San Juan County Challenges Approval to Move SunRay Racino License to Clovis

San Juan County officials said Feb. 19 they will challenge the New Mexico Racing Commission’s Feb. 10, 2026, 3-0 approval to relocate the SunRay Park & Casino racing license from McGee Park in Farmington to a proposed racino near Clovis. The county owns the McGee Park property and confirmed the commission’s vote, setting up a dispute over an operation county leaders say injects more than $20 million into the local economy each year.

The Racing Commission approved the relocation at a special meeting in Albuquerque on Tuesday, Feb. 10, after taking public comment including a session at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque. San Juan County spokesperson Devin Neeley confirmed the 3-0 vote; the county and operators have given competing timelines for when operations might shift. County officials stress the move would not affect the 2026 live racing season, with races still scheduled April 17–May 24, 2026 at McGee Park.

San Juan County owns the racetrack and casino building at McGee Park and leases the SunRay facilities to Western Gaming, LLC. Paul Blanchard, president of SunRay Park & Casino, operates under that lease, which covers roughly 92 acres including the racetrack, casino and stables and expires Sept. 30, 2027. County commission minutes show commissioners met in closed session Dec. 2, 2025, to discuss potential litigation and property issues after SunRay announced plans to move, and the board unanimously approved sale of a 5-acre tract next to 4500 Wildflower Mesa Drive presented by county attorney Joe Sawyer.

San Juan County Manager Mike Stark warned of a sharp economic hit if SunRay departs, saying, “It’d be a blow to our economy,” and adding, “It’d be a blow to an entertainment venue.” County estimates cited in reporting put the annual local impact at more than $20 million and warn that over 100 jobs, many held by Native Americans, could be lost. Local leaders point to the 2022 retirement of the San Juan Generating Station and the region’s recent economic strain as context for heightened concern.

Paul Blanchard has publicly outlined a phased plan for a Clovis racino, telling regional reporters that initial work must include “soil work, or borings,” and that “We will be testing soil samples and getting all the information we have to have.” Blanchard has also said, “We have to open the casino first, because that’s where we build the purse money from.” Amarillo coverage reported he hopes the casino could be finished by September 2027 or April 2028 and that live racing could resume at a new Clovis track by April 2029, with a Western-theme venue and a high-dollar honky tonk planned.

Political reaction has been swift in San Juan County. Commissioner Terri Fortner said, “I believe this would be detrimental to San Juan County. It’s a huge economic driver in our community, and I believe we need it to stay.” State Rep. Mark Duncan of Farmington called the relocation a “done deal,” noting officials in Curry County knew of plans earlier than San Juan leaders. Meanwhile, Hobbs-based Zia Park and its attorney Matt Beck urged slowing the process and opening a competitive bid, with Beck saying, “All we have to do is slow down this process, and in the meantime, the commission could open it up to a competitive bid.” Penn Entertainment, owner of Zia Park, has been reported as willing to invest roughly $200 million in a competing Clovis proposal.

San Juan County previously adopted a resolution opposing SunRay’s move and delivered it to the Racing Commission, and county officials say they were blindsided by the relocation news when it first surfaced in October 2025. The county’s announcement Feb. 19 signals a legal or administrative challenge is forthcoming, though officials have not released lawsuit filings or detailed grounds. For now, McGee Park and the San Juan County Fairgrounds will host planned 2026 events while county leaders weigh next steps before the Sept. 30, 2027 lease expiration that remains the likely practical trigger for any move.