Plans for moving racino from Farmington to Clovis delayed

A Dec. 22 New Mexico Racing Commission meeting to consider relocating a racino from Farmington to Clovis has been postponed indefinitely.

NMRC Executive Director Izzy Trejo told The News on Monday the commission’s attorney requested the delay so that SunRay Park & Casino officials could amend their application for relocating.

Trejo said he did not have details about language in the application that the attorney had been concerned about.

The amended application was refiled late last week, Trejo said, which starts the clock again for commissioners to consider the relocation.

The deadline for comments about the proposal have also been extended, from Dec. 3 to “until further notice,” according to the NMRC website.

Trejo said the earliest commissioners could meet now to consider the relocation is “early February,” but it could also be “much later.”

The Racing Commission in October endorsed a plan to move one of five of the state’s racino licenses from Farmington to Clovis. A racino is a combination horserace track and gaming facility.

Commissioners initially planned to meet at 8 a.m. Dec. 22 in Clovis in anticipation of a vote on the proposed move.

SunRay President Paul Blanchard said the plan is to build a new casino, hotel and race track on a 200-acre site east of Clovis off U.S. 60/84. The project would take two years to complete, Blanchard said. The racino would include a 3,000-seat grandstand, 1,340 barn stalls for race horses and an RV park with 40 utility hookups.

Blanchard said estimates are that Clovis Racino would generate about $14 million a year in new tax revenue for the state.

Information posted on the Racing Commission's website reports, "Relocation will benefit New Mexico Horsemen, both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeds, with modern, sustainable facilities, superior purses, and more race days. Additionally, all New Mexicans will benefit through significantly larger gaming tax payments generated on behalf of the State's General Fund."

But Farmington-area officials were critical of the proposed move, saying they were not warned in advance and had been planning to expand the recreational opportunities in the area around the racetrack.

New Mexico state Sen. Steve Lanier said SunRay "sustains approximately 120 families with direct jobs, generates about $1.2 million in annual (San Juan) county revenue and bolsters local small businesses and tourism," according to the Tri-City Record newspaper in Farmington.

Blanchard told race commissioners that declining revenues and attendance in Farmington could be reversed with the move to Clovis, which would have more race dates.

SunRay has an 18-day racing season set to open April 17 next year. By comparison, Trejo told The News that SunRay’s application calls for more than 30 race dates if it’s allowed to move to Clovis.

If approved, Clovis' first racing season would be in the spring of 2027, Blanchard said last month.

At least one Clovis resident has expressed public opposition to Clovis receiving a racino.

Jack Muse repeatedly has told city commissioners that most of the revenue generated would go to the state, while the city would face increased costs related to infrastructure and public safety.

City commissioners last month unanimously approved a letter of support sent to the Racing Commission.

Trejo said the NMRC has “been in receipt of many passionate public comments from (Clovis and Farmington),” regarding the proposed relocation.

“That’s why we go through this process.”