ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque is set to get $5.8 million in upgrades that are expected to “improve the visitor experience and safety,” the City of Albuquerque announced on Monday.
The park brings in thousands of people each year by hosting multiple events, including the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, concerts, and festivals. Improvements to the park will include new restrooms on both the east and west sides of the launch field, including the construction of a large restroom building near the main entrance and the Sid Cutter Pilot’s Pavilion.
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“Balloon Fiesta Park is one of our most iconic and visited places in Albuquerque, and we’re making major upgrades the park has needed for decades,” said Mayor Tim Keller in a news release. “When I was a young kid going to Fiesta, I always wondered why there weren’t real bathrooms, and now we’re finally going to have toilets that flush.”
New electrical upgrades will allow power access on the west and north edges of the fields, including to the main concert stage area of the park. The city said that vendors will also no longer need generators thanks to new electrical pedestals and electrical lines along Vendor Row.
Other technological and electrical improvements will include Wi-Fi access for visitors and a public safety address system.
The city is also hoping to make getting to the park easier and safer by building a pedestrian walkway along the north side of Balloon Fiesta Parkway and adding a new parking area at the northeast corner of the park.
The project is funded with a mix of state and city funds. “The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a world famous event that brings visitors to New Mexico from all over globe, and it’s important that Balloon Fiesta Park has world-class amenities for New Mexicans and out-of-state visitors to enjoy,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in the news release.
According to the city, the sewage and electrical upgrades will help prepare the site for a potential New Mexico United stadium. The improvements will be completed between now and the end of 2024.
