Albuquerque city council members convened to deliberate on the proposed Mesa Film Studios project planned near Double Eagle II Airport. The proposal involves an $80 million film studio development, supported by the Chamber. Various stakeholders, including appellants, studio owners, and city staff, presented their views at the meeting.
The West Side Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, Santa Fe Village Neighborhood Association, and the Native American Voters Alliance teamed up to oppose the development. Jane Baechle, representing the appellants, argued that the plans are progressing rapidly without sufficient community input.
The Chamber outlined that the project includes several facilities: six stages, two flexible buildings, a mill building, and a permanent blue/green screen, in addition to 50,000 square feet of office space. The Chamber emphasized the job creation aspect of the project, including 320 construction jobs, 25 full-time jobs with a combined annual salary and benefits of $1.4 million, and further employment opportunities as productions choose Albuquerque.
Studio representatives estimate the project could generate up to 1,200 jobs annually on the 60-acre site. Councilor Klarissa Peña expressed that the project would significantly contribute to addressing the jobs-to-housing imbalance on the West Side.
Councilor Dan Lewis proposed a motion to deny the appeal, seconded by Peña. The Council members unanimously voted 9-0 to reject the appeal. They also agreed to defer the decision pending a city staff review of project alterations, with a follow-up discussion set for April 21.
