El Paso over the years continually “whifs” over a potential lucrative business opportunity.
There is a Veterans Organization that invites the Korean Consulate General from Houston to attend their Memorial Service at every anniversary date of the Korean War.
At the time I happened to be a part of this great organization, which isn’t limited to “Korean War Veterans” if you served any time in Korea you can become a member.
As I said, the Korean Consulate General annually receives an invitation to attend Memorial service on the Korean War anniversary. Invitations are sent out to our local representatives from Congress, State, County and City representatives. The Representatives that do “show up” merely attend the ceremony at either Flags Across America or Ft Bliss National Cemetery and go about their merry way.
There is a reception that follows at a Korean restaurant on Dyer near the Denny’s that is attended by the Korean Association, Korean War Veterans and the invites include the local Representatives. That is where the opportunity is lost.
After one Memorial service about two years ago there was a conversation about the opportunity Northeast El Paso, specifically the empty warehouse on Railroad drive present. The Consulate General brought up the idea of luring “Hyundai Corp” to El Paso mostly based on the emptiness of Railroad Drive, it’s warehouse and simultaneous trucking and rail opportunity are optimum for any vehicle manufacturing company to come in and “plant its flag” along Railroad Drive.
That’s were the conversation began and ended unfortunately, due to the lack of “any” representative being “on hand”.
While Cohen Stadium is now a patch of dirt with a few mementos are there for the redevelopment that’s going to take place, we forget to look to fill the emptiness of warehouses and dirt patches along Railroad drive.
El Paso, a City that is nearing or at 1 Billion dollars in debt that’s a “BILLION” with a huge “B” would fare well by attracting any type of manufacturing company to the area of Railroad drive.
This unique opportunity to develop a conversation with the Korean Consulate General will present itself again. Let’s hope El Paso doesn’t “whiff” on this opportunity a-g-a-i-n.
Oscar Leeser had said he tried to get Hyundai to invest in El Paso before he became Mayor. San Antonio made them a better offer.
The problem with El Paso are the taxes. El Paso is the epicenter of the greatest global trade in the world and yet it is San Antonio and McAllen that benefit from it. Why? Because the El Paso leadership is too busy trying to be Santa Fe instead of the Mexican food capital of the world. El Pasoans will eat at pseudo Mexican food franchises like Chipotle’s or Taco Cabana instead of Burrito House or any other El Paso staple Mexican food outlets. THERE ARE 20 TACO BELLS in El Paso!!!! El Pasoans are afraid of being what they are: Mexicans.