New Mexico United soccer stadium plan approved by Environmental Planning Commission
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A United Soccer Stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park is moving forward after the city’s Environmental Planning Commission approved the plans. Months after the proposal for the New Mexico United Stadium was approved in November, the plans faced multiple setbacks.
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The initial plans drew major backlash from people in surrounding neighborhoods that eventually led to the Environmental Planning Commission having to do a re-vote on the plans. Thursday, the city spoke about the changes they made to address residents’ concerns and the importance of moving forward with plans for the potential United Stadium.
“The multi-use stadium will be a very large private investment into the park. That will also address some long-standing issues and benefit the community,” said Jackie Fishman, Principal at Consensus Planning.
In February, a hearing examiner decided that a city panel had to hold a re-vote. Thursday, the city presented new site plans that they say have been adjusted to address the concerns presented by neighborhood associations. They say they’ve reduced the height of the stadium to three stories to prevent obstruction of the Sandia Mountains, shortening light structures to make sure light is contained, and relocating the stadium 18 feet eastward and 10 feet southward to be further from neighborhoods.
“In acknowledgment of the neighborhoods concerns about noise, we’ve agreed to continue sound monitoring at regular intervals, advance notice to neighbors of events, a dedicated hotline to the parks on-site manager,” said Fishman.
Prominent supporters of the plans included former Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, Senator Antonio Maestas, and representatives for Ex Novo Brewing Company and M’tucci’s Italian Restaurants. However, neighbors present at the meeting say they were once again ignored throughout the process.
“Unknown changes to the design of the field and the stadium. We never saw any of that until just now when Ms. Fishman showed us this,” said Maggie Rose, President of the Maria Diers Neighborhood Association.
“You know a lot of the people that are for United, they don’t live in this area they have no idea of the issues we face,” said Russel Harvey, member of the Wildflower Area Neighborhood Association.
During the meeting, neighborhood associations opposing the plans requested a 90 to 120-day deferral in order to do more sound and light studies. Residents also asked if the stadium could be a closed stadium with a roof to help with sound and lights, but New Mexico United said it would be too expensive. After eight hours of discussion, the EPC approved the stadium plans moving forward.
