Artist’s rendering of proposed Amarillo Civic Center renovations/Provided
By Thomas Warren III, Editor-in-Chief
Last year, Amarillo voters defeated Proposition A by a wide margin. And, yet, our local government leaders look set to push for the Civic Center projects included in the bond anyway.
On Tuesday, the Amarillo City Council will vote on approving a pre-development services agreement with Garfield Public/Private LLC. According to the agenda for the meeting, this $494,200 item appears to be related to many of the same projects that were put forward to voters last year in Proposition A. Here is an overview of the agenda’s description of the agreement:
This item for June 22,2021, is to consider entering into a pre-development services agreement with Garfield Public/Private LLC for their advice and counsel in connection with the planning, design, and construction of a project consisting of a modern arena, the rehabilitation and expansion of the Amarillo Civic Center Complex, the rehabilitation of the Santa Fe Depot, and associated parking facilities to serve the citizens and businesses of the City and the general public.
The pre-development scope of services includes multiple areas such as evaluation of the existing conceptual design; updating construction cost estimates; analyzing current Civic Center operations; third party review of environmental, geotechnical, and market studies; public and stakeholder engagement and preparation of a public/private finance plan for the project. A final report will be presented to City Council at the conclusion of the pre-development services phase.
Now, it is worth noting this item does not mean a new Civic Center or “modern arena” will be built, that the Santa Fe Depot will be rehabilitated, or that additional parking facilities will be constructed. However, it is also worth noting that we are less than a year since the failure of Proposition A and our City leaders still seem laser focused on completing these projects, despite the feelings expressed by voters in the November election.
Earlier this month, the Amarillo City Council voted 4-1 to move forward with a new city hall project, paid for by debt that was strapped to the backs of taxpayers. That project was also included in the spending package that the November bond was put forward to fund. Now, we are seeing this agreement on the agenda, less than a month after the City Council disrespected the will of the voters and moved forward with the city hall project anyway.
Amarillo should be thankful that Amarillo City Councilman Cole Stanley stepped up and voted in favor of the taxpayers on the city hall item, and it should be hoped that he will do so again on this item. However, taxpayers must also remember that Cole Stanley is just one vote and that the Ginger Nelson-led majority on the City Council has shown time and again that they have no problems overriding the will of the voters.
If I were a gambling man, I would bet my last dollar that this item will be approved on Tuesday, despite voters turning down the Civic Center project, the Santa Fe Depot project, and the parking garage project in last year’s bond.
It’s truly a shame considering our City Council cannot respect the will of the voters enough to at least wait more than a year before pushing for the project again.
Unfortunately, because Amarillo voters did not get out and vote for Michael Hunt and the Save Amarillo PAC team, voters will be stuck with Amarillo Matters PAC’s shenanigans at City Hall for two more years. And I am sure this is just the second of many actions you will see over the next two years where election results are disrespected, taxpayers are disregarded, and our community is plunged further and further into the pit of debt.
Buckle up, Amarillo. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.