By Jesse Jones and Pat Davis, City Desk in The Paper. — Consultants tasked with recommending options for redevelopment of the State Fairgrounds will recommend a $240 million multi-year master plan to serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization on and off-site, City Desk has learned.
The plan presented in a public meeting Friday evening is described as the “preferred” plan based on more than 1,900 individual input points received during a multi-month public process.
City Desk received a preview of Stantec’s recommendations to redevelop the New Mexico Fairgrounds, which call for keeping the State Fair in place while building an outdoor stadium or event center as the anchor of a new mixed-use district on the southwest corner.
Earlier this week, Bernalillo County Commission Chair Adriann Barboa called the press to the site saying the United Stadium project was “being ‘forced’ onto the fairgrounds,” but the actual decision on the final site use is far from decided and a surprise to United leaders when City Desk asked.
Recommendation is next, but not final, step towards master plan
Friday’s presentation marked Stantec’s first formal recommendation to the public and District Board, following three site concepts unveiled by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office last November. If the board approves the recommended plan, a stadium or arena would anchor a new Entertainment District on Central Avenue just west of The Downs Racetrack and Casino, featuring indoor-outdoor shops, restaurants and bars facing a public park.
Planners say they chose the outdoor stadium over a performing arts center or arena, citing its year-round economic potential, lower construction cost compared to an enclosed arena and ability to anchor a neighborhood rather than just a sports facility.
Under the recommendation strategy, the first phase, estimated at $240 million, includes housing, a public park, pedestrian safety upgrades and new infrastructure. This is a significant jump from the preliminary $67.3 million budget discussed in earlier briefings.
A second phase adding a multipurpose arena would add an estimated $695 million, depending on future funding and approval of the master plan.
Potential stadium could still elude United
Ben Lewinger, principal at Stantec, previously told City Desk the group had 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 City Desk reached United Co-owner and CEO Peter Trevisani traveling with the team this week, he was surprised to learn that a stadium could be included. He confirmed the team had answered questions last fall about logistics and financing structures for similar stadiums, but not specifically about the team relocating to the Fairgrounds – but he is open to it.
If a stadium is included in the final master plan adopted by the board, any operator, including New Mexico United, must undergo a competitive procurement public process.
