Category: Uncategorized

New Mexico’s Tax Free Weekend: Aug. 7-9, 2009

Applies to:

• All clothing and shoes under $100
• School supplies under $15
• Computers under $1,000
• Computer equipment under $500

August 2009

There’s plenty to see and do in and around Ruidoso, New Mexico’s year round playground. While you’re there, stop by Vera Cruz Mountain Ranch for a peek at some of the finest acreage around—perfect for a vacation home, a retirement getaway or simply to have and to hold as an investment.

1st—Staerkel Mountain Annie’s.
$32.50 for adults (includes dinner, the show, tax and gratuity), $12.00 for ages 7-12, and under 6 are free. Most nights doors open at 6:00 PM, dinner is served promptly at 7:00 PM and the show begins at 8:00 PM. Young children and infants are welcome at the dinner shows, or, to let the parents or grandparents catch a break and watch the featured entertainment, the children may play in a specially designed and well-supervised upstairs playhouse area. More Info: 575-257-7982  Web: www.mountainannies.com

1st—Frankie Avalon Spencer Theater.
Two performances! For the performance at 2 pm, tickets are $69 & $66. For the 8 pm performance, tickets are $79 & $76. The legendary “Beach Party”actor-singer rocks with his band in hits like Venus, Dede Dinah, Cupid,Teardrops. More Info: 1-888-818-7872  Web: www.spencertheater.com

1st—King of the Cage Inn of the Mountain Gods.
Performance begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.  More Info: 1-877-277-4577  Web: www.iinnofthemountaingods.com

3rd-8th—Annual Lincoln County Fair Capitan Fair Grounds.
Livestock show, dance and lots more to do and see!  More Info: 575-648-2311

6th—Preview of Alto Artists Studio Tour and Business After Hours Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, 5pm-7pm.
Art preview and silent auction. Food, fun, and networking. More Info: 575-336-4800  Web: www.spencertheater.com

7th, 8th & 9th—Old Lincoln Days .
Street vendors, food, parade & mountain man camp. Activities happen throughout the day. Join us Friday and Saturday at 8:30pm and Sunday at 3:30pm for the “Last Escape of Billy the Kid” folk pageant.  This re-enactment was first presented in 1940 and centers around the life of the legendary outlaw, Billy the Kid.  More Info: 575-653-4025  Web: www.billythekidpageant.org

7th, 8th, & 9th—Fort Stanton Live Fort Stanton, NM.
9 am til 4:30. Wild West Show with Civil War reenactments, Buffalo Soldiers, and Mountain Men. Vendors, food, and entertainment. –In conjunction with Lincoln Days! Admission is free. Donations accepted.  More Info: Mark Jones 937-1897 or 575-430-1698  Web: www.fortstanton.com

7th, 8th, & 9th—Pony Express Trail Ride Lincoln.
The Pony Express Trail Ride in Lincoln County commemorates the Pony Express, keeping the tradition alive by carrying the U.S. mail on horseback from White Oaks to Lincoln in three days. Buy a letter; join the ride; or just watch the Parade. Hosted by Lincoln County Sherriff’s Posse. More Info: 575-973-0117

7th & 8th—Staerkel Mountain Annie’s.
$32.50 for adults (includes dinner, the show, tax and gratuity), $12.00 for ages 7-12, and under 6 are free. Most nights doors open at 6:00 PM, dinner is served promptly at 7:00 PM and the show begins at 8:00 PM. Young children and infants are welcome at the dinner shows, or, to let the parents or grandparents catch a break and watch the featured entertainment, the children may play in a specially designed and well-supervised upstairs playhouse area. More Info: 575-257-7982  Web: www.mountainannies.com

7th, 8th, & 9th—Billy the Kid’s Breakout Check-In and registration on Friday will begin at noon at the Ruidoso Gun Club range in Ruidoso Downs and at The Lodge at Sierra Blanca in Ruidoso .
The Friday afternoon side matches begin at 1:00 PM. The Friday evening “get acquainted” Cocktail Reception, with hors d’oeuvres and no-host bar will be held at The Lodge at Sierra Blanca. Saturday Check-in and Registration will be  at the Lincoln County Regulators Cowboy Action Shooting Range and Western Town at the Ruidoso Gun Club Range on Hale Lake Road in Ruidoso Downs. Cowboy church on Sunday at 9 am, and the Old Lincoln Days Grand Parade is at 10:30. More Info: (575) 257-0871  E-mail: ShootingAction@aol.com Web: www.LincolnCountyRegulators.com

8th—Ruidoso Chamber Music Festival Spencer Theater .
At 11:00 am is the Chamber Music for Children concert admission for Children under 18, is $5 and Adults are $10. At 6:00-7:30 pm is the Fabulous Festival Fling (a gala fundraising party ) admission is $25.  At 8:00 pm a performance by The 2009 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, Haochen Zeng. $39 per ticket (Students under 18, $25)  More Info: RRCA 575-257-7272, 575-973-3169 or 866-375-7370   Web: www.ruidoso.net/chambermusic

