Moving Dirt—Fast

New Mexico Business Journal, June, 2001 by Debbra O'Hara

The outside world is discovering Dona Ana County and Las Cruces

THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES IS experiencing growing pains. Like a teenage boy in need of a bigger shoe, Las Cruces appears to be bulging at the seams. Major arteries in the city are being expanded; orange barrels are everywhere. Construction crews haul dirt and equipment around commuters and shoppers all day long and flagmen keep traffic at a snail's pace.

But this growth brings hope of future prosperity to business leaders such as Dora Dominguez, president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. "The bigger names and chains move into areas with anticipated growth. They are investing. I can't help but see Lowe's coming in and say they know something that I know and that the community needs to be prepared for," she said.

Most of the large construction is occurring on the East Mesa of Las Cruces. The Triad Corporation Mountain View Medical Center has broken ground in the East Lohman/Roadrunner Parkway area. Just west of there are the recently constructed Big 5 and Pier One Imports. And slightly north, Dofia Ana Community College is planning an East Mesa branch.

"It's an exciting time for the community from my perspective," Jim Eric son, city manager, said. "Look at the development going in on Lohman right now. A hospital and a variety of new businesses are coming in: banks, doctors offices, retail. It's still a positive area with a lot of growth. We are trying to work with private sector to manage the growth well."

One public-private partnership is the SpacePlex, recently opened by General Dynamics in New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Research Park. The facility, according to director Ken Osborne, provides command and control services, network operations and ground support for up to 100 satellites. It employs 10 students as part of NMSU's business development program that prepares students for satellite engineering careers. Current satellite customers for the SpacePlex include GE Americom, Hughes Global Services, Boeing Satellite and Space Data International.

And why New Mexico? "Because, Osborne said, "it offers the advantages of high visibility in the Atlantic and Pacific regions, minimal threat of natural disasters, minimal rainfall and a qualified work force."

One successful business already operating on the East Mesa is the year-old Sonoma Ranch Golf Course. Executive vice president of Fore Star Golf, Inc., Jeff Miller, said his company owns and operates Picacho Hills Country Club on the other side of the valley and seven other golf courses across the country. They decided to open this course because of the number of people calling to Picacho asking for daily play. Sonoma is a public golf course which attracts half of its players from El Paso. It has shown a 50 percent increase in use in the last few months.

Sonoma Ranch still fights the impression that it is a water waster and only benefits the well-to-do of the community. Miller said, "Mother Nature did a lot of the work. We tried not to interrupt too much of the desert's normal natural vegetation. We use the same or less water than houses on the property would have. We are a greenbelt for the environment. We have foxes and deer who come here." The grass at Sonoma is water-efficient buffalo grass, a native to the area.

Miller touted the ripple effect of the course. "We hired 40 full and part-time people, we buy local goods and services. We have a small grill and buy food from local vendors and beer and liquor." Golfers from Albuquerque and other towns in the Southwest come to play and stay overnight, increasing the lodgers tax, and eat out. In addition, the course has created weekly golf leagues for local business people to play in which Miller said helps with networking.

One feature Sonoma would like to see in Las Cruces is a convention center. "We are the only golf course of the eight[the company owns] that doesn't have a nearby convention center. If you bring in a convention, they have free time. We help them plan a golf tournament."

Miller is not the only one bewailing he lack of a convention center. Political and business leaders helped the legislature pass a bill to provide funding for operating a center through increased lodger's taxes, but Governor Johnson vetoed it after the last session. Dominguez said, "It is a huge disappointment for the Chamber and all those who have been working tirelessly for 10 years. We will regroup and try to form a piece of legislation we can get the governor to sign on to."

Las Cruces Mayor Ruben Smith said, "We can't afford to wait. As a result [of the veto], we will not be building a new one for probably two more years because this governor will not approve it. We, the city, can't do it alone, but a partnership between the city and private sector is looking into other options."

Back up near Lohman that partnership is evident in the development of Northrise Road. Ericson said, "North rise Road is a private and city effort. The city is fronting the money because it is able to borrow dollars at a lower rate." Property owners will reimburse their pro-rata share when they later sell or develop the land.