Tucumcari confident in bid for racino

The interest of three groups expressing interest of bringing a racino to the Clovis, Curry County area is not swaying or lessening the confidence of the Tucumcari, Quay County’s bid for the sixth and final license, said Warren Frost.

“It doesn’t matter if there are 10 entities that want to apply, express interest in bringing a racino to Clovis,” Frost said. “We have the best location for the racino; Tucumcari is where the highest revenue stream can be generated.”

Frost a spokesman for a group looking to bring a racino to Tucumcari, said with little more than a month left before the New Mexico Racing Commission July 30, deadline, work is being done to update, amend the existing application and inform the public. He said the community’s knowledge, support for bringing a horse racing track and casino to the area is crucial.

“Without the public’s support or being able to demonstrate public support we’d be dead in the water,” Frost said. “The reality is there is a large portion of the Clovis population doesn’t want a racino. Our residents, entities and local officials are all in favor of bringing the racino to Tucumcari.”

Frost said the Tucumcari proposal would cost about $70 million and generate 300 full-time jobs and an additional 100 to 150 jobs during racing season.

With a proposed 330-acre location between Route 66 and I-40, Frost said the key to the racino’s success would be drawing in people from the Texas Panhandle and Interstate-40.

The city of Clovis was mentioned specifically at least three times during the June 21 meeting by other track owners as a threat to the current operations in Hobbs and Ruidoso, according to those in attendance.

“We intend to holding a public meeting to inform the public of what is going on with the application and the other parties interested in the sixth license,” Frost said. “This meeting will be held before a public meeting with the New Mexico Racing Commission to hear, inquire about the regional support for the racino.”

On June 28, Clovis officials heard from the most recently-declared contender for a racetrack and casino project in the city.

Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino General Manager Rick Baugh said during a meet-and-greet reception at the Norman and Vi Petty Rock & Roll Museum that officials were interested in bringing quarter-horse racing to one of a few locations being considered in Clovis.

Baugh declined to say in more detail which locations were under consideration and noted the application was still yet to be submitted, emphasizing how talks in the coming days with Clovis citizens would go a long way to inform how the project shapes up.

Baugh forecasted at least 160 acres for the racino site, tentatively titled "Legacy Park." He forecasted the construction, which would be completed around 2020, to bring 750 jobs, and Sunland's marketing Director expected a project cost of at least $70 million dollars with 300 to 500 local jobs when in operation.

"We have now met with three different racino groups," said Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ernie Kos, referring to meetings in recent weeks with Laguna Development Corp. and Shaun Hubbard, who is leading a group to bring a racino to the east part of the city. "We're usually in the business of recruiting business and industry. It's different (now) because Clovis is a hot spot and they're trying to recruit us."

Frost said the opposition from tracks, across the state on a facility in Clovis were apparent during the June 21 meeting of the racing commission held a meeting in Albuquerque.

At the meeting representatives of some of the other racetracks across the state spoke out against the idea of a Clovis gaming facility, according to those in attendance.

During that meeting Frost said “anyone trying to put a track in Clovis has an uphill battle,” due to the opposition voiced against Clovis at the meeting and the strength of the Tucumcari bid.

Former Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield and former City Commissioner Tom Martin were representing a committee promoting Clovis as the location for the state’s next racino called Vision 2020.

Brumfield said she believes a sixth license will be awarded though the Racing Commission will be doing a feasibility study once all the applications are in following the July 30 deadline.

Brumfield and Martin said they started to promote Clovis at Thursday’s meeting but were told by a representative of the attorney general’s office that they could not do so until after applications had officially been filed.

On the same day, Representatives from Laguna Development Corp. (LDC) hosted community members at the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce to discuss that group’s goal of bringing a racino to Clovis.

In Clovis, LDC Chief of Sales and Marketing Skip Sayre and Director of Business Development Ken Mimmick provided an overview of the company and its vision for a racino in Clovis and answered questions from community members.

They said LDC is looking at a 160-acre site on the east side of Clovis adjacent to the city limits. The racino is estimated to cost $80 million and be ready for a grand opening in the middle of 2020, if the group were to be selected.

Sayre said LDC boasts past successful business ventures and one of the best group of executives in the gaming industry nationwide.

Jamie Cushman and David Grieder contributed to this report.