ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Less than a week from the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta’s start, Albuquerque announced Monday it is ready to get started on the park’s future with a planned soccer stadium.
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It’s been two years since the city and New Mexico United announced the idea to build a stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park, but they haven’t done any groundwork yet. Now, the city and the soccer team said that’s about to change.
“There are things that we don’t even know that are going to come to New Mexico and exist. Twenty years from now, we’re going to have more teams. We’re going to have more events. We’re going to have things that we don’t even know about on the horizon, I think we can see a women’s team,” said New Mexico United Founder and CEO Peter Trevisani.
The city said its plan is to put an 8,000 to 10,000-seat stadium in the parking lot just east of Balloon Fiesta Field. To get to that point, there’s still a lot of site prep to do, including erosion control and utility work. The city said it has now hired a contractor to start reviewing the park grounds for all the upgrades they need to make to the land where the stadium will sit. The stadium is still years out, with United now targeting 2028 for a potential opening. Until then, the team will remain at Isotopes Park.
Neighborhoods around Fiesta Park have fought the stadium plan for the last several years, including in court. However, United said they’re listening to light and noise pollution concerns, including planning to funnel noise to the north. “The real mission here is to show what it looks like when our state comes together, when our people come together and we have a common belief,” said Trevisani.
While United is expected to spend $30 million on the stadium, the city’s agreed to get the site ready with plumbing, internet, and electricity. Site prep work could begin sometime this winter, but there’s no word on when it might be done.
United said it’s also aiming to make the stadium a community space for youth and to get Meow Wolf involved in some design elements.
