An ongoing and historic move to upgrade the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque has received a significant boost thanks to the efforts of state lawmakers.
Before the conclusion of the 2026 session last week, those lawmakers approved a bill sponsored by Democrat Senator Mimi Stewart and Democrat Representative Janelle Anyanonu to provide up to $190 million in funds for a long-planned effort to revitalize the fairgrounds.
The vote comes after members of the New Mexico Board of Finance voted in favor of approving just under $100 million for improvements to the grounds, located at 300 San Pedro NE in the city’s International District.
The funding approved by the Finance Board will particularly be used in acquiring additional land at the southwest corner of the Fairgrounds site.
Plans for the Fairgrounds’ work include water drainage and sewer infrastructure improvements, pedestrian safety upgrades, and the creation of a 10-acre park with play areas and trails.
The “Our Fairgrounds Reimagined” project has been called a “once-in-a-generation” effort to transform the 240-acre state-owned site, as well as offering stimulus to the surrounding International District.
A posting from the effort pointedly poses the question of how investment in the Fairgrounds redevelopment can proceed “without displacing under-resourced neighbors.”
City officials have been particularly interested in the Fairgrounds project because of the impact it may have on the International District, an area of the city that has been burdened with high crime rates and has also been referenced as a “food desert” with a lack of access to fresh food primarily due to the 2023 closing of a Walmart’s outlet on nearby San Mateo Boulevard.
February 24, 2026
By Garry Boulard
