Small towns

New Mexico Business Journal, Dec, 1995

Farmington is the region's major center for oil and gas industry operations. Most recently it has grown into a major retail center, reaching nearly 250,000 people who live within a 150 mile radius. Visitors to Farmington soak up the beauty of Navajo Dam State Park, Aztec Ruins, Chaco Canyon and the Bisti Wilderness

Some 30 miles northeast of Farmington is Aztec, a town that is effectively preserving its historical attractions while growing. Recently two antique stores opened in Aztec's historic downtown and a new mini-mall is under construction. It will house seven to eleven new stores.

South Central

Silver City is a small urban oasis in a vast rural landscape of mountains and desert. This little 19th century mining town had only 10,000 people in 1990, has no railroad or interstate highway and is 300 miles from the state capital. Still, in the first seven months of this year, 53 new businesses were licensed, and in the past five years, the population grew by 25 percent.

Deming is among the fastest growing cities in the state, surpassed only by Rio Rancho and Las Cruces. The bases of the economy are tourism (especially snowbirds) and agriculture (cotton, cattle, chile and onions). The economy is hectic. Construction is booming, with most development occurring next to I-10; a new subdivision is in the works that will have 270 homes.

The semi-arid plains, scattered mountains and warm climate offer a picturesque and friendly feel to the border town of Columbus, 30 miles south of Deming in Luna County. The village features the only industrial park in the United States that is located on the Mexico-U.S. border, the Columbus International Industrial Park. The park's location makes it possible for firms to participate in the lucrative maquiladora or twin-plant program.

The city of Alamogordo has much to offer the manufacturing or service enterprise. Right next door to White Sands Missile Range, the town has a stable and thriving economy that promises steady growth and expansion. For the next few years, the Missile Range will be the home of the Recoverable Rocket program, an exciting new phase in America's quest to colonize space.

The drive from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft illustrates the stark contrast between the desert of most of southern New Mexico and the mountain ranges that many outsiders do not know exist in the state.

Although tourism is a significant business sector for the Cloudcroft area, the community has its own 39-acre business development park designed to encourage private investment and employment while maintaining the integrity of the village's scenic mountain location.

Truth or Consequences sits atop an inexhaustible supply of hot mineral water in Sierra County that for two centuries has attracted visitors seeking its restorative and curative powers. Today, the area's large tourist attractions, including Elephant Butte State Park, the Caballo Lake State Park, nearby mineral hot springs and several fiestas, attract over two million visitors annually.