New Mexico experienced a significant economic impact due to tourism in 2022, with an estimated 70,433 jobs sustained by visitor spending, surpassing the 2021 figures by over 7,000 jobs. The positive impact extended to state and local taxes, as visitor spending generated $782 million in 2022. Road improvements and the advent of Interstate 40 and Interstate 25 further increased tourism, with both small and large cities developing unique tourist attractions. Overall, New Mexico realized $11.2 billion in total economic impact due to tourism in 2022.
The travel sector is an integral part of the New Mexico economy, generating significant economic benefits to households, businesses, and government alike. A state-commissioned study by Headwaters Economics reported a 10.1% growth in direct visitor spending before COVID-19 arrived in New Mexico. Oil and gas production, tourism, and federal government spending are important drivers of New Mexico’s economy, and the state government has an elaborate system of tax credits.
The travel sector is an integral part of the New Mexico economy, with visitors generating significant economic benefits to households, businesses, and government. Tourism alone is the state’s second largest industry, bringing more than $5.7 billion to New Mexico annually. A sustained effort to protect wildlife and protect wildlife has contributed to the growth of tourism employment in the state.
In the case of Northern New Mexico, tourism has played a crucial role in the survival of Indianness and the economic integration of tribes. Since 2011, there has been a 10.1% growth in direct tourism employment (or “employment”) in the state. The state government has an elaborate system of tax credits to support tourism-related infrastructure projects.
📹 Middle of Nowhere: New Mexico’s Multi-Million Dollar Blunder
Middle of Nowhere: New Mexico’s Multi-Million Dollar Blunder.
What are positives about New Mexico?
New Mexico, known as the “Land of Enchantment”, boasts stunning natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and numerous outdoor recreation opportunities. The state is a blend of indigenous traditions and Spanish influences, offering a unique blend of natural beauty and ancient civilizations. However, it also presents challenges such as water scarcity, an affordable cost of living, windy seasons, a dry climate, heat risk in summer, and a dry climate.
The pros of residing in New Mexico include its stunning natural landscapes, such as the rugged mesas and enchanting desert vistas of the Southwest, the towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the north, and the mesmerizing White Sands National Park with its miles of pristine dunes. However, the state also faces challenges such as water scarcity, a windy season, a dry climate, and heat risk in summer.
In conclusion, New Mexico offers a unique blend of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and affordable living options, making it a desirable destination for those seeking a comfortable and affordable lifestyle.
How much does New Mexico make from tourism?
New Mexico has set a new record for direct visitor spending, with the state recording an unprecedented $8. 3 billion in 2022, a $1. 1 billion increase from 2021. This surpasses the previous all-time high set in 2019 at $7. 4 billion. The success of New Mexico’s tourism is attributed to its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality, as stated by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The state aims to continue investing in and promoting tourism to remain a top destination for travelers and benefit local residents and businesses. Additionally, visitor spending has significantly influenced job creation, with an estimated 70, 433 jobs sustained, surpassing the 2021 figures by over 7, 000.
What are some reasons to visit New Mexico?
Southeast New Mexico offers stunning blue skies, snowy mountain peaks, and breathtaking vistas at White Sands National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The region is known for its culture and adventure, with art galleries, local cuisine, and outdoor activities. Northwest New Mexico, home to the Navajo Nation, Zuni, and Jicarilla Apache Nation, is the heart of Native American culture. Visitors can explore Ancestral Puebloan dwellings, hike among them, and mountain bike on Slickrock. Both regions offer a unique blend of culture and adventure.
Why is Mexico famous for tourism?
Mexico is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage, ancient archaeological sites, breathtaking coastlines, and a cuisine that is widely regarded as one of the most exquisite in the world. Those who visit the area have the opportunity to explore Mayan temple ruins, enjoy live music, and relax on tropical beaches while also exploring the reefs and marine life that inhabit the area.
How much does tourism contribute to Mexico?
The Mexican tourism sector contributes approximately 8%. The tourism sector accounts for 7% of the country’s GDP, providing employment for 2. 3 million individuals (representing 5. 9% of the country’s full-time paid workforce) and generating over 79 billion dollars in revenue. This represents 9% of services exports, with a total of approximately 10 million jobs.
Why is New Mexico special?
