Las Cruces City Council began the first step in planning efforts for the expansion of the Las Cruces Convention Center, which will be shared with a new film sound stage. The resolution to begin the planning process passed 7-0.
Las Cruces City Councilor Greg Smith says the convention center expansion is necessary because the city is currently losing business.
“We’re actually losing bookings at the convention center with the fact that we don’t have enough breakout rooms,” Smith said. “That’s the biggest complaint is the breakout rooms. The university is helping us out in a huge way by going forward with the hotel next door, that’s going to be a very big piece. The other thing is the expanded exhibit hall capabilities will also be a big help.”
The expanded exhibit hall will also have the capability to be used a film sound stage. Smith says this works towards creating two different economic development opportunities.
“I think it can be designed in such a way that’s actually an asset,” Smith said. “That some of the things that will be acquired for the sound stage will actually provide amenities in that exhibit hall that will make it a unique space for when it’s being booked as an exhibit hall. But hopefully it will also give us that step over point to when we can actually get a really dedicated sound stage built.”
City Manager Robert Garza says funding for the convention center will come from three different sources, using some of the funds appropriated for the sound stage.
“One of them are bonds that we issued to expand the convention center,” Garza said. “That’s 3.5 million. Another source is about a million dollars of legislative appropriations that were going to go toward a standalone sound stage; we’re going to add that to the convention center and to make our exhibit hall studio worthy. The third source is bond funds that we were going to set aside to go build a standalone film studio that’s not ready to get built. So, we’re saying let’s take all of three of those sources, let’s put it onto the convention center and do one project now and do it right.”
Garza says some of the bonded funds, and state appropriated funds for the film sound stage are facing a deadline to spend the funds. They are now being put toward the convention center to allow more time to bring community partners together for the creation the standalone sound stage.
Councilor Greg Smith introduced an amendment to make sure the exhibit hall is built to film industry standards.
“I mean if we’re going to use the money that we were previously saying was going to go toward the sound stage then basically we have to follow through, and do our part to make it so that it can be.”
Irene Oliver-Lewis, Vice Chair of Film Las Cruces says the plan allows film production to get started as soon as possible in Las Cruces.
“It was a very innovative solution to a very complicated need in our community, and your building economic development on two levels.”
Final building plans and costs for the convention center expansion still need to be approved.
