A Taste of the Mets Comes to El Paso, TX

No, we’re not talking about hometown hero Omar Quintanilla, but the Las Vegas 51s will make their way here twice as the visiting team to play the newly minted El Paso Chihuahuas (I kid you not), the franchise formerly known as the Tucson Padres.  In July of 2021 the Pacific Coast League (PCL) gave approval to let Mountainstar Sports of El Paso buy the San Diego affiliate with the intention of moving the franchise across the desert to bring baseball to the people of Juarez, Mexico, El Paso and southern New Mexico.  

It's been a long road to bring AAA baseball to the Sun City, but enough palms were greased and shady negotiations completed that the stadium was approved without public referendum nor competitive processes. Normally I'd be decrying the shenanigans, out here I'm so starved for Mets baseball that I'm willing to let the powers that be slide this time.

The PCL's approval of the sale hinged on the condition that the stadium itself would be completed in time for the 2014 season.  With the 11th hour rapidly approaching, they have already announced that the stadium won't be ready for Opening Day, forcing Mountainstar Sports to walk with its tail between its legs back to Tucson to "borrow" the old stadium for the first few homestands.  The official grand opening of Southwest University Stadium is slated for April 28th, but considering its current state of construction and the necessary inspections that must take place between now and then, it's highly unlikely to happen without some more wink-wink, nod-nod chicanery.

The site of the stadium formerly housed City Hall, a completely serviceable building erected in 1960.  The story told by then Mayor John Cook was that it would cost more to upgrade his headquarters than to build a new one, so the dead-of-night deal was made to raze the building to clear the way for ballpark construction.  The same weekend that City Hall fell, another nearby El Paso landmark -- the Asarco copper smelter smokestacks were also imploded by the same firm.

It's now just shy of a year later and the stadium looks nowhere near completion.  As you can see from the photo, there's still quite a lot of work to be done with just a month left to finish.

On the plus side, the Las Vegas 51s visit eight times during May, from the 15th through the 18th and again from the 27th through the 30th.  Since the Super Two deadline may not kick in until June, it's possible to see players like Rafael Montero, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Wilmer Flores strut their stuff right here in my adopted hometown.  I wonder if they'll send a vicious little ankle biter after me if I root for the 51s?

While we El Pasoans are collectively humiliated by the chosen team name, the minor leagues are rife with ones that are even worse such as the Albuquerque Isotopes and our own Savannah Sand Gnats.  I must say I've defended them on the basis of the very nice job done with the logos, particularly the one of the Chihuahua swinging his bone as a bat.  However, if they even once dare to play "Who Let The Dogs Out?" over the PA system, then all bets are off.