The talk about a Downtown Arena seems to have died down recently, and I'm fine with that, having stated my thoughts on that proposal before. However, I would agree that Albuquerque could do with a nice civic arena (not that anything could ever replace our wonderful Pit, now newly refurbished) tied to some sort of entertainment complex. That's when it struck me: we already have an arena: it's called Tingley Coliseum.
Of course, Tingley is a rather small arena and is something of fixer-upper. But it does have quite a bit going for it: being in the lower reaches of the Heights it is centrally located to a large population (why do you think they keep building new grocery stores out there?) and the Fairgrounds, being a large entertainment complex, is already home to a wide variety of events both large and small. The State Fair is the big one, but there's also the Flea Market and the occasional concert or small convention, like the Home and Garden ones. While a Downtown Arena was touted in part as a means to expand convention space, we forgot that we already have a large area for major events just a few miles east. It just needs a little refurbishing...
This is a rough sketch of the layout of the Fairgrounds today. The red area is the public area of the Fairgrounds, where the exhibit buildings are; the brown area at the north end is the service area; the large gray area on the east side is the racetrack; and the blue area at the bottom is parking, with the bluish-green area being the part of the parking lot taken up by the midway when the State Fair rolls around.
Recently, the racetrack/casino complex closed up shop with plans to move elsewhere, leaving a gaping area of the Fairgrounds that is now unused. There is an incredible opportunity here.
Here's another rough sketch, this one of what could be. The public areas of the Fairgrounds has been mostly left alone due to their historic nature (I find the main street that's there today quite charming, myself), but everything else has been rather dramatically altered. The service area has been pushed south, so that it has about the same amount of space as it does today but with new space facing Lomas Boulevard. That space, along with the space along Louisiana and Central has been filled with private development - I'm thinking midrise office and retail buildings here myself, something that's a higher density than what's across the street today and situated next to the sidewalk with parking behind, so as to create a decent pedestrian environment on the street.
The dark green lines extending out from the center are meant to be large sidewalks, to improve the pedestrian connection from the street to the fairgrounds. The large green squares in the middle are park space; desperately needed in this part of town. There's enough room here for soccer fields and large lawns, which can also be closed off and used for the State Fair two weeks out of the year.
And then of course, you'll notice the large round structure in the very heart of it all - a new civic arena, much larger than the current Tingley Coliseum. Whereas a Downtown Arena would have a limited size, all the space vacated by the racetrack here means a new arena here can be as big as desired.
Downtown already has plenty of entertainment options - there's plenty of bars and theaters there; adding yet one more venue, one for which there's limited room in Downtown, isn't necessary. What Downtown really needs is more residential and more retail, to accomplish the goal of a truly mixed-use area and make it more vibrant and livable. Why build yet one more major entertainment complex when we have a perfectly good one just to the east that's also well-served by mass transit?
Not to mention that this neighborhood could use it; a massive influx of public dollars into this area could really spruce things up here. Developments like Talin are already helping out, but more is needed. Plus, it's an area that tourists are already seeing - think of everyone who gets off I-40 and drives down Central (or for that matter, goes to the State Fair). Wouldn't it make a greater impression on our visitors if we improved a part of town that really needed it, rather than pour yet more money into a neighborhood that's already seen a lot of gentrification?
3 comments:
I, too, believe the Fairgrounds provides a significant opportunity for infill and development. The loss of the Downs is yet, another, reason why this public facility needs a new plan. However, I have one question about your arena idea. Are you suggesting we build it in the center of the Fairgrounds? Wouldn't this facilitate a facility that people drive to just like what currently exists today? Granted, there is Rapid Ride now. However, RR is accessible to so little of the metro area.
A downtown arena is accessible to everyone from Santa Fe to Belen through what have become significant park n ride lots throughout the system. The spin-off revenue available from existing retail establishments would also be a boon for business and our tax coffers. Not to mention the existence of hotel rooms for people coming from beyond the local region. Finally, the ability to expand our convention facilities with a multi-purpose facility is beneficial to our convention business. A downtown facility would more akin to asset building than a facility in the middle of a giant parking lot.