New Mexico, the fifth-largest state in the United States, has a diverse climate and geography, with regions ranging from forested mountains to sparse deserts. The state’s climate is characterized by the Rio Grande and its fertile valley, which creates a riparian climate that supports a bosque habitat and distinct Albuquerque Basin climate. One-third of New Mexico’s land is federally owned, and the state hosts numerous protected wilderness areas and national monuments, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The economy is highly diversified, with major sectors including cattle ranching, agriculture, lumber, scientific and technological research, tourism, and the arts. In 2020, the state’s total GDP was $95. 73 billion, with a GDP per capita of roughly $46, 300. The state has a significant U. S. military presence, including the White Sands Missile Range and strategically valuable federal research centers like the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
In prehistoric times, New Mexico was home to Ancestral Puebloans, the Mogollon culture, and ancestral Ute. Spanish explorers and settlers arrived in the 16th century from present-day Mexico. After Mexican independence in 1821, New Mexico became an autonomous region of Mexico, but faced threats from centralizing policies and increased economic dependence on the U. S. Following the Mexican–American War in 1848, the U. S. annexed New Mexico as part of the larger New Mexico Territory. It played a central role in U. S. westward expansion and was admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6, 1912.
What is New Mexico’s main source of income?
New Mexico’s economy is primarily driven by three key sectors: oil and gas production, tourism, and federal government spending. The state government offers tax credits and technical assistance with the objective of stimulating job growth and investment, particularly in new technologies. In 2017, the gross domestic product of New Mexico was $94. 2 billion. Mexico is currently ranked 59th. New Mexico is ranked 5 out of 136 countries in terms of economic growth.
Why do tourists come to New Mexico?
New Mexico is a leading state in science and technology, home to Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, the Very Large Array, and several observatories. The state’s clear night sky offers an amazing view of the stars, and it is set to become the launch pad for Spaceport America, a visionary project that has been in the making for years. The state’s ideal weather and wide-open spaces have been ideal for the aerospace industry since the 1930s, with Robert Goddard, Wernher von Braun, and NASA conducting research in Roswell.
What are the benefits of tourism in Mexico?
The Mexican government has played a significant role in the development of the country’s tourist sector, recognizing its potential to improve the economy through spending on accommodations, recreation, food, and souvenirs. In the 1920s, the government collaborated with private companies and created a national tourism agency to capitalize on the economic potential of tourists, particularly those from the United States. The tourism industry in 2018 accounted for 8.
7% of Mexico’s GDP and brought the country 215. 5 billion Mexican pesos (or 10. 8 billion U. S. dollars) in export earnings. It also provided jobs for over 2. 3 million people, making it 6 of the total employment in the nation. The development of tourism may have increased national unity and pride among Mexicans, as it required celebrating the unique environment, history, and culture of the country. The majority of the tourist economy is focused on large tourist centers and resort areas, some of which were established by the government, such as Cancún in 1970.
What is the main benefit of tourism?
Tourism presents a significant opportunity for sustainable development, creating jobs, strengthening local economies, contributing to infrastructure development, conserving natural environments and cultural assets, and reducing poverty and inequality. However, the industry is vulnerable to crises, with decisions on travel largely influenced by personal perceptions of the destination. Security is a key factor, with tourists relying on travel warnings from foreign ministries.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted global tourism, putting up to 100 million jobs at risk. Despite this, tourism generally recovers more quickly than other industries. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports partner countries in developing the tourism sector to become resilient to crises and provide income and employment opportunities. The private sector is an essential partner in transitioning to economically and environmentally sustainable tourism.
How does New Mexico benefit from tourism?
The tourism boom in New Mexico in 2022 generated $782 million in visitor spending, a 10% increase from 2021, which offsets the tax burden on households by an average of $981 per household. The total economic impact from tourism was $11. 2 billion, including direct visitor spending, indirect and induced impacts, household consumption, supply chain, and business-to-business transactions. Key sectors benefiting from this boom include:
📹 The Valles Caldera National Preserve: New Mexico’s Crown Jewel
The Valles Caldera is an amazing place to hunt, fish, camp, or just enjoy the outdoors! Learn more about this amazing park’s …
I live in New Mexico but never visited the museum. After reviewing a satellite map image of the area, I can see why it was a blunder. Though it was located near a high volume rest area (stopped there many times) there was no direct access from the rest area to the museum. Had there been direct access and effective signage, it probably would have worked out. People want things to be easy and don’t want to be inconvenienced.
