BTS and its devoted fan base were formally honored by El Paso County for their cultural impact and outpouring of support from the local community ahead of the group’s two sold-out concerts at Sun Bowl Stadium.
At a commissioners court meeting Monday, county leaders passed resolutions granting BTS the “Estimado Amigo” award, El Paso County’s highest honor, and declaring May 2 and 3 “BTS Weekend in El Paso County.”
Officials said the award for RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook recognizes the band’s global cultural influence, the positive messages in their music and how their tour stop in Borderland raised El Paso’s profile on the world stage, according to KFoxTV.
BTS victory in El Paso County
The weekend statement coincides with BTS WORLD TOUR’s “ARIRANG” shows scheduled for May 2 and 3 at the Sun Bowl, which draw fans from across the United States and nearby Ciudad Juárez.
Commissioners also passed a separate resolution recognizing the “El Paso, TX Official BTS ARMY GROUP,” a local fan organization credited with uniting supporters across the region.
The county documents outline the group’s efforts to organize fan events, coordinate visiting ARMYs and promote charitable activities related to BTS’s messages of self-love and social awareness.
One highlighted project is the successful fundraising campaign to light the iconic Franklin Mountains Star purple for seven nights, from April 28 to May 4, as a welcome to the band, CBS4 Local reported.
Local tourism officials say the BTS concerts are expected to provide a significant economic boost. Visit El Paso Executive Director Brooke Underwood told commissioners the shows could generate about $75 million in regional economic impact, citing hotel reservations, restaurant traffic and visitor spending tied to back-to-back stadium dates.
Promoters had worked for nearly a year to secure BTS following Coldplay’s successful two-day visit to the Sun Bowl, seeing the K-pop group as an opportunity to further showcase El Paso as a global entertainment destination.
The celebration at the courthouse also featured cultural performances, including Mariachi Corazones de San Jose, a youth mariachi ensemble, and lively cheering by Paydirt Pete and the University of Texas at El Paso cheerleading team in honor of BTS and their fans.
County Judge Ricardo A. Samaniego said the resolutions reflect both admiration for BTS and pride in a local community that rallied to welcome them, describing El Paso as “rich in humanity” and eager to show its kindness to visiting fans, as per KTEP.