8th & 9th—Alto Artists Studio Tour Various locations.
Self-guided tour of Alto artists studios. Various locations, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.  Web: www.altoartists.net

15th—A Ride With Bob; Featuring Asleep at the Wheel Spencer Theater.
2 pm performance added! Evening performance at 8 pm. Tickets: $59 & $56 for both performances. Known for songs “Faded Love”, “Roly Poly”, and “San Antonio Rose”. Rollicking tribute-tale with Ray Benson’s  band of 25 celebrating the late, great Bob Wills, the King of Western Swing. More Info: 1-888-818-7872  Web: www.spencertheater.com

14th & 15th—Staerkel Mountain Annie’s.
$32.50 for adults (includes dinner, the show, tax and gratuity), $12.00 for ages 7-12, and under 6 are free. Most nights doors open at 6:00 PM, dinner is served promptly at 7:00 PM and the show begins at 8:00 PM.  Young children and infants are welcome at the dinner shows, or, to let the parents or grandparents catch a break and watch the featured entertainment, the children may play in a specially designed and well-supervised upstairs playhouse area. More Info: 575-257-7982  Web: www.mountainannies.com

14th, 15th, 16th—3rd Annual Bruise N Cruise Fort Stanton.
Fundraiser/celebration for all things EcoServants. Great bands, cave tours, mountain biking, hiking, food vendors, a jolly jumper, a two story fun slide, a rock climbing wall, disc golf tournament mountain bike raffle, & lots of free prizes.

15th—Randy Rogers & Mark Mckinney Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Billy the Kid Casino.
More Info: 575-378-4140  Web: www.raceruidoso.com

21st, 22nd, & 23rd—Mountain Double Up, USSSA Slow Pitch Tournament Eagle Creek Sports Complex.
Competitive and Recreation. Deadline August 14th, 2009. $235. More Info: 575-378-9810  E-mail: pagesports@valornet.com Web: www.usssa.com

21st & 22nd—Staerkel Mountain Annie’s.
$32.50 for adults (includes dinner, the show, tax and gratuity), $12.00 for ages 7-12, and under 6 are free. Most nights doors open at 6:00 PM, dinner is served promptly at 7:00 PM and the show begins at 8:00 PM. Young children and infants are welcome at the dinner shows, or, to let the parents or grandparents catch a break and watch the featured entertainment, the children may play in a specially designed and well-supervised upstairs playhouse area. More Info: 575-257-7982  Web: www.mountainannies.com

22nd—Lobsterfest Spencer Theater.
FIRST ANNUAL SPENCER LOBSTERFEST FUND RAISER. 6 pm. $100 per person or table for 10, $1000. Sure to be the talk of the town, all-you-can eat lobsters fresh from the frigid Atlantic! Snazzy jazz bands at this scrumptious affair!  The reserved tables for ten are the only reserved seating for this event. More Info: 1-888-818-7872  Web: www.spencertheater.com

22nd—James Younger Gang Hubbard Museum of the American West.
2 pm. Seasoned author/historian from Lincoln, Drew Gomber, makes his return debut to the Hubbard Museum for more fascinating tales of the American West. The James-Younger Gang, a legendary 19th century gang of outlaws made up of the James brothers  (including Jesse James), the Younger brothers, and others plundered the American West for more than a decade. Gomber shares with us tales of the escapades of this notorious group. More Info: 575-378-4142  Web: www.hubbardmuseum.org

25th—The Limelighters and the Highwaymen Spencer Theater.
Tickets: $59 & $56. 8 pm. Worldfamous folk revival groups that blend harmony, humor andhistory with stirring instrumentals: This Land is Your Land, A Hundred Men,Whiskey In The Jar; Big Rock Candy Mountain, Gypsy Rover, Michael Row The Boat Ashore. More Info: 1-888-818-7872  Web: www.spencertheater.com

27th—Pat Benetar and Neil Giraldo Inn of the Mountain Gods.
8 pm. Doors open at 7. With a career spanning more than 25 years, Pat Benatar has risen to become one of the most renowned female rockers in entertainment history. Known for songs such as “Love is a Battlefield,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “We Live For Love” and “Heartbreakers,” Benatar served as the quintessential image of a strong female rocker for an entire generation. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or at the box office at the Inn. More Info: 888-324-0348  Web: www.innofthemountaingods.com

28th, 29th, & 30th—Noon Lions Club Antique Show & Sale: Ruidoso Convention Center.
Fri. 5-9, Sat. 10-6, Sun 12-5. Admission: $3.00 in advance, $4.00 @ gate. Proceeds benefit Ruidoso Noon Lions Club. More Info: 575-257-0363 or 575-973-0732

