Spaceport and its relationship to Dona Ana County discussed at NM finance committee meeting

Spaceport America’s finances, and a still unbuilt southern access road, were big topics Monday when a New Mexico legislature finance committee met at the Pan Am Center in Las Cruces.

More than 90 percent of the price tag thus far has been borne by Dona Ana County, yet one state senator pointed out there still isn’t a road leading to the spaceport from Dona Ana County.

“I think we are definitely setting the pace for the rest of the industry,” said Christine Anderson, executive director of the Spaceport.

With more than $218 million spent thus far, Anderson is confident New Mexico’s spaceport is ahead of any other venture of its kind.

“For Virgin Galactic, the assumption was they would start commercial flights in June. We will be thrilled if they come earlier,” Anderson said.

Next March Space X, one of the Spaceport’s two permanent tenants, is expected to conduct its flight test.

In April 2016, the New Mexico State University visitor experience is projected to open.

Then sometime during fiscal year 2016, Anderson says a new tenant is expected to begin flights.

Senator Joseph Cervantes of Dona Ana County says 94 percent of that gross receipts revenue comes from Dona Ana County residents.

“That tax has generated more money than is needed to pay for the Spaceport building itself. So my position is that the local citizens, local community and the local elected officials should have some say in how that money gets spent,” Cervantes said.

Cervantes’s biggest concern is that no paved road yet exists from the south to the Spaceport.

“If Dona Ana County citizens and businesses are gonna participate in the Spaceport, you have to have a road here and right now there isn’t a road to Dona Ana County, a passable road for Dona Ana County to the Spaceport,” Cervantes said.

Anderson said her great day will be when she doesn’t have to come back to ask for one more thing from the state.

Cervantes said he is a former architect, and he’s concerned none of the $23 million spent on architectural services was spent in Dona Ana County, Las Cruces, the rest of the state or even in the United States.