ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The New Mexico State Fair is just around the corner and the city and the state are getting ready to welcome hundreds of thousands of people.
The city has been cleaning the area around the Expo New Mexico for the past week and the state said it’s been working on the security for the past year. “This is the safest 236 acres in the state of New Mexico, I can assure you that,” said Dan Mourning, General Manager for Expo New Mexico.
He said for this year’s state fair they’ve added more security cameras and added to the ranks of people on the ground watching out. “Hundreds of people are out here for security and safety. Quite a force we have out here and again, we have private security and multiple jurisdictions are helping out the state fair,” said Mourning.
But safety and security goes past just surveillance, Mourning said they also inspect the rides and the food vendors. Outside the fairgrounds, the city has been picking up trash and even replacing street trees around the area. It’s something businesses have noticed. “I have noticed that it is cleaner that they have been going around cleaning up the area,” said Bryan Hall manager of Indoor Flea Market.
Normally solid waste has one crew clean the area once or twice a month. “I would love it to be all year around and see central at least a little bit cleaner,” said Hall.
With the fair, they’ve added three additional crew members to help keep the area clear over the next week and a half. “We would love to be out there every week but sometimes we get out there once or twice a month for sure,” said Billy Gallegos, interim director for the city’s Solid Waste Department.