The people on this consulting firm really need to take a good look at a map of New Mexico and take a guess where the majority of the population lives. The people aren’t gonna go to a museum in the middle of nowhere, except the adventurous. If you build it much closer to Albuquerque, then yes a lot more people would’ve gone. Breaking Bad put Albuquerque on the map (before it was just some place Bugs Bunny mentioned one time), and they recently revealed a statue of two of its characters. And people are pouring their opposition to that, despite the show helping New Mexico’s economy while this multi-million dollar museum built with tax dollars sits in the desert wasting away. Doesn’t make sense.
I’ve lived in NM for decades and never even knew this place existed. Not that I would’ve visited it even if I did. Placing this 25 miles south of Socorro is just beyond stupid. Socorro is a tiny town to begin with, and there is NOTHING anywhere near 25 miles south of Socorro. Everyone involved in this “project” should be investigated.
I really wish you’d gone deeper into the impact that consultants have on bad decisions. I can almost guarantee there were state employees right from the beginning saying this won’t work, but they were overruled in favor of the consultants. Recently I was on a planning group for our town. The citizens said we need to fix X, Y, and Z. The consultants changed that to revitalize downtown with a convention center, upscale retail and restaurants, and upscale apartments with utterly ludicrous estimates of tourists, convention dollars, and such. This is small town rural Tennessee. No conventions are coming here. Ah but the consultants are just so much better …..
It wasn’t “blunder.” Don’t let those crooks sell the taxpayers that load of crap. This story has all the earmarks of corruption and conspiracy. An investigative reporter worth his salt would’ve explored various avenues, including who owned the land the museum was built on and how much it was sold forand when. These reporters ignored the most important questions ! SMH The people deserve better than that.
I worked in a sheet metal shop (W.H. Rogers) in Charlotte NC for 33 years, I never will forget Mr. Rogers had a sign on the wall that read Why is there always enough time to do something wrong, but never enough time to do it right….He passed away in 1998 but the company is still there. He was a great Man!
I would most definitely buy the museum and live there. I love weird structures and the original intention of the building would make it a weird spacious house. Also no one would bother me most of the time. As a side gig I would probably rent a part of it as an Airbnb and sell it as an special experience below the stars and the silence of nature.
Another New Mexico blunder is the New Mexico Rail Runner Express. Transit is great for communities…when done right. While the MTA’s LIRR and Metro-North runs throughout the day because they understand people travel between NYC and the suburbs at different times of the day, it took a long time for New Mexico to figure out that a traditional commuter rail model of running at rush hours just doesn’t work. It’s like with Metra in Chicagoland. Wanna hangout in Chicago but the last train to your suburb leaves for the night too early? Too bad! In the case of New Mexico, when it first opened in 2006 for Phase I between Albuquerque to Bernalillo, service was initially free for all. As was the case when it was extended to Santa Fe in 2008. During the first full week of service between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, 33K passengers boarded. But this was short-lived. While ridership increased in 2010, reaching a peak of over a million annually, it proceeded and continues to decline. From under 750K in 2019 to 256K in the first quarter of 2022. Now the state is looking to revise the schedule, focusing on all-day frequency. As for the cost…the cost of the Rail Runner system was $135 million for the first phase and around $250 million for the second phase. Preliminary estimates indicated that the service would operate at a deficit, requiring up to $10 million in government funding annually. In late 2007, the Rail Runner was the subject of more criticism as a transportation funding shortfall left many state road projects stalled.
Our family drove right past this on the expressway in 2019 on our way to the Trinity Site. We might have stopped in if it were open and advertised. What a shame. Maybe one day they can make this site viable. I am all for protecting our history and heritage. Unfortunately there is NOTHING out that way for hours in any direction. Another waste of our tax dollars.
This shit goes on everywhere. Here where I live, they added on to the Courthouse and also built which I though was a large elevator shaft. Turns out it was added for appearance only. It cost 250,000 dollars to build. Well less the 5 years later it was deteriorating to the point it had to be taken down. It cost another 250,000 to safely disassemble the monstrosity. 1/2 million dollars wasted. No one responsible. There lies the problem no one responsible.
Sell the building to the local drug cartel, they are the only ones who actually drive through there on a regular basis. And without them all your service industry and restaurant personnel will stop showing up for work immediately. (Ok, not ALL of them, I did meet some really nice old ladies and a few good teenagers with decent upbringing working there. But the rest of us? forget about it, our drug habits were the only thing that kept us from remembering how little we were being paid to do all that undesirable work.)
“Success has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan.” All these politicians with scowls on their faces today, where were they back when the money was being appropriated? I definitely think the Camino Real is a significant historical feature of New Mexico and the building looks very nice. Too bad it was built in the wrong place.
