition by a narrow margin in November, although a similar proposition – to allow venue/visitor tax revenue to be used for improvements to Isla Blanca Park and construction of the South Texas Ecotourism Center – was passed by voters in 2016. Taxes on hotel/motel bookings and vehicle rentals in the county comprise the venue/visitor tax, also known as the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT).
There’s much more awareness of the venue project this time around thanks to an advocacy campaign promoting it, Trevino said, noting that he heard from many people after the November vote that they didn’t even know the proposition was on the ballot. At a reception following the Madeira groundbreaking on Feb. 23, the judge encouraged members of the business community in attendance to help promote the project in the run-up to May 7.
“Constitutional elections don’t normally get a lot of voter participation,” he said. “I think the business community and the developers realized they needed to do a little bit more, because the county cannot spend any money to market, advocate or inform. They realized that they needed to step up to the plate and inform the public. I think it’s been much more positive in that sense...I think there’s a lot more attention now and a lot more information out there.”
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. says he’s cautiously optimistic that voters will approve Proposition A – regarding the Cameron County Venue Project – on May 7.
The proposition asks whether the county’s existing venue/visitor tax revenue can be used to help build a $100 million, 10,000-seat multipurpose arena that would serve as an anchor for the 1,300-acre Madeira master-planned, residential/commercial project now under construction in north Brownsville.
Voters defeated the proposition by a narrow margin in November, although a similar proposition – to allow venue/visitor tax revenue to be used for improvements to Isla Blanca Park and construction of the South Texas Ecotourism Center – was passed by voters in 2016. Taxes on hotel/motel bookings and vehicle rentals in the county comprise the venue/visitor tax, also known as the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT).
There’s much more awareness of the venue project this time around thanks to an advocacy campaign promoting it, Trevino said, noting that he heard from many people after the November vote that they didn’t even know the proposition was on the ballot. At a reception following the Madeira groundbreaking on Feb. 23, the judge encouraged members of the business community in attendance to help promote the project in the run-up to May 7.
“Constitutional elections don’t normally get a lot of voter participation,” he said. “I think the business community and the developers realized they needed to do a little bit more, because the county cannot spend any money to market, advocate or inform. They realized that they needed to step up to the plate and inform the public. I think it’s been much more positive in that sense...I think there’s a lot more attention now and a lot more information out there.”
A group calling itself Friends of the Cameron County Arena, formed by Madeira Development stakeholders, has been promoting the arena project through billboards and social media and encouraging voters to support Proposition A.
Cameron County Judge Trevino said he’s received “very positive” feedback on the project and that, despite what some people are saying, county taxpayers will never be on the hook for it. Those who believe otherwise “just have their information wrong,” he said.
“It’s an incorrect assumption,” Trevino said. “We’ve tried to make it as clear as we possibly can that the county’s involvement from a revenue standpoint is this venue tax, this visitor tax.”
Still, some refuse to believe it no matter what “because they don’t believe anything the government says,” he said.
“They think that there’s always an ulterior motive,” Trevino said. “All we can do is try our best to inform them. The venue tax is (meant) to fund a portion of the project, not all of it. It can’t, and we’ve made that clear since day one. The developer is donating the land and the infrastructure. We still have work to do, but this is the first step in the process, and a critical step, because without this we really can’t get going.”
If Proposition A fails on May 7, the county will not attempt to pursue the project using general fund or property tax revenues, he said, adding that the land and infrastructure piece is estimated to be worth $30 million to $35 million, Trevino said.
“That’s a big chunk of change that the developer’s going to front and help us in addition to our venue-tax dollars,” he said. “Get that seed money going so that we can get started as we continue to look for the remaining whatever deficit we’ve got.”
Having 40 percent to 60 percent of the funding in place is critical to leveraging the additional money — state and/or federal grants for instance — needed to make the project a reality, Trevino said, adding that members of the county’s business community who are backing the project understand its potential economic impact.
“We’ve got to be thinking about economic development and … projects that are going to help bring in the tourism, be an economic development driver, and be something that we’re going to be able to continue to use the venue tax for. This is a driver.
“The arena itself may not ever be a big money generator, but what it does, especially in conjunction with the Madeira planned development out there, it’s just going to be a huge magnet for economic development. It’ll help the development out at Madeira. It’ll help bring tourism to Cameron County.”
Early voting is underway and ends May 3. Election Day is May 7.
Cameron County Judge Trevino said he’s received “very positive” feedback on the project and that, despite what some people are saying, county taxpayers will never be on the hook for it. Those who believe otherwise “just have their information wrong,” he said.
“It’s an incorrect assumption,” Trevino said. “We’ve tried to make it as clear as we possibly can that the county’s involvement from a revenue standpoint is this venue tax, this visitor tax.”
Still, some refuse to believe it no matter what “because they don’t believe anything the government says,” he said.
