The next step in what could be the construction of a multi-million dollar soccer stadium in downtown Albuquerque has been taken.
Members of the Albuquerque City Council have voted in favor of putting on this November’s ballot a $50 million bond proposal that, if passed, would be used for the construction of the multipurpose stadium.
The $50 million will not cover the total estimated construction costs of the facility, which have been estimated at as much as $70 million, prompting supporters of the project to say that they will seek additional funds from other sources.
If built, the stadium would be the home to the Albuquerque-based New Mexico United soccer team, which was formed three years ago and plays most of its games in the city’s Isotopes Park.
A consultant’s study completed earlier this summer recommended that consideration be given to a stadium with anywhere from 10,000 to 12,000 seats.
That study also suggested two downtown sites for a facility that will additionally host high school sporting events, music concerts, and other special events.
The site for the stadium will only be announced after one or several public input meetings.
Crucial to the debate surrounding the possible construction of the stadium has been the question of whether it will be supported by area residents.
New Mexico United Soccer officials have pointed out that the anywhere from 13,000 to 15,000 people have regularly attended the team’s Isotopes Park games.
In 2020, members of the New Mexico State Legislature approved more than $4 million in funding for the project to be used primarily for land acquisition.
By Garry Boulard
