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Taxpayers would back arena funding
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The city is serving up an old dish this week - a 10,000-seat arena/events center - but this time it has a key new ingredient: more direct public backing.
It may also contain a dash of women's hoops. Mayor Martin Chavez said the Women's National Basketball Association is eyeing Albuquerque as a possible new franchise city.
In January 2004, Chavez announced plans for a 10,000-seat arena Downtown that would be built entirely with private financing. The city was to contribute $5.5 million for land and retain ownership of the building after construction debt was paid.
Chavez later pulled the plug once it became clear that the city essentially would have to co-sign on the loan. Under that scenario, if everything went according to plan, the city wouldn't have to shell out a cent - unless the project ran into trouble. Then, taxpayers would be left holding the bag.
That proved unacceptable then. Now it's a centerpiece of the city's new push to build on about 7 acres of land sandwiched between Central Avenue and the Albuquerque Convention Center.
The city either already owns or will eventually condemn and then lease out the land to whomever comes up with the best idea.
So what changed?
Expectations, according to Councilor Isaac Benton, whose district covers the proposed arena site. The last proposal went from no public loan backing to some, but this proposal has all it spelled out up front.
"In the public purchasing environment, you really can't change the rules in the middle of the game," Benton said.
This time around, there's no shortage of optimism.
"Downtown will change forever," said Councilor Debbie O'Malley at Tuesday's announcement atop the Convention Center's parking garage, right above what the elected officials hope will be the future construction site.
Chavez on Tuesday said the combination of a prime Downtown location and the loan guarantee would attract "very significant suitors."
Meanwhile, neighbors worry the project would attract significant amounts of traffic.
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train station, the Rapid Ride and many of the city's other bus lines either begin or end within spitting distance of the site.
But, "We're in the West. People love their cars. Traffic is going to be a problem," said Jennifer de Garmo, chairwoman of the Downtown Neighborhood Association.
"People will want to see the plan for traffic management," added Terry Brunner, a member of the association's board.
Neighbors would also like to see the site used for something more than evening events - perhaps some shops or a restaurant, Brunner said.
At least one neighbor is dead set against the idea. One of the properties up for condemnation is a parking lot Joy Junction, a homeless shelter, staffs with four attendants.
The arrangement brings the shelter about $150,000 per year, or roughly 10 percent of the organization's budget, said Executive Director Jeremy Reynalds.
"If this becomes a reality, we have no other jobs to offer them," he said.
The formal request for proposals should be posted on the city's Web site this week.
Chavez expects to forward the best recommendation to the City Council by the end of the year, with formal agreements being signed around March or April.
Meanwhile, construction is wrapping up on a $45 million, 8,200-seat arena in Rio Rancho. The New Mexico Scorpions hockey team, the facility's main tenant, open their season there in October.
Chavez said he expects pro sports to play a role in Albuquerque's arena, but "it matters not to me how we fill this up."
The mayor said he had met with representatives of the WNBA recently about starting a team here, but the job of finding sports tenants for the arena would be up to the developers.
