A much-anticipated project on the Las Cruces campus of New Mexico State University may be on its way to becoming reality, depending upon the results of Tuesday’s election.
University officials have long wanted to see the construction of a Creative Building Media Institute building and are now poised to see that vision come true with $10 million designated for the project out of a $230.2 million Higher Education General Obligation Bond to be decided by voters across the state.
Out of that large $230.2 million, exactly $50.5 million is slated for a variety of projects at NMSU that will include updates to electrical and steam systems in several buildings on the campus.
The bond will also allot some $3 million for improvements to the historic Martinez Hall on NMSU’s Grant campus; in addition, general facility work, to the tune of $1 million at the Alamogordo campus.
Additional projects will see $1.5 million for upgrades to emergency evacuation routes at Dona Ana Community College’s Gadsden Center, which is a part of the NMSU system.
The Creative Media Institute program at NMSU is described as a “cross-disciplinary” offering that combines creative writing, digital filmmaking, and animation learning. It is part of a mosaic of efforts in greater Las Cruces designed to serve the growing New Mexico film industry.
Earlier this year NMSU revealed plans to build a $15 million sound stage complex that is part of a joint effort between the school, the New Mexico Economic Development Center, and Arrowhead Center Incorporated.
That sound stage will be built near the planned site for the new Creative Media Institute facility, with construction expected to begin by the spring of next year.
November 4, 2024
By Garry Boulard
