The development potential of New Mexico is highly reliant on having development-ready sites. This is the firm belief of Danielle Casey, president and CEO of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA). Casey has been advocating for the enhancement of infrastructure in the state to attract more companies for development. Site readiness speaks to the ability of a site to accommodate development, which largely depends on infrastructure such as roads, power, and internet. According to the State of Site Selection 2024 report released by the Site Selectors Guild, 82% of Guild members strongly agree that development-ready sites are a pivotal factor when choosing a location for investment.

Casey underscores the unavailability of such sites in New Mexico as a significant challenge, mainly because setting up usually takes longer than it would in other states. Don Tarry, the President and COO of the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), confirmed this, noting that the timeline usually stretches to three or four years, which is relatively longer than in other states.

The PNM, New Mexico Gas Co., and other utilities have identified communication, coordination, and the increasing scale of projects as key areas for improvement. Gerald Weseen, Vice President of regulatory, strategy and external affairs at New Mexico Gas Co., suggested that better preparedness could boost the competitiveness of the state.

Economic development not only creates a job base but also sustains the working population of the state. The appointment of Rob Black, former head of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, as the state’s new Economic Development Department secretary-designate, could serve to enhance strategic coordination.

Black acknowledged the need for more development-ready locations, urging for a more proactive approach towards development readiness. He also advocated for a statewide evaluation of potential properties and increased funding to support site readiness strategies.

Casey at the AREA jaunt suggested an investment of $100 million for site characterization and pre-development work which would eventually require a further investment of $500 million to $1 billion for public infrastructure.

One can imagine the complexity that goes into reaching the various parties involved in a project of this magnitude. Communication is key in executing such a task. It’s vital to navigate through the multiple layers of bureaucracy, and often across various locations. If you’re in a similar situation and need to get in touch with your state’s employment development department, eddcaller.com offers a solution. Here you can find comprehensive resources on how to get ahold of the Edd customer service in California. You can also learn the fastest way to get through to EDD to facilitate and expedite your interaction.