HOUSE MEMORIAL 63

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas and Idalia Lechuga-Tena

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING RECOGNITION AND EXPLORATION OF THE POSSIBLE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF BUILDING A MULTIPURPOSE ARENA IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE.

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque metropolitan area is a vibrant and rapidly evolving urban market; and

     WHEREAS, the area has a population of more than nine hundred thousand residents and is currently growing at a steady pace of one or two percent a year, according to city of Albuquerque economic development department statistics; and

     WHEREAS, Albuquerque boasts a temperate climate with more than three hundred days of sunshine a year, which makes it an ideal location for outdoor activities and entertainment; and

     WHEREAS, Albuquerque city government has taken recent steps to reinvigorate Albuquerque's downtown corridor with a multifaceted plan that focuses on building, renovating and reimagining many areas of downtown; and

     WHEREAS, projects are already underway for renovation of the convention center, reconstruction of an element on civic plaza and expansion of Albuquerque's burgeoning entertainment district; and

     WHEREAS, the inclusion of a multipurpose arena as a sports and entertainment venue would greatly enhance the reinvigoration of Albuquerque's downtown corridor and provide positive economic benefits; and

     WHEREAS, migration and growth patterns within the metropolitan area make downtown Albuquerque an excellent location for a new multipurpose arena as it provides accessibility to residents of the entire metropolitan area and is at the intersection of primary north-south and east-west interstates; and

     WHEREAS, multipurpose arenas attract people throughout the year by offering sporting events, concerts, entertainment, job fairs and conventions; and

     WHEREAS, multipurpose arenas sustain the local economy, and cities benefit from a year-round economic impact; and

     WHEREAS, often, multipurpose arenas are connected to other venues, such as hotels and conferencing; shopping malls and education; and training facilities, which provide additional revenue opportunities; and

     WHEREAS, a multipurpose arena provides the economic advantage of a singular infrastructure and piece of real estate that can support more than one team or event; and

     WHEREAS, a multipurpose arena could host minor league hockey, indoor soccer or other sports and could target an arena football franchise; and

     WHEREAS, the Albuquerque area has the economic capacity to support a major league sports team, according to a recent analysis by American City Business Journals; and

     WHEREAS, eighty-three markets in the United States and Canada were analyzed to determine if they had the financial ability to support new teams in baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer; and

     WHEREAS, the analysis found that the greater metropolitan area, which includes Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe, has the economic capacity to support a major league sports team such as a soccer team; and

     WHEREAS, many metropolitan area governments have taken advantage of the economic benefits of building multipurpose arenas in their downtown areas, including the Chesapeake Energy arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; the Jon M. Huntsman center in Salt Lake City, Utah; the Sleep Train arena in Sacramento, California; the Moda center in Portland, Oregon; the SAP center at San Jose, California; the Thomas & Mack center in Las Vegas, Nevada; the BOK center in Tulsa, Oklahoma; the CenturyLink center in Omaha, Nebraska; the Wells Fargo arena in Des Moines, Iowa; and the Pinnacle Bank arena in Lincoln, Nebraska; and

     WHEREAS, the Duke City Gladiators arena football team plays at several multipurpose arenas with smaller city populations than Albuquerque, including the United Wireless arena in Dodge City, Kansas; the Allen event center in Allen, Texas; and the INTRUST Bank arena in Wichita, Kansas;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the possible economic benefits of building a multipurpose arena in downtown Albuquerque be recognized and explored; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the mayor of the city of Albuquerque, the chairman of the Bernalillo county commission and the president of the greater Albuquerque chamber of commerce.

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