There could’ve been saving plans. Another person commented on how it was near a heavily used rest area but no signage for the museum. That’s one problem they could have easily changed. If they had leased space to a cafe with outstanding food (not rest stop food), that might have helped. With all the RV activity, why not have a nice RV/camper site set up nearby? I could think of many more things that could’ve been done to make this successful. What a shame.
Museums in the middle of nowhere don’t always fail. I’m thinking in particular of the Maryhill Museum in Washington state, which is an amazing facility with an amazing collection on an amazing site in the middle of nowhere. People travel long distances to see that museum. Maybe the El Camino Real museum just wasn’t interesting enough for people to make the trip.
I had went there as a kid and I loved it, when I grew older and had a kid I wanted to take him to all the museums I had loved. I never found it till now. Up until now i was thinking it was a temp exhibit,Had no idea it was out there. As a kid I didn’t realize how far and long the drive is from albuquerque.
Ok how did this manage to simultaneously feel like a masterful YouTube shitpost but also a pretty interesting local news segment? I see the complaints about lackluster “investigative” reporting but damn, they somehow managed to make this feel like an uncannily polished meme or an uncannily goofy news segment.
My problem with these types of consultants is that they always overestimate number of visitors, etc. Look at ridership projections for some of these failed mass transit projects as prime examples. Here in Las Vegas with hotels concentrated on the LV Strip and a monorail running between major hotels and the LV Convention Center consultants predicted 54,000 riders per day yet actual monorail ridership was about 50% of that. And this, of course, is in Las Vegas. Never visited this museum although have been to New Mexico many times – biggest fail here was location and signage. Not enough people even knew where it was and that comes back to the consultants and those in charge.
Statements made on the ARC Planning Study: – The interpretive center should be located on a pristine site for visitors to experience an entire “environment” that involves the imagination to recreate the experience of El Camino Real. – The interpretive center can become a positive economic force for the region, providing a tourism and marketing vehicle via an innovative historical and cultural project. – The interpretive center will be located on a site of approximately 40 acres. The main facility and outbuildings will comprise approximately 30,000 square feet. – Visitors will not see a traditional, static museum, but an active facility that provides fun and learning. – Exhibits will interest all age groups, providing a variety of educational opportunities. – Satellite activities and facilities in local communities will tie the state’s southern corridor together into one strong unit. – The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) owns land suitable for an interpretive center site. BLM may donate land for the site and funding for staff, part of operations and construction. – The total project will cost approximately $8.3 million.
It might be worthwhile to have an investigation of the consulting company at the Federal Level. Connections between that company, politicians, construction companies etc. 6:32-6:38 “past 44 years” and “political traditions die hard in New Mexico” seem to be clues to political machinations in the New Mexico legislature with Federal and State monies.
This is actually a common issue with museums, the lack of oversight is literally because politicians are idiotic luddites hired through a popularity contest where the only winning move is dumbing down. Most of these guys think museums are wastes of money only nerds care about, they’ve never even been to a museum most of the time. Curators have to spend time just explaining what a museum is and does to people who don’t even like them. It gets worse when they get the idea in their head that it’s a tourist attraction. Museum’s aren’t like a huge ball of twine, no one’s going 30 miles out of their way to see it. It’s a way to solidify the history of a place, make it visible and tangible to people visiting the area. It’s not a fun center.
New Mexico, you got off light. Just imagine having a high-speed train that nobody will ride. That’s California for ya. We’ve spent BILLIONS AND MORE BILLIONS on this mess and not one steel wheel has even TOUCHED a rail. People need to go to prison over this massive fraud. However, being a one-party state, and the same party judges, it’s unlikely that will ever happen. God, I hate what my state has turned into.
Ah New Mexico. About 50 years ago while I taught there we heard of an instance where they built a brand new elementary school. When it was all finished they realized that there were NO restrooms. New money had to be appropriated to construct another building out back just for rest rooms. Where else but NM would they build a school with an outhouse. 🤣
Turn it into an air b&b/retreat/party house…people like to have their privacy for wild weekends. Install a firepit and a small pool/jacuzzi. Make it a destination for “Burning Man” type events…music/art festivals. Great starting point to take offroad vehicles into the desert. Rent Jeeps for weekend desert adventures for those that only want a taste of offroading. Some rich guy that likes solitude can turn it into his private home.