“They think that there’s always an ulterior motive,” Trevino said. “All we can do is try our best to inform them. The venue tax is (meant) to fund a portion of the project, not all of it. It can’t, and we’ve made that clear since day one. The developer is donating the land and the infrastructure. We still have work to do, but this is the first step in the process, and a critical step, because without this we really can’t get going.”
If Proposition A fails on May 7, the county will not attempt to pursue the project using general fund or property tax revenues, he said, adding that the land and infrastructure piece is estimated to be worth $30 million to $35 million, Trevino said.
“That’s a big chunk of change that the developer’s going to front and help us in addition to our venue-tax dollars,” he said. “Get that seed money going so that we can get started as we continue to look for the remaining whatever deficit we’ve got.”
Having 40 percent to 60 percent of the funding in place is critical to leveraging the additional money — state and/or federal grants for instance — needed to make the project a reality, Trevino said, adding that members of the county’s business community who are backing the project understand its potential economic impact.
“We’ve got to be thinking about economic development and … projects that are going to help bring in the tourism, be an economic development driver, and be something that we’re going to be able to continue to use the venue tax for. This is a driver.
“The arena itself may not ever be a big money generator, but what it does, especially in conjunction with the Madeira planned development out there, it’s just going to be a huge magnet for economic development. It’ll help the development out at Madeira. It’ll help bring tourism to Cameron County.”
Early voting is underway and ends May 3. Election Day is May 7.
17 comments:
If it doesn’t generate money why build it? It’s part of puzzle isn’t it? We have plenty of open spaces out here in the lower valley. Open venues bring your own seats like the old days when we saw concerts on the island during spring break. Trevino owns this platform along with other politicians that donate this quorum.
Who are the friends of Cameron County Arena? They are the ones who will profit millions from tax payers money. Just because the tax is from “tourist” from out of town, the money still ours no matter what you call it.
Whos gonna play first IF IT PASSES conjunto bernal...
PURO PINCHE PEDO.
Good question, is it flood proof?
CANT EVEN CONTROL THE FLODDING, YET HE WANTS AN ARENA..... WHAT A JOKE YOU TURNED OUT TO BE...... REGRET VOTING FOR YOU EDDIE...
Eddie, you and the other commissioners have lost my vote. You expect the over burdened tax payers to fund this project ? The fact that even private investors are not interested in this bull shit should tell you that it will fail. Our economy is shit and this will just cause problems.
Eddie de adonde saca ese nombre, pinche coco mamon, EDUARDO pendejo, you are meskin, gringos don't like your ass idiota. Y el otro mamon at the port puros cocos....
Guess who's making all the money on the arena?
Just like the Roman Empire gave the people entertainment to shut them up and let them beg for their streets to get paved and let them beg for lowering of taxes .....They spent 40 million dollars on the Brownsville Sport Park where is the cash this place was going to generate...NADA.
I am not making a dime from this stupid idea. Trevino is the man of vision for himself by getting big bucks from having jobs that he just sits and do nothing. Trevino has never worked in his life but loves sucking the money from the taxpayers.
Rumor is Joey Lopez wants his daughter Daniella to be hired by county as the marketing director of the arena, once it’s built. Any truth to this Juan.
The poor are needed to help the rich. Amazing.
The poor, finally we are important to the rich business community.
They talk about money, tell lies, ....they should just use corruption to get what they want.
DO NOT MAKE A FOOL OF POOR PEOPLE.
These are the people that destroy a community. They do not care about the poor, only when they need something from us.
Building an arena, during a pandemic. Vote before you cease to exist.
De adonde saca "joey" pinche mojado idiota, NO ERES GRINGO Y LOS GRINGOS NO QUIEREN A LOS MOJADOS, PINCHE COCO LAMBISCON. WHITE ASS KISSER
This just keeps on getting more and more dirty...So the TIRZ Financing Plan for Madeira Development will be funded by bonds issued by the city. At a minimum, over $200M dollars in bonds. Yes $200 MILLION. And yes this includes the "places of public assembly" meaning the arena. Then the bonds will be paid off with the tax increment increase. That is, if there is a tax increment increase. That is, if they sell all the lots and all the homes and businesses are developed as planned. At that point our trusty appraisal district goes in and taxes the hell out of the property so all the homeowners and businesses can pay their taxes to pay off the bond debt that was used to pay back Mr. Sanchez. So is Mr. Sanchez going to rebate money to the property owners or discount his properties at the time of sale, since part of his development is being paid for by his own customers. This is ABSURD!!! VOTE NO TO THE ARENA!!!
Another lie..."the developer is donating the land and the infrastructure". Really how can ET say this. Sanchez isn't paying a cent for infrastructure. All paid through municipal bonds funded by increment tax paid by citizens.
And where is that feasibility study?
Carlos Cascos doesn't shut his mouth about this.
He is so against it, yet when he was county judge he tried his hardest to bring an arena to the area.
With elections around the corner he obviously is trying to make Eddie look bad however he knows how much an atena would benefit the county and if elected he will switch his story
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