Commissioner’s claims that Gov has secret plan to move NM United stadium to fairgrounds fizzles under fact-check

By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — Bernalillo County Commission Chair Adriann Barboa sent an early morning call to the community Wednesday for a press conference at the Expo New Mexico entrance that was long on rumors and short on facts. During the briefing, Barboa claimed that “people who represent the governor and the state” told her the state had secured $100 million from the legislature for the fairgrounds, including $70 million for a stadium and $30 million for housing.

The event quickly fizzled when Barboa was unable to back up her claims with specifics of the information she provided to reporters.

Minutes after Barboa finished, former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez held an impromptu press conference at the same spot to dispute Barboa’s claims. Chavez, a paid contractor for the governor’s fairgrounds initiative, called the opposition shortsighted.

“We wonder why we don’t do great things sometimes in New Mexico,” Chavez said. “What we heard this morning from the commissioner was one reason, because people say no without even listening to the facts.”

Following the press conference, City Desk reached out to the governor’s office.

Communications Director Michael Coleman said the governor is disappointed that Barboa has resorted to “attention-seeking gossip and fear mongering” to pre-empt a public process.

According to Coleman, Gov. Lujan Grisham remains committed to a public process that moves forward on its intended timeline.

“The governor is disappointed that Commissioner Barboa has resorted to attention-seeking gossip and fear mongering to pre-empt a public process that exists precisely to give every community member a voice in the Fairgrounds’ future,” Coleman said. “Anyone who has been paying attention knows that some type of public events facility has been a part of this discussion for months.”

Ben Lewinger of Stantec, the firm hired by the state to develop the fairgrounds master plan, urged concerned community members to express patience and trust the process.

He said the draft is scheduled to go public for the first time Friday, when a third community survey will open to gather final input. Lewinger said Stantec has spoken with New Mexico United and other stadiums across the country as part of their research into a myriad of uses they’ve been asked to evaluate. “But we’re in no way working directly with the soccer team,” he said.

When asked at the briefing who specifically told her about the stadium plan, Barboa declined to identify anyone by name.

“I keep saying the state, because I don’t need to name anyone,” she said. “The state has the money, the state has the authority, and the state has contacted myself and these people here with me today to say that there is the opportunity for a stadium to come here.”

Barboa was joined by residents and neighborhood representatives and who said the proposal follows a familiar pattern of decisions made without them. 

“There are no agreements, there are no decisions,” Chavez said. “That’s why we’re a little bit baffled by what is purely amateur.”