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Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD trustees voted 4-1 Monday to pay the city of Pharr $3.3 million to become a full partner in the natatorium in Pharr rather than lessee.
Those funds bring the district’s total investment in the aquatics facility to about $15.5 million.
The city and the school district began talking about increasing the district’s stake in the facility earlier this year, a move Interim Superintendent Alejandro Elias said would foster the natatorium bringing more events to town.
At the meeting, Trustee Carlos Villegas described being a partner rather than a decades-long lessee as simple good business sense.
“We don’t own the natatorium. What $3.6 million — or what we approve tonight — allows us to, to be titleholders to the natatorium. Fifty-fifty,” he said. “That natatorium belongs to us now, plus the land that it sits on belongs to us now. And I think that the community needs to understand that, that for an investment of $12.5 million that we have made, we cannot afford to continue to be lessees.
“But for $3 million — that’s a bargain that any businessman would go ahead and enter into.”
Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, who addressed trustees Monday, said a partnership was the original plan, one that he favored.
“When we did this natatorium, it was absolutely a 50/50 partnership,” he said. “You guys owned half of everything, all the assets. You guys would pay the same bills I was gonna pay as the city. And any revenue … was absolutely 50/50. That’s the original design. And then in the wisdom of the previous board, they said ‘No, actually want Pharr to keep it. You be the owner.’”
The deal ultimately reached, Hernandez insisted strongly, was one that favored the city and not the district.
“Now this board now has reversed itself,” he said. “And I’m glad you have, because you deserve … what you pay for. If you’re paying half of the asset and you’re paying half of the operations, why on earth would you give it away? That’s insane.”
The November election ejected two incumbents from the board and signaled a power shift that has included changes in direction.
Elias, speaking to The Monitor Tuesday, said that the district and the city are still working on an official name for the natatorium.
The entities have largely called the building by different titles since it opened over a year ago.
The board did not vote unanimously to pay for the partnership Monday.
Trustee Jesus “Jesse” Vela voted against doing so.
