EL PASO, Texas — The El Paso City Council on Monday agreed to chase a brand-new military installation, voting in El Paso, Texas, to seek a nomination for what the Department of War calls the Next Great American Base, the first base the military would build in the country in four decades.
If El Paso wins, the city projects a yearly payoff of $4 billion to $7 billion in economic activity, with somewhere from 26,000 to 44,000 jobs spread around the Borderland.
Entering the race carries no direct cost for the city. Any later spending, land deals or infrastructure work tied to the base would each come back to the council for a separate vote.
The Texas Military Preparedness Commission is among the groups helping the city, along with regional partners and members of the state and federal delegations, while El Paso studies what the community and its infrastructure would need. Officials tied the bid to the job and investment goals in El Paso’s strategic plan.
El Paso is selling its existing military footprint. Fort Bliss sits inside the city, Holloman Air Force Base is in the region, and so is White Sands Missile Range. The city also points to its transportation links, schools and colleges, and trained workforce. Mayor Renard Johnson said the base could mean thousands of well-paying jobs and billions in growth for local families.
The site under consideration would cover 100,000 to 250,000 acres. States have until Dec. 1 to submit nominations, and a federal pick is expected in June 2027 after state and federal reviews. Until then, the city’s work is limited to the nomination and planning, with no land or money committed.
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