The El Paso Sports Commission presented its quarterly report to the Commissioners Court on Nov. 17, outlining recent venue upgrades, event activity and finances.

Commission staff described interior improvements at the El Paso County Coliseum — including floor and wall retouches, refreshed backstage and a revamped VIP/"skate" room — aimed at making the building more welcoming for performers, promoters and touring crews. Janet Vargas and Heidi Castell, who spoke for the commission, said the emphasis has been on backstage comfort and targeted cosmetic changes while working within the commission’s budget.

Tony Rodriguez, who manages many Coliseum operations, summarized a busy event calendar for July through September that included concerts, boxing nights, Lucha Libre and community events such as Saturday and Sunday markets and naturalization ceremonies. Rodriguez told the court the venue hosted a mix of regional and national performers and cited several sold‑out or near‑capacity shows.

The commission reported a quarterly total of $201,001.99 for July–September and an annual contribution to the county of about $1,000,084.04. Staff also described a notable operational challenge: the cancellation of four major concerts this year because of visa issues, which reduced anticipated revenue and required the commission to diversify event types to meet fiscal targets.

The presentation covered the commission’s method for estimating sports tourism impacts — a mix of ticketing data, operator reports and QR‑code surveys — and the difficulties of measuring hotel room nights when events run across multiple venues or when attendees use varied lodging channels (including Airbnbs). Staff said they are pursuing stronger hotel partnerships and refining survey methods to improve the lodging estimates.

Commissioners asked about ticket‑sales geography and whether the commission could provide ZIP‑code breakdowns for attendees; staff said such reporting is available from ticketing platforms and that a summary is being developed for the county’s fiscal report.

The presentation closed with staff asking the court for continued support on sports tourism initiatives and, if needed, help in dealing with interagency barriers like U.S. visa processing delays that have interrupted bookings.