If New Mexico really wanted to attract tourism, then that money would have been better spent on cleaning up all the trash dumping on public lands. I visited NM for the first time in 2019 and was shocked and appalled at the household trash and construction debris scattered along the roadsides and campgrounds. I travel in a van and spent one night at a pullout on Bonanza Creek Road alongside the movie ranch now made infamous by the deadly shooting accident recently. There are stunning landscapes to photograph there but you couldn’t walk along the roadside without stepping on bottles, cans, shotgun shells, and construction debris. Disgusting. Fortunately, when I got up into the mountains in the Gila National Forest, it was clean and redeemed my feelings. Were it not for that, I would never set foot in New Mexico again.
I moved here 3 years ago, and it blows me away the waste that is in almost all organizations here. You build something like this, yet there are forts, old adobe settlements, and all sorts of stuff like that that you just let ranchers destroy or simply let go to the elements. Fort Bayard is a prime example of this. In the hours I’ve spent on researching this site it speaks volumes to New Mexicans absolute ambivalence to the importance of the history in this area. In Oregon, where I’m from, if a famous person sneezed at the spot there is a marker at the very least. I’m let down by this state. I’m unfortunately stuck here taking care of a family member, but yeah…there is not a lot of common sense in this state.
I didn’t know building museums was a legitimate function of government. There’s a reason the private sector hadn’t built one already. They knew it wouldn’t be profitable or even sustainable. Call me crazy but maybe government should stick to what their intended purpose was. Protect the people and their property, enforce contract, and run an efficient court system
We went by this spot on our travels through NM to Bosque Del Apache this past winter. We got off Rt 25 to take Rt 1 to the bird refuge. I remember being amazed by the sculpture sitting out in the desert. Too bad it was so far off the highway- and that the museum is closed – we’d definitely have stopped in. As it was, we had a good time looking for birds and had a great hamburger and beer at the Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio.
Maybe instead of investigating a story on the waste of a few million dollars of tax payers money, the journalist should be investigating the huge billions of dollars in tax breaks that Corporations throughout the US, in both Republican and Democrat controlled States, receive. Tax breaks based on the promise of jobs that never materialise. Maybe they should be investigation the billions of dollars of tax payers money given to Sports franchises to get them to move to their Cities and States. Maybe they should actually do a cost analysis of those deals to see just how much American tax payers are getting ripped of by. Compared to those deals this is just pocket change.
So fix it, offer incentives for private businesses to buy land on the route to the museum. Get a gas station, restaurant, gift shops, parking, etc., and market it out beyond just the local area. Get private companies involved that believe in its potential and award them for their efforts. If the government and smaller local businesses worked together these things would be less likely to happen. It can’t always be ‘us vs them’ if we ever plan on getting on the same page in this country.
I worked in govt for a decade (and this comment is just my opinion as a private citizen, I do not represent any govt agency), and was impressed with….how “just enough” things were…compared to the same jobs in a private setting, the US govt jobs generally had adequate but very minimal or older offices, equipment, job travel, etc…because they watched tax payer money very carefully. The failures to do that, like this, the news as they should, but the norm of the careful spending won’t. I would also say this is pretty harsh….businesses often do detailed feasibility planning, and still fail fairly frequently when customers materialize in expected numbers – predicting the future is tough. And they shut the museum when they realized usage was low….which was the right thing, and seems like it could easily be sold as a to a rest-stop, RV camping spot, etc. to return taxpayer money spent.
Gee, a poorly conceived, government funded tourist attraction in the middle of nowhere. Some salesperson/architect/developer sold an idea to locals that already needed to stimulate commerce for their economy, so no one said, “No.” $5 Mil wasted? Meh. Our military goes through that much ammo in daily training.
Where were all these officials, who are now saying it’s obviously in the wrong place, all those years ago BEFORE it was built? Who opposed this building? Who was held accountable for the wasted tax payer dollars? Who investigated where and to whom all the money went? This is pure government corruption. “No one remembers exactly where the idea came from…” how convenient.
I’m not a developer or in government but even I know that if you’re gonna take a chance and build something with hopes of developing the area, then you have to link with other businesses, offer them tax breaks along with property that has buildings to accommodate their businesses. That’s just the 1st step.
I work with consultants all the time and you have to be very objective with their recommendations. A lot of management takes their work as gospel. This shows that you have to have ownership over the work and really take a hard look at what they are presenting. And to toss it out when it does make sense.
