Proposal to Move SunRay Racino License Threatens Farmington Jobs

The New Mexico Racing Commission will consider a request to transfer the SunRay Park and Casino racino license from Farmington to a proposed development near Clovis at a public hearing and vote on December 22, 2025. The proposal describes a large new complex on roughly 200 acres that would include a casino, hotel and race track, a 3,000 seat grandstand, 1,340 barn stalls for race horses and an RV park. The transfer, if approved, would most likely take place after SunRay’s current lease expires on September 30, 2027.

SunRay’s owners argue the move would allow a modern facility to host more race dates and offer larger purses, outcomes they say would boost participation and betting activity. Proponents also contend that a modernized site could generate larger statewide gaming tax revenues and expand the racing calendar. Those economic claims form the core of the application before the Racing Commission.

Local officials in the Farmington area have voiced concern about the proposal, noting that SunRay currently supports local jobs and contributes to county revenue. The potential relocation has prompted questions about the direct and indirect impacts on restaurants, hotels and other businesses that depend on racino visitors and racing seasons. County fiscal planners will need to assess whether lost tax receipts and payroll reductions could alter San Juan County budgets and services, and how long term economic recovery could be managed.

The decision also raises broader policy considerations about the distribution of gaming licenses and the future of New Mexico racing. Approving a transfer to a larger, contemporary complex would signal regulatory support for consolidation of facilities into regional hubs, while rejecting the transfer would preserve existing economic ties to Farmington. For now the immediate schedule is clear, with the Racing Commission hearing and vote set for December 22, 2025 and any relocation likely deferred until after the lease expiration on September 30, 2027. Local residents and officials will be watching the outcome for its implications for jobs, county revenue and the regional racing economy.