Moving fast

New Mexico Business Journal, August, 2000 by Debbra O'Hara

So, the whole area is tied up in a "chicken and egg" deal. Workers must make enough income and companies must generate enough in taxes to pay for basic infrastructure needs, but without that infrastructure, companies find it difficult to function, thus the dependence on outside investment and government funding.

"The economic reality is Sunland Park is still the suburb bedroom community of El Paso," Segura said. "But we are starting to see small businesses coming into the area: restaurants, shops, small business centers. As we look at the potential this region of New Mexico has, we need to do the groundwork to be sure we are equipped to handle the growth."

South of the border, developer Eloi Vallini has been working with STRED toward building San Jeronimo, a master-planned community to mirror Santa Teresa. STRED and Vallini planning and development and engineering reams have been meeting, lining roads up, and positioning industrial parks and urban areas to complement each other. Vallini's project slowed a bit while he waited for Mexico's election to pass but now should work through the approval process fairly quickly, Lautman said.

On this side, the election of Vicente Fox, a former Coca-Cola executive, as president of Mexico has raised hopes of more cooperation in border development. Jim Coleman, director of the New Mexico Border Authority said, "We, of course, are optimistic with new elections in Mexico--not to belittle any of the attention President Zedillo gave to the border--but from things he said, we think that President-elect Fox may put the border in higher priority."

Meanwhile, the Pete Domenici Highway will soon provide nonstop access from the border to Interstate 10, and the Santa Teresa Port of Entry will upgrade to 50 truck docks.

"You wouldn't recognize the place if you haven't been here in six months, the way development is progressing," Coleman said. "You can't look at the landscape today and say this is what it will be five years from now. It's the way borders are and we have to be prepared to deal with those things."

DEBBRA O'HARA, A FREELANCE WRITER BASED IN LAS CRUCES, REPORTS REGULARLY FOR THE NEW MEXICO BUSINESS JOURNAL.