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As support for MVEDA grows, so does its success

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The Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA) brought almost $250 million in capital investment to Las Cruces and Doña Ana County in fiscal year 2022, a 320 percent increase over the year before and nearly five and a-half times its goal.

The MVEDA dashboard for FY22 showed increases in other economic measures as well: payroll generated reached $289 million, a 19 percent increase over FY21 and more than 160 percent of the goal; and 777 jobs created, a 27 percent increase and almost 120 percent of the goal.

“We’re pushing our numbers because of the resources we’ve been given,” said MVEDA President and CEO Davin Lopez.

MVEDA received 2021-22 funding increases from the City of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County, as well as $300,000 from El Paso Electric’s New Mexico Economic Development Fund. With other private, state and local investments, MVEDA’s operating budget grew to more than $1 million for the first time.

“This past fiscal year has truly been one of expanding opportunities for MVEDA, having made key investments in growing the organization, expanding our branding, enhancing our marketing efforts and designing new strategic initiatives to stay in front of industry development,” Lopez said in MVEDA’s annual report.

“We’re telling the story of the Borderplex,” Lopez said. “We’re becoming recognized as a metro area.”

The return of commercial air service to Las Cruces – regular flights to and from Albuquerque began in January for the first time since 2005 – helps local economic development, Lopez said.

Other important local assets include New Mexico State University and Doña Ana Community College, Electronic Caregiver, the booming cross-border economic driver of Santa Teresa and the county jetport, White Sands Missile Range, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Las Cruces Public Schools and the county’s two other school districts and a strong local film industry.

But the No. 1 criteria for attracting business and industry to the area continues to be “a willing, ready and available skilled workforce,” Lopez said.

The availability of commercial property is another key consideration, he said.

The Las Cruces City Council’s approval of fast-track permitting in January is “very important,” Lopez said.

Fast-track is Intended for “larger economic development projects,” city Economic Development Coordinator Cilicia Villegas said at the Jan. 3 city council meeting. It will target aerospace and aviation, defense, value-added agriculture and advanced manufacturing industries in the city’s Innovation and Industrial Park and film and cannabis industries in the city proper.

For some businesses looking to start up or move to here, fast track could cut nearly in half the time it takes to find or build a building, negotiate a lease and get the doors open, Lopez said.

Having fast-track on the books shows Las Cruces is “a growing, progressive community that does believe in business and facilitating that business,” Lopez said at the meeting.

A closer working relationship with the city and other partners means MVEDA is “taking steps to create a better product,” he said.

The NMBorderplex Incentive Program is another example.

MVEDA announced in January that the program, which it created in partnership with the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, committed $530,000 in 2022 that will create more than 900 jobs and more than $105 million in capital investments in the county.

With financial assistance from the New Mexico Economic Development Fund, MVEDA estimates the investment will create more than $126 million in household spending and an overall regional impact of $461 million in the next five years.

Funding through New Mexico’s Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) and Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) is also important to business recruitment, Lopez said, along with local and federal government support and partnerships with El Paso Electric, the Community Foundation, NMSU, DACC and others.

With more resources, “We can do more,” Lopez said.

Visit www.mveda.com.


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