Voters in Lubbock will be considering what the future will be for the Lubbock Municipal Arena during an election in May.
In May, voters in Lubbock will vote on the fate of the arena. City Councilmembers voted 6-0 to approve the resolution for the May ballot, as voters will also be electing a mayor at the same time. Incumbent mayor Dan Pope is seeking re-election.
The vote will allow Lubbock residents to vote for or against the process of abandoning the arena. Lubbock city manager Jarrett Atkinson says the action allows Lubbock voters to make the final say, instead of the City Council.
“Tonight’s action is not a vote to abandon or to not abandon the auditorium and coliseum,” Jarrett Atkinson, city manager, said during the meeting. “The items on the agenda conforms to a very specific charter provision on the Lubbock city charter.”
Lubbock officials have questioned the future of the arena for some time. Since the opening of the United Spirit Arena (now the United Supermarkets Arena), many of the major concerts held in Lubbock have transferred to the Texas Tech basketball arena. The Lubbock Municipal Coliseum and Auditorium is now used mainly for smaller events.
The election will be held on May 6th.
Photo by 93.7 The Eagle