Daily Lobo columnist
Picture this: It's Friday afternoon in May, you leave class and call into work to let your boss know that you won't be in for the afternoon.
Instead, you head downtown to watch a professional baseball game in a brand new stadium. Afterwards you hit up happy hour for a few drinks and a meal. Then you have the choice to stay late for the night actions in the bars or catch the newest movie release at the theater just up the street. While that may seem like a Friday in another city, it could be a reality for Albuquerque's Downtown . or maybe not.
Starting in 1998, the Downtown Action Team, a private nonprofit business organization, along with Mayor Jim Baca, began a crusade for downtown revitalization. As a student who frequents the downtown nightlife - maybe more than I should - I have seen the major improvements to the area in the past few years. Establishments such as Anodyne have expanded and improved. The Downtown Distillery and Sauce (Liquid Lounge) have added a classy and exciting atmosphere. Even the corporate nightclub Banana Joe's saw Downtown Albuquerque as great investment.
Besides just the new restaurants and bars, the Downtown area has been beautified through improved benches and sidewalks, and eight times as much lighting is on Central and Gold Avenues than before. And $300 million-worth of construction to build a new movie theater and public transportation center will be completed by this fall.
So, all we need now to fulfill our summer afternoon daydream is a professional baseball stadium, which should be no problem since everyone wants an exciting and vibrant downtown, right? Wrong!
Our own City Council and a few misinformed citizens are standing in the way of our perfect Friday in the city by fighting Mayor Jim Baca's proposal to build a Downtown professional baseball stadium for a new Triple-A baseball team.
Just a few weeks ago, the City Council passed a bill to let the voters decide whether they want to fund the new baseball stadium and if it should be Downtown. The first question asks voters to approve or reject up to $15 million in general obligation bonds to pay for a stadium. The second asks voters to choose to build a Downtown new stadium or renovate the Sports Stadium. The special election for the ballot issue on baseball will be held May 30.
However, at the beginning of last week, an amendment to the bill, sponsored by Councilor Greg Payne, basically ruled out nearly every Downtown site being considered by Backin' Baseball, the citizens group formed to bring Triple-A baseball back to Albuquerque.
Without a Downtown site, the owners of a potential Triple-A team might second-guess their choice to come to Albuquerque. And without a baseball stadium, Downtown will lose out on potential business through increased attendance at the stadium. Other cities such as Memphis, Tenn. to Casper, Wyo. have seen their Downtowns improve while attendance at the ball games doubles or triples.
"We need a Downtown baseball stadium to improve the economic growth for Downtown businesses and the entire city," said Luisa Lindsey, the executive director of the Downtown Action Team.
Fortunately, Councilor Tim Kline, in a special meeting last Thursday night, revived the possibility of a Downtown site by allowing the stadium to be built anywhere. Unfortunately, a few councilors may not be the only ones to blame for opposing a new Downtown baseball stadium. It seems that some of them may be representing a vocal, yet highly uninformed minority.
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"There is too much traffic."
"It's dirty and overrun by homeless people."
"Who would want to go there?"
These are some of the things people are saying about Albuquerque's very own Downtown. Anyone who visits Downtown on a regular basis knows none of these things are true. Contrary to the loud-mouthed, ignorant comments that get coverage from local media, our Downtown is not overrun by vagrants and crime. I safely and happily eat lunch there nearly everyday, and the closest thing to an eyesore that I see is some public art that I don't understand.
I want the opponents of a Downtown baseball stadium to realize that Downtown is one of the only hopes for Albuquerque to create a livelier, more connected community. Every young person from middle school to the middle-aged complains that there nothing to do in Albuquerque. A thriving Downtown is just what we need for people of all ages to come together and enjoy life.
"Quality of life improvements build a stronger community and attract new businesses," said Mayor Jim Baca, "and a Downtown stadium would do that without increasing urban sprawl."
Why should we vacation to Denver or Phoenix to improve our quality of life? We need to take the opportunity right now to improve our own community, starting with Downtown. The same people complaining about the Downtown they never visit probably vacation all over the country looking for a professional baseball game or a great night on the town.
As UNM students who think with open minds and like to have a little fun in our own city, we need to lead the charge for a revitalized Downtown and a better quality of life.
