Bernalillo County asks state for $4.3M for Mesa Del Sol sports fields

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Neighbor to Netflix’s big investment in movie studios at Mesa Del Sol, Bernalillo County is now hoping the state can pour millions of dollars toward finishing a massive sports complex. Once it’s done, the facility should have 31 outdoor grass fields. Right now, the county has the money to finish phases three and four which includes a sports lifestyle building.

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“A small building that will have bathrooms and meeting spaces so kind of have like tournament headquarters kind of a small building on site,” said John Barney, Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation Planning Manager.

In order to finish even more at the facility, the county is asking the state legislature to pitch in. They want $4.3M in state funds to fully realize the project that promises room for soccer, football, lacrosse, and other field sports, especially for people in the South Valley. “For practices, games, leagues, they can be based here instead of north of Bernalillo. A lot of kids its hard for them to get all the way north,” said Barney.

The county has the money to finish 19 fields with six so far having been built already. That includes four turf and two natural grass fields. Right now, crews are working on more fields, parking, and lighting at the complex. The county said the money from the state would be a big deal. “I think we gave us… ourselves to 2030 to finish the fields, so, if we keep getting funding at the rate we’ve been getting it, that should be doable,” said Barney.

The $4.3 million request for the Mesa Del Sol sports park is the biggest financial ask of the 35 different projects the county wants capital outlay funding for. In all, Bernalillo County intends to ask lawmakers for $15.3 million in capital outlet funding at the next session. That includes $1.5 million for an affordable housing complex for seniors at Sixth and Coal. They are also asking for a million dollars to replace the PB&J Family Services Building into an early learning center. The county wants another million dollars to improve the medical facility at the Youth Services Center.

State lawmakers meet for a 60-day session starting January 21.

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