State names first five site-readiness locations, including Rio Rancho in Sandoval County

The New Mexico Economic Development Department named five inaugural strategic economic development sites, including Rio Rancho’s 43-acre City Center and Tamaya Ventures Site 5 in Sandoval County, the department announced in a Feb. 16, 2026 press release. The designations make property owners eligible to pursue pre-development funding through the state’s new Site Readiness Program.

City Center in Rio Rancho is a 43-acre parcel inside the Central Business District with 20 contiguous, developable acres primed for mixed-use and commercial development aligned with Rio Rancho’s long-term growth strategy. The EDD listing describes those 20 acres as contiguous and developable and positions the site to support retail and commercial investment near downtown Rio Rancho.

Tamaya Ventures Site 5 in Sandoval County is a 35-acre site with 29 contiguous, developable acres zoned for commercial uses, the EDD site page says. The listing notes the site sits on Pueblo of Santa Ana land and occupies a high-visibility corridor the department says offers unique opportunities for business expansion.

The other three inaugural designations are located in Las Cruces, Santa Teresa and McKinley County, the department said. ABQJournal coverage and EDD summaries note that those three remaining sites range between 35 and 2,500 acres and are capable of supporting energy, transportation, manufacturing and commercial business expansion operations.

The Site Readiness Act that created the program became law during the 2025 legislative session, with Senator Michael Padilla and Representative Meredith Dixon listed as sponsors. Since passage, the department said it evaluated 47 sites statewide, launched a public site-readiness map in January and formed a new advisory board to guide designations and funding recommendations, milestones the department described as completed within a year.

New Mexico conducted the site evaluations in partnership with Global Location Strategies, using criteria that included infrastructure capacity, utility access, workforce availability and development potential, officials said. Designated sites may now seek state pre-development funds, but projects will first undergo advisory committee review and then require final approval by the EDD Cabinet Secretary.

Rob Black, Cabinet Secretary for the Economic Development Department, emphasized the statewide strategy: “Site readiness is essential to winning projects in today’s competitive environment. If states don’t have shovel-ready sites, they miss opportunities and the jobs that follow. These first five designations send a clear signal that New Mexico is ready to compete at the speed of business.” Senator Michael Padilla added that “By providing comprehensive site-readiness data, New Mexico has put itself at the front of the line in attracting economic activity that will result in high-paying jobs across the state,” and that the selections show “that New Mexico is wide open for business.” Representative Meredith Dixon said, “As we grow and diversify our economy, site readiness is a critical tool for attracting businesses and good-paying jobs to communities across New Mexico. These first five sites are an exciting step in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing the long-term economic growth and opportunity created by this program.”

Local developers, tribal officials and prospective employers can view evaluated locations on the EDD’s public site-readiness map, which the department launched in January, and can pursue pre-development funding now that a site has designation. Media and project inquiries can be directed to the EDD press contact listed in the Feb. 16, 2026 release: Chris Chaffin, Chris.Chaffin@edd.nm.gov, (505) 490-7962.