THE ROADMAP FOR HOW A CONVENTION CENTER COULD WORK IN BROWNSVILLE IS LAREDO

A convention center will work for Brownsville if done correctly.  We already have a model in Laredo.

Laredo, a Texas border city, only slightly larger than Brownsville, has enjoyed a very successful 10,000 seat convention center for twenty years.

The project was financed with 1/4 cent of sales tax revenue, exactly what Brownsville gives BOTH the GBIC and the BCIC. 

The project cost was $36.5 million, but contributes $100 million annually to the Laredo economy, as well as creating hundreds of jobs.

The venue serves Laredo and northern Mexico, providing major concerts, sporting events, family and ice shows, conventions, trade shows, and civic events. 

The Laredo Energy Arena is not run by local government, but instead by a management agency that does the same thing for over 300 by other venues worldwide, ASM Global, formerly SMG.

If Cameron County voters approve the Convention Center on the November 2 ballot, but allow it to be run by county officials, it will fail miserably.  

It must have private management, even including the concessions.  If local politicos are allowed control, the vendors, concessionaires, etc. will be cronies, family, friends, etc. and failure will ensue.

The LEA, as its called, has, in recent years, featured Shakira, Elton John, Julio Iglesias, Cher, WWE, Santana, ZZ Top, Juanes, The Harlem Globetrotters, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Disney on Ice.

It is the home of the Laredo Bucks Hockey Team who play in the Central Hockey League, plus the home for regional basketball tournaments.

Upcoming events include Mike Towers, Intocable, Reik, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Jay Wheeler, Ana Gabriel, Ricardo Arjona and J. Balvan.