ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – While the city waits to get the results of a recent feasibility study that will reveal the best location for a new New Mexico United soccer stadium, it looks like the Rail Yards is very much still in the mix as a potential spot. City officials and neighbors took a private tour through the Rail Yard site Wednesday and during that meeting, the mayor’s office said nothing is set in stone, but acknowledged the Rail Yards is a strong competitor for a possible stadium.
“It’s still pretty early,” said Lawrence Rael, the City of Albuquerque‘s chief operating officer. “The good news is the site is big enough for a field, and for the facility. The challenge with the site is that it’s pretty tight,” Rael explained during that private tour.
The agency working on the study has looked at a handful of sites around downtown Albuquerque. The city has said in the past it’s looking at building a possible 10,000 to 15,000 seat stadium, that could have multiple uses like a cultural center component, and even possible retail or housing space. They’re hopeful the facility will help revitalize the downtown area.
The owner of New Mexico United, Peter Trevisani says that’s why the Rail Yards would make such a great place for it. “What I like about the Rail Yards is that there was a time that area was thriving,” said Trevisani. “Now it’s gone dormant, but we can revitalize that area again. There’s theatrical justice to that,” he said.
KRQE News 13 reached out to the city to ask what other locations were being considered as part of that feasibility study but did not get an answer. The report should be complete by late May or early June. There’s not a clear estimate on how much any building could cost, or how government and the team could split costs.
