State considers land swap with Mescalero Apache

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico’s State Land Office, which oversees millions of acres of state trust land, said it will soon announce a meeting about a possible land swap between Las Cruces and the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument that has prompted questions among neighboring residents.

Rumors have circulated in recent weeks about a potential exchange of land in a mostly undeveloped area east of city limits with the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Neighboring residents even appeared at a Las Cruces town hall meeting regarding an unrelated land exchange last month, wishing to ask questions about the deal and rumors that a large amphitheater, casino or other commercial development were being contemplated.

The tribe did not respond to queries from the Journal, but Council President Thora Walsh Padilla addressed the issue in a video posted to the tribe’s Facebook page. She acknowledged the tribal council was exploring an exchange for the plot of land because of its cultural significance, but said no decisions had been made about the transaction or what, if any development, it would pursue.

She did, however, rule out a casino. “That is not something we want to pursue,” Walsh Padilla said. “That would require the tribe to reopen our gaming compact and strategically that is not a good idea at this time.”

The State Land Office leases land to earn revenue benefiting New Mexico schools, higher education institutions, hospitals and other beneficiaries, bringing in a reported $12.5 billion since Public Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard took office in 2019. The office also works with New Mexico Tribes and Pueblos seeking to reclaim ancestral lands.

Land office staff at that meeting said they were not prepared to address questions on an exchange with the tribe, but promised a public meeting would be announced in the coming weeks. Nonetheless, Doña Ana County Commissioner Shannon Reynolds weighed in, remarking during the informal session that he was not in favor of the proposal.

Land office documents obtained through public record requests report that the tribe is applying for approximately 288.5 acres representing the northern portion of a 640-acre parcel adjacent to federal land and acres held by New Mexico State University and private owners.

The land is undeveloped and marked by hills and arroyos as well as some unauthorized walking trails, an expanse of cactus, ocotillo, creosote and other desert vegetation with no roadways within the parcel of interest. It is located south of the Tortugas Mountain Recreation Area. Although there are no utilities, meeting notes indicate the presence of gas, electric and fiber-optic lines and a water main nearby.

Public records indicate that representatives of the State Land Office and the tribe met with Doña Ana County senior staff in April for a meeting to discuss the tribal land exchange process and the proposed swap, followed by a visit to the site. The meeting was proposed by the State Land Office in January, indicating in email correspondence that negotiations were in a preliminary stage.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson from the State Land Office said details of the town hall meeting were still being finalized and public notice would follow. The office also confirmed that a meeting with local government officials about the proposal, scheduled for Sept. 29, had been postponed due to the New Mexico Legislature’s special session, which opened on Wednesday.

“The Mescalero Apache Tribe proposed a land exchange with the New Mexico State Land Office that would return certain ancestral lands to the Tribe,” the office said in a written statement. “As with any proposed land exchange, Commissioner (Stephanie) Garcia Richard will be holding public meetings to hear from the community. The State Land Office is still in the early stages of evaluating the parcel proposed for the exchange and gathering more information. No final decisions have been made yet on this proposal. We look forward to meaningful engagement with the public.”