Tuesday, October 03, 2023The Soccer Stadium Is Back But With Fewer Boo Birds; Keller's Compromise Plan For New Stadium At Balloon Park Now At Council After a bitter battle in 2021 over a proposed stadium for downtown ABQ saw voters overwhelmingly reject a $50 million bond issue, Mayor Keller is back with a compromise plan that is receiving a warmer reception. And with good reason. Owners of NM United will foot the bill--not Mr. and Mrs. ABQ.
The United/ Keller compromise calls for United to finance a stadium with at least $30 million at Balloon Fiesta Park. Also: The state has granted the city $8.5 million for stadium infrastructure investment, and there’s an additional $5 million in capital outlay. The funds from the capital outlay would be used to build the necessary infrastructure like storm drainage, electrical, plumbing, compensatory parking spaces, etc.” United will sign a 30 year lease for seven acres of the Park and share some fan parking revenue with the city. Judging by the reaction of City Council President Pat Davis, this time around the stadium debate should be much more muted and likely end with success. He told me: This is a very straightforward lease deal, much like the others we’ve done. For example, Amazon leasing land to build a hanger at the airport. The Legislature allocated money for infrastructure support. I required the lease contract to include a “do or die” clause that requires United to break ground and meet deadlines or they would forfeit the lease. I like this lease because it places 100% responsibility on the team to build the stadium, and reverts the land back to us if they don’t. Other than that, it’s a pretty standard lease.  Some skeptics of the lease want assurances that future improvements or expansion of a stadium do not fall on the city. That could be the subject of Council amendments. Republican City Councilor Dan Lewis, who lost the 2017 ABQ mayoral race to Keller, pounced on the incumbent's performance when I asked him about the lease deal. He even declared he doesn't care about ABQ's popular soccer team: I don’t care about the United. I care about the average person in this city who fears being a victim of crime - the people who shop at Walgreens on Central where this administration says we cannot keep you safe there. The businesses downtown who have to pay more just to make it safe? How about the people who ride our busses who sit next to people doing fentanyl? The dirty bus stops? Trash everywhere? Could go on and on. Despite that vitriol toward the administration Lewis did not tell me he would vote against the stadium lease. City Hall watchers think it will be approved. Perhaps a "no" vote on the nine member council could come from GOP Councilor Brook Bassan whose district includes the Balloon Fiesta Park. From downtown: Bassan may be the only vote against the lease She is up for re-election next month and the neighborhood near the Park is worried about extra traffic and other issues from a new stadium. But it appears poised to pass (without much objection for now). If it was a publicly funded stadium it would be a different matter. The new stadium would be less grand than the proposed $80 million downtown edifice with seating from 7,000 to 9,000 instead of 11,000 or more. BUILDING A FUTURE
Not to disregard Councilor Lewis' valid concern over crime--something we have reported on ad nauseum for several years--but ABQ must continue to build for a better future or we won't have one. Other imaginative city projects that must go forward--crime crisis or no crime crisis--and that pave the way for the ABQ to come include: The NM Media Academy, the Rail Trail, the UNM South Campus development, the Downtown Business Improvement District, the North Domingo Baca Aquatics Center, the Gateway Center to address our social ills and the conversion of older motels for the unhoused. No matter who is mayor or on the city council, or whatever is the crisis du jour, let’s not give up on Albuquerque. CORRECTION We fouled up Monday by blogging that Connecticut approved a ban on concealed weapons. The state approved a ban on the open carrying of firearms, not concealed weapons. Definitely ten lashes with the wet noodle are in order as punishment for that one. Apologies. This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023 |
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