I personally like the UNM studio that suggested a performing arts center off Central with surrounding mixed-use development.
Alas, lets hope we see progress in the area.
cheers,
Tim
What currently exists now is a walled-off compound that is all but inaccessible to pedestrians. I think, even with an arena in the middle of the complex, that having sufficient pedestrian pathways into the complex will make it much more suitable. Although I'm open to seeing a new arena placed elsewhere in the complex, such as near the Central/Louisiana corner.
Rapid Ride is accessible to so little of the metro area NOW...an expansion of bus service is certainly needed in order to draw more people to using mass transit to get to the fairgrounds. This would also be true of a Downtown arena - our bus system now is very weak, and if we expect more people to take it Downtown significant enhancements would still need to be made.
I fail to understand how this isn't "accessible to everyone from Santa Fe to Belen". It's a quick 15-minute ride on Rapid Ride from the ATC to the Fairgrounds which passes through high retail areas like Nob Hill. I mean, are you going to say that the Pit or Isotopes Park is inaccessible to everyone from Santa Fe to Belen because it's not on the Rail Runner line?
I agree that an arena would produce spin-off revenue; which is why I'd rather see it at the fairgrounds, in an area that could really use some spin-off revenue. Having it at the fairgrounds also means far more flexibility in what size an arena you could build and the number of adjacent facilities you could build to capitalize on events there. I would argue that enhancing the fairgrounds would do more to expand our convention facilities than building an entirely different event center. The fairgrounds is already a multi-purpose facility.
"A downtown facility would more akin to asset building than a facility in the middle of a giant parking lot."
Did you even look at the map? That's a park, not a parking lot. But as I said above, it's easy enough to shift the arena towards the corner of the fairgrounds.
Though I really like your idea about improving the fairgrounds (I have said similar things for years), I believe we need to continue to focus on getting this Downtown arena complex built. This must happen for a variety of reasons:
1. Accessibility: Sure, the Fairgrounds are a 15 minute bus ride from the Alvarado station. How many people from Santa Fe/Belen will actually be willing to make that bus ride? In this situation, they would probably just hop on the highway and drive to the arena, since it would be so accessible from the highway. Putting the arena right next to the station Downtown makes much more sense.
2. Agglomeration Economy: One of the reasons this Downtown arena has been pushed so hard is because so many services already exist Downtown. There are half empty bars and stores just waiting for customers. Putting an arena on the Fairgrounds site would actually draw people away from Downtown. I'm not saying healthy competition isn't bad, but putting a stadium in an area that currently has a small amount of restaurants, hotels and other services in walking distance does not make sense when Downtown already has all these services just waiting to be used. Uptown is close, but it's not something people are going to be walking from. Have you ever walked on the Louisiana overpass?
3. Convention Proximity: The primary reason people want the Downtown arena built is due to the ability to attract conventions. Would you prefer people walking from the convention center to the arena or driving for 15 minutes, clogging up our roads? You say it's a short bus ride, but many people do not use, or even think about using the bus.
You say Downtown needs more retail and residents. The only way Downtown will get more retail and residents is if there is a reason to travel there in the first place. A beautiful arena right next to the Rail Runner station would be a great reason.
I do agree that the Fairgrounds needs to be redeveloped. The street edge has great potential for mid-rise retail and residential. Maybe the city could focus on building a regional art park or some other draw on this site.
As tempting as it is to support an arena on this site, the Downtown site makes much more sense for a variety of reasons.
Ideally, I think a light rail line should be built on the route of the Red Line Rapid Ride. A light rail line along this route makes much more sense than investing in a short modern streetcar line to the airport. The modern streetcar would attract lots of investment, but a light rail line along this route would create a lot more transit ridership.
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