What's going on, Albuquerque?

Morning Fix: Wide Net

Income actually growing in N.M.; State leads nation in professional/technical service income growth.
Guv returns from Columbia mission hoping to win release of three U.S. hostages. The three have been FARC detainees for five years.
Tingley Coliseum is so terrible, not even bull riders want to rough it.
Down south, tensions heighten as Mexico dispatches military to its border with U.S.
Diamond anniversary for the New Deal.
Bataan Memorial March a White Sands draws record number of participants.
No Joke: Isotopes, Lobos have Tuesday exhibition; Seven innings, glorious wood bats planned.

0 members like this

Comment by M.J. Williams on March 31, 2008 at 8:33am: I agree, Spartacus, Tingley is dead, outdated, filthy, smelly, and the biggest eyesore in the city next to the Bank of the West building on San Mateo and Central. If mayor Marty is so progressive and wants our city's "image" to improve, then he'll have to do more than just banning "COPS" from filming in the Duke City, but he's more concerned with the red-light revenue I mean "cameras" than our city's image.

Comment by Phil_0 on March 31, 2008 at 10:15am: I'm not sure movie-making at Tingley is really an endorsement...I'm sure there are lots of movies that could use a filthy, smelly, disgusting old arena.

M.J., what've you got against the poor ol' Bank of the West? Sure, some 1960s architects got a little overexuberant about the potential for high-density development on the southeast side of town, but that's no reason to hate! I actually love its preposterous incongruity...

Comment by Phil_0 on March 31, 2008 at 10:46am: Sarah, I think there was enough of a public outcry that the fairgrounds plan was quietly put to bed. Personally, I'd like it to stay where it is (there are some neat buildings at the fairgrounds, and it's nice to have it within the city limits), but would like to see a lot of work put into sprucing it up and making it a more integrated part of its neighborhood - what about a new Tingley, commercial development along Central and Louisiana, maybe some permanent facilities for the Flea Market?

Comment by Tricross on March 31, 2008 at 10:57am: The clip I heard on Fox news was that the bull riders were tired having their stuff broken into or ripped off while they were competing. It seems it is the same old story. When Extreme Home Makeover was in town, they had a truck stolen. I we want to be player in the big game, we better get our crime problem resolved.

Comment by once banned twice shy on March 31, 2008 at 11:44am: Tingley is a perfect venue for rodeos, but only if management can get the lights turned on! It's a pity management just doesn't seem to give a crap. As for the riders having their stuff broken into, that's lax security, and that could happen at any venue.

Comment by Tricross on March 31, 2008 at 11:49am: I beg to differ. More security only treats the symptoms and does not address the root cause.

Comment by Phil_0 on March 31, 2008 at 12:25pm: I think everyone can agree that it would be nice to completely eliminate Albuquerque's crime problem. I agree with OBTS, though, that it would probably only take a few more security guards to cut down on crime at the fairgrounds enough to make the bullriders and other Tingley users happy, which is a somewhat easier goal than inducing large-scale social change. FWIW, improved security at the fairgrounds and elsewhere is one of the many little ways in which an overall change in ABQ's crime statistics is going to start.

Comment by Phil_0 on March 31, 2008 at 12:58pm: I dunno, I think it's really nice having the state fair within city limits. And I have a hard time imagining many of the existing fairground buildings being used for anything besides exhibition space. But then I don't live in the neighborhood and don't have to deal with the parking, etc. I agree that it's shamefully underused at present, but think adding a few parking garages and redeveloping some of the acres of stables and parking lots on the peripheries of the fairgrounds into commercial or residential zones would be a nice compromise, mightily enhancing Central and Louisiana while allowing the designated expo space to remain.

Comment by usemoreglue on March 31, 2008 at 1:27pm: If Bob Dylan can abide with the shameful accommodations Tingley has to offer, I don't see why PBR can't.

Don't shoot!

Comment by jeff on March 31, 2008 at 1:53pm: phil_o - can't say i've ever heard of any architect with enough influence to convince someone to erect a high-rise outside an established downtown at their whim.

fwiw, that building is a dupe of one in PHX, so i suspect someone writing the checks was amortizing the cost of design....

tricross is right - the root cause is high demand coupled with widespread shortage of bull riding equipment.