We’re fortunate in Española that Ohkay Owinge built a convention center. That’s decades away on the city’s radar. Now we have a venue that can handle some of the functions that were being forced into places that just didn’t work.
Right behind them Big Rock Casino expanded its operation and now they too have a good venue for musical acts and large meetings. We’ve had some big acts from the 1970s and ‘80s here that when I was a teen I never thought would play Española.
It’s great that we have a little night life. It doesn’t help the city because none of it is taxed. Actually the Big Rock Casino and its current expansion puts a load on the city as far as delivering water, sewer, fire and police protection. The casino pays for the water and sewer but that’s it.
Now they’re in the middle of building a seven story hotel that Española fire chief John Kitchen says he can’t protect. As with the initial building, Santa Clara is going to go ahead without the city’s blessing.
As with any pueblo enterprise, there’s no telling who’s in charge of making decisions regarding infrastructure.
And that’s kind of strange when you look at Buffalo Thunder in Cuyamungue. It’s touted as the largest hotel in New Mexico. I’ve walked through the casino several times and it’s full of locals. License plates in the parking lot are New Mexico plates.
So it was no surprise reading the story in the Albuquerque Journal Tuesday stating the resort’s credit rating was going to be downgraded by Standard and Poors. Pojoaque Gov. George Rivera is quoted as saying the casino has paid all its debt obligations and will continue to do so. But when you look at that monstrous infrastructure you have to ask how many quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies need to be run through those slot machines to pay those debts.
I appreciate the vision and forward-thinking of all the tribes that surround Española. We’re trapped with small thinkers and petty bickering. That’s why we don’t grow in a manageable and positive way. But I question the size of some of their projects. Again, we don’t know who makes the decisions, how they’re made or what kind of budgets they’re working with. You have to sit back and watch and hope they know what they’re doing.
The other group that seems to be forward thinking and trying to make a difference in the Valley is the Bartolome Sanchez Land Grant board. They’ve taken parcels of the land grant, sold some, developed some and drawn out plans for the rest. They have the unfortunate burden of dealing too much with the city, county and schools but the areas that have been developed by people like Ross Chavez Jr. and Brent Schutz seem to be flourishing and providing needed services to people and some clean jobs.
If the land grant group gets its way and they develop the land west of the “industrial park” responsibly, it will be good for Española’s economy and provide some housing and jobs for current residents. That hinges on the city staying out of the way.
It seems like growth comes to the Valley regardless of whether the city or county is ready for it or willing to bring it. The unfortunate part of capitalism is that those who take the risk, receive the big payout, while those who sit on the sidelines gain only the opportunity to play along.
Right now the pueblos are taking the risk and still making some money while our gross receipts revenues continue to fall as we watch helplessly.