They were expecting 100,000 visitors a year, for a museum in the middle of nowhere? In my town, we have 2 small museums dedicated to the town, in the middle of town, they have free entry, and between them, they get 100,000 visitors. How on Earth can you expect that 100,000 visitors for a museum in the middle of nowhere?
It was and is a great museum, it certainly should be revived. They did a poor job managing it, the problem was management not the location. The Cultural affairs were making HUGE paychecks and their interests and intentions weren’t to make it successful rather to eradicate the Rich History and not to promote it.
did anyone else hear that one lady say that the museum was only making enough to stay open and was not making profit….. who is making profit from taxpayer dollars? and why is making a profit matter for a public museum? is not making enough to pay employees and maintain the facilities enough? listen around 6 minutes in to her speaking. all they cared about was making profits not about performing a public service. this whole thing is not just about wasteful spending, it is about corrupted official trying to profit from tax payer money.
“I would do it (study UFOs), but before agreeing to do it, we must insist upon full access to discs recovered. For instance, in the L.A. case, the Army grabbed it and would not let us have it for cursory examination.” J. Edgar Hoover-Director of FBI The security guard called and said, “Sir, there’s a glowing red object hovering right outside the front gate. I’ve got all the men out here with their weapons drawn.” We lost between 16-18 ICBMs (nuclear tipped Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles) at the same time UFOs were in the area… (A high-ranking Air Force officer) said, “Stop the investigation; do no more on this and do not write a final report. I heard that many of the guards that reported the incident were sent off to Vietnam.” Captain Robert Salas, USAF, during a articletaped interview for the Disclosure program. “A few insiders know the truth…and are studying the bodies that have been discovered.” -Dr. Edgar Mitchell Apollo 14..the 6th NASA employee to walk on the Moon. “Maximum security exists concerning the subject of UFOs.” CIA Director, Allen Dulles, 1955. “It’s still classified above Top Secret.” – Senator Barry Goldwater, 1975 “Behind the scenes, high-ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about UFOs. But through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe that unknown flying objects are nonsense.” Former CIA Director, Roscoe Hillenkoetter, public statement, 1960. “We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false” -William Casey, CIA director, 1981 “Yes, there have been ET visitations.
It’s great that this waste is pointed out. But on the scale of government waste is minute. California’s waste in federally funded transportation fiascos runs into the 10s of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS just on one or 2 projects. Or unemployment fraud alone that probably surpasses New Mexico’s entire annual state budget.
Chattanooga, TN built an Aquarium in the late 80’s or early 90’s. Everyone said “this is someone getting paid off”. People fought tooth and nail not to put an aquarium in a land locked town. Now it sits in front of a rejuvenated downtown Chattanooga and has been so successful how many other towns have built aquariums? Atlanta certainly got the message and others did too. Building something new where things are thriving is just being a fanboy – taking a chance and ending up with a new tourist attraction and massive change in the make up of an area is one point of government “promote the general welfare” not make one pretty spot and stop. This one didn’t work out, so did they follow this with another “boondoggle” that did work out or was it just more whining?
Nah I beg to differ, it’s the Consultants who I guarantee were paid handsomely to fudge the numbers,Speculations & Guesstimates ! Museums are nice indeed & have the ability to generate handsome revenues but when they are built in remote places with nothing else. It should have been built in its nearest town with an interstate & provided paid bus tours ( or even atv, land buggees etc) to go out on the trail itself. Which of course would be booked in advance.
The money is long-wasted but perhaps an investor could turn it into a biker stop. I ride thousands of miles a year and I’ve been to all over the US (42 states), Mexico, and across Canada on my bike. I look for cool places to ride to, this could be one of them. I’ve been to NM many times but I’d go back. Hatch was fun, as was Ruidoso. Santa Fe had so many beautiful ladies. Good times.
I KNOW what they thought. They thought if it worked for a nascent Las Vegas, then it will work for a MUSEUM111. Except, landscapes and artifacts do not have the allure that girls and gambling has, and Las Vegas was already along a road going somewhere else. The best thing they could do is build a speedway complex out there. Now I am sure a town would pop up around THAT.
Incredibly beautiful place. I have very fond memories of this place. I killed a cow elk here nine months before my dear friend I was hunting with passed away. I also helped a youth hunter who was hunting with his Dad, Grandfather and younger brother kill his first cow elk. They traveled all the way from South Dakota from him to do so. Great folks! Lastly, I helped the aforementioned friend harvest a 330″ bull elk near San Antonio creek near the cabin by the creek.