Albuquerque, CNM celebrate progress on delayed film training hub

Hector Salamanca’s wheelchair — its bell a harbinger of doom to “Breaking Bad” fans — sat nearby as state and local officials celebrated progress toward completion of a film training center at the Albuquerque Rail Yards.

“Hopefully, there’s nothing under the chair ... Spoiler alert,” Mayor Tim Keller said, referring to the episode where a pipe bomb was fastened to Salamanca’s chair.

The mayor, who restrained himself to a single reference from the show, joined with leaders from the New Mexico Economic Development Department and Central New Mexico Community College to celebrate progress on the New Mexico Media Arts Collective, or MAC, despite the fact that training facility will be open for students at least one semester after originally planned.

The MAC, which will be operated by CNM, is located in the Boiler Shop building within the Rail Yards. The $73 million project was financed with state and city money, as well as a CNM general obligation bond.

Construction is expected to be completed in June 2026, with classes scheduled to begin in August of the same year. When it was first announced in February 2024, the facility was expected to be completed by late 2025, with the first classes scheduled to take place in January 2026. A CNM spokesperson said construction challenges stemming from the building’s age and unique structure of the rail yard building pushed the completion date back.

Still, Keller and others argued that the project represented an investment in Albuquerque, the state, and the film industry as a whole despite a slowdown in the film industry.

“It’s important we remind everyone that film continues to be the connection point between the challenges we have in our workforce and our workforce development, but also economic opportunity,” Keller said.

CNM’s Film Production and Digital Media programs will co-locate and share equipment and training resources upon completion of the facility.

The MAC will offer industry standard, hands-on and craft-specific workforce training and job competencies for the film, television and digital media industries. It will also feature soundstages, classrooms, offices, post-production and flexible spaces equipped with the latest equipment and technology.

“Hundreds of students are going to come down here every day to be part of the film industry and help build up our entire city,” Keller said.