Archive for April, 2009

The City of Las Cruces is seeking public input regarding the future use of the current City Hall and the City Office Center buildings. Both buildings will be vacated when the New City Hall is opened. An Ad-Hoc Committee has been formed and tasked with evaluating and exploring alternatives for consideration by the Mayor and City Council. This survey will be used to help guide the decision making process.

A public input survey, property information and a virtual tour are available on-line. The deadline for survey submission is May 13, 2009.

The May meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Day’s Inn Columbus Conference Center, 901 Avenida de Mesilla. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet.

The May Forum will feature Mathew Woodlee, Director of International Trade, Office of International Trade for the State of New Mexico. His topic will focus on opportunities for global trade and investment.

Luncheon cost is $10.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is planning to webcast Saturday’s SL-3 Education launch live on Saturday, May 2. The UP Aerospace SpaceLoft XL rocket is scheduled for launch at 8 a.m. MDT, and can be seen live on the Internet at the Spaceport America website (www.SpaceportAmerica.com).

Working together with Spaceport America and the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, this first annual Education Launch will provide New Mexico students the opportunity to launch scientific experiments they designed and built into space. Although the education launch is open to the public, space is limited, so NMSA officials wanted to find a way to make the launch accessible worldwide. “It’s important that anyone who shares in the dream of commercial spaceflight can witness this historic launch,” said New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Steve Landeene.

Pat Hynes, Director of the Space Grant Consortium, commented, “The webcast will build awareness as to the type of applied learning and workforce development that is available here in New Mexico.”

Along with being the nation’s first purpose-built commercial space port, Spaceport America is dedicated to helping promote the study of aerospace-related science and technology among New Mexico students. The NMSA plans to break ground for Spaceport America in June 2009. Spaceport America has been working with leading aerospace firms such as Virgin Galactic, Lockheed Martin, UP Aerospace, Microgravity Enterprises and Payload Specialties.

Private sector funding from the businesses and organizations throughout the New Mexico Borderplex is a mainstay of MVEDA’s ability to continue in its mission of creating new employment opportunities for area residents. MVEDA is proud to announce its two newest Partners, Sapphire Energy and Ortiz & Lopez, PLLC.

Sapphire Energy is growing algae at the West Mesa Industrial Park to produce a renewable source of fuel for gasoline and jet fuel. It is constructing a research and development facility with five buildings and potentially thousands of feet of algae ponds on the industrial park. Sapphire has utilized laboratory space at New Mexico State University while the new laboratory at the West Mesa Industrial Park is under construction.

Ortiz & Lopez, PLLC is one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the State of New Mexico.  They are located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and have recently expanded into the Borderplex region. They offer  intellectual property solutions to regional, national and international clients, including Fortune 500 high-technology companies, individual inventors and emerging businesses.

MVEDA’s Partners are linked from MVEDA’s website.

The Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA) and Memorial Medical Center, our event sponsor, are pleased to invite you to a Regional Economic Development Forum to be held at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces on May 15, 2009.

This year’s forum will focus on creating high-wage jobs in industries that have a high potential nationally.  It will enable you to become more familiar with some of these growing industries that are not significantly prominent in the local economy.

MVEDA has invited three national site selection consultants who will be touring  the area before the event. They will discuss the area’s advantages as well as some of the obstacles to continued economic growth of high-tech firms.

The speakers will include Dana Olson, President & CEO of ECODEV in Bloomington, Minnesota; Michael Harbert, President & CEO of New Mexico Studios; Jack Allston, Principal of JBA & Associates and Senior Consultant for the New Mexico Partnership; and Clark Krause, President & CEO of the New Mexico Partnership.

Due to space constraints, pre-registration is required.  The last day to register is Friday, May 8th. A registration form is attached.