New Mexico officials, including Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, are considering moving the state fair from Expo New Mexico to a new location in the next few years. The current fairgrounds are no longer large enough to handle the crowds, with over 500,000 people attending this year’s fair.
The idea is to find a new spot that is easy to access from major highways. Some potential locations include Bernalillo, Valencia, or Torrance County. The governor emphasized that even though the fair may move, county fairs, competitions, and farmers markets will continue.
As part of this plan, New Mexico will request proposals from developers on Wednesday to help design the new location. The state has set aside $500,000 in funding for this project, and the proposals will be reviewed in late January.
One of the goals for the new site is to redevelop the 236 acres at Expo New Mexico. Officials want to create walking paths, green spaces, and bike trails to make the area more livable. This is especially important as the land is in the international district, an area facing challenges like crime, drug problems, and homelessness.
Local leaders also see this project as an opportunity to bring new life to the area, which has lost many businesses, including grocery stores and pharmacies in recent years. They believe this development could lead to new affordable housing, with the city needing 55,000 new homes in the next decade.