EL PASO, Texas -- As KFOX reported, UTEP has broken ground on a new $32 million swimming and fitness center, but some are asking if now is the right time to build the facility.

Building the center was approved by students back in 2006, when the economy was riding high.

But since then, tuition rates have gone up nearly $400 a semester for in-state undergrads, and the economy is hurting nearly everyone.

"Our current facility, as wonderful as it is, it's oversubscribed," said UTEP Vice President for student affairs Dr. Richard Padilla.

But UTEP said the new facility, complete with a three-story rock wall, multipurpose courts and a jogging track, will be able to accommodate many more students.

"It will bring 87,000 square feet of new recreational facilities to the students," Padilla old KFOX.

But the new center comes with new fees.

"Students will be paying $50 more than they currently pay," said Padilla.

Padilla told KFOX the extra $50 a semester would start in 2011, when the center opens.

"I'd rather come here than any other place," said UTEP sophomore Albert Falcon, working out at the current swimming and fitness center.

Falcon sees nothing wrong with where he works out now.

"I think that's really awesome, really, really awesome," he said.

"This facility doesn't have that much stuff," said Marleen Rosales, who was also working out at the center.

Rosales likes what she sees in the new center.

"The new one, it's going to be a bigger facility and we're going to have more stuff," she said.

Some are worried that the new fees will run students right out of UTEP.

"They have to end up dropping out for the fact that they don't have enough to pay for all this," said Falcon.

While others said it will keep students on campus.

"I think most of the students that are currently at UTEP are going to come more and they're going to enjoy it more," said Rosales.

And UTEP sees itself as getting better while still being a value to students.

"We're always looking very carefully at how we price an education here at UTEP," said Padilla.

Padilla told KFOX UTEP is a really good value considering 15 other universities in Texas charge more in tuition and fees, even though UTEP is fourth in the state in federal research spending.