City Council OKs amendment to allow 45-acre sale for Texas DPS regional headquarters in Campo Del Sol

The El Paso City Council voted unanimously Sept. 16 to approve an amendment to the 2020 Campo Del Sol entitlement agreement that will allow FSW Investments to sell 45 acres to the Texas Department of Public Safety for a new regional headquarters and driver license facility.

Bill Allen, economic and international development, told council the proposed facility would include roughly 82,000 square feet for regional DPS operations plus about 8,000 square feet for a driver license “mega-site.” Allen said the project would hold space for a crime lab and training capacity serving the DPS Region 4 area and estimated roughly $18 million in indirect economic impact and about 1,500 temporary construction jobs, 300 retained positions and 200 additional full‑time equivalents.

The amendment defines an “exclusion parcel” — the 45‑acre site shown on the developer’s exhibit — that remains subject to the development standards and other obligations in the entitlement agreement except that the parcel will not count toward the calculation of certain tourism‑related reimbursements. Allen said completion of the state’s construction will not trigger the 25‑year reimbursement period for Pod 3 in the agreement.

Director Alexander Sanchez of the Texas Department of Public Safety told council the department has pursued funding for a regional headquarters for years and that the El Paso site would be the newest of six regional headquarters in Texas. Sanchez said the site would bolster forensic processing times and law‑enforcement support for dozens of agencies.

Representative Gloria Trejo, who said she supported the project, noted its public‑safety and economic benefits and urged colleagues to approve the amendment so the state could proceed toward funding in the next legislative session. Representative Canales asked developers and DPS officials whether the project would displace planned commercial acreage or planned parks and schools; developers and staff said the project can be accommodated within the master plan’s commercial acreage and will not displace school or park sites shown elsewhere in the plan. FSW Investments said public outreach to nearby residents is planned and that DPS intends to host public meetings as site planning proceeds.

Council voted to adopt the resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the amendment. The action advances the city’s role in enabling the state to acquire the acreage, and staff said they will continue coordination as DPS pursues construction funding.

The council approved the amendment without opposition.