28th & 29th—Staerkel Mountain Annie’s.
$32.50 for adults (includes dinner, the show, tax and gratuity), $12.00 for ages 7-12, and under 6 are free. Most nights doors open at 6:00 PM, dinner is served promptly at 7:00 PM and the show begins at 8:00 PM.  Young children and infants are welcome at the dinner shows, or, to let the parents or grandparents catch a break and watch the featured entertainment, the children may play in a specially designed and well-supervised upstairs playhouse area. More Info: 575-257-7982  Web: www.mountainannies.com

29th—The Elvis Story Spencer Theater.
Tickets: $79 & $76. 8 pm. Starring Ronnie McDowell with the Stamps Quartet. Spirited Elvis revival with a multi- instrumental band and Presley’s former backup gospel singers, The Stamps Quartet.  More Info: 1-888-818-7872  Web: www.spencertheater.com

29th—Heritage Rendezvous Hubbard Museum of the American West.
Encounter fictional characters based on the social demographics of the American West during the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. Come, immerse yourself in America’s proud past!  Explore the hands-on skills that were common for the time. Learn from experienced re-enactors the ways of the early West.  More Info: 575-378-4142  Web: www.hubbardmuseum.org

31st—Jean Burdine Scholarship Golf Scramble Kokopelli Golf Course.
8 a.m. Shot-gun start, There will be a raffle with some really great prizes including a Grand Prize of a 52″ LCD TV. Proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the ENMU-Ruidoso to award scholarships to students majoring in business and and hospitality and tourism. Sierra Blanca Motors has donated a new car to the lucky person who makes a hole-in-one on the 13th Hole More Info: 575-336-1818  Web: www.ruidoso.enmu.edu

You grab a cup of coffee, walk out on your back porch and what do you see? A little herd of elk calmly grazing, going about their business as you run for the camera.

Who wouldn’t want neighbors like these? If you can see yourself here, click here for more information on how you could own a piece of New Mexico land  at Vera Cruz Mountain Ranch!

Next time you want to raise a glass in celebration, think of filling it with a little New Mexico bubbly. That’s right: we’re not talking France, we’re talking Kokopelli country. New Mexico has been particularly successful at creating a very tasty sparkling wine—made in the traditional French method. Surprised? The state is actually the oldest wine-growing region in the United States. Take that, Napa!

Click here for more details!

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico – It’s one of the biggest racing weeks of the summer season at Ruidoso Downs when the Zia Festival overwhelms the grandstand and racing schedule this weekend.

Racing runs Thursday through Sunday with the usual 1 p.m. first post time. There is always free parking and free general admission at Ruidoso Downs.

The Zia Festival activities start on Saturday with vendors throughout the grandstand on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The vendors represent everything New Mexico with art, crafts and wares from our Land of Enchantment. It is great browsing for the entire family and you will find something that you “must have.” Come early and shop before the races or walk around the booths between races for great values and bargains. Ruidoso Downs employees will be “decking out” their areas with the hopes of winning the decorating contest that becomes more of a friendly rivalry between contestants every year.

The Zia Festival racing program on Sunday afternoon features the best New Mexico-bred quarter horses and thoroughbreds on the track for the stakes-filled program. The class of the thoroughbreds is shown by the fact that the great Pepper’s Pride, who retired undefeated with a record-setting 19-for-19 career mark was a Zia Festival regular for trainer Joel Marr. This Sunday the richest race of the $1-million stakes-filled program is the $321,000 Zia Futurity for quarter horses, headed by fastest-qualifier Jess A Chicks.
The remaining Zia Festival races include the $107,000 Zia Derby, $50,000 Zia Handicap, $50,000 Zia 870 Championship, $50,000 Sierra Starlet, $50,000 Road Runner Handicap, $125,000 Rio Grande Senor Futurity, $125,000 Rio Grande Senorita Futurity, $50,000 Land Of Enchantment Handicap and the $50,000 Lincoln Handicap.
There is foot-stomping entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights with Rich Chorne and the Usual Suspects performing in Billy’s Sports Bar and Grill. There are also dinner specials every evening in Billy’s Sports Bar and Grill.

The racing action starts on Thursday afternoon with Zapatero, Ize On Juan and Fistfite Jewel each coming off maiden wins in the featured eighth race on the nine race program.

Zapatero stalked the pace and then pulled out to a five-and-a-half-length win. Ize On Juan and Fistfite Jewel each raced near the lead before gaining their daylight wins.

The long hot days of summer are here! There’s plenty going on in and around the “Land of Enchantment” to keep you busy—and one of the best things about land ownership in New Mexico is you’re around to enjoy it all.

Summer Children’s Programs
Baldwin Cabin Public Library, Datil, NM

The programs, all on Wednesdays in July, will start at 1:00 p.m. with reading and end at 2:30 pm after a snack. All children (and their parents) are welcome. BCPL is on FR100 off U.S. 60 three miles west of downtown Datil.

July – October Socorro Farmers Market,
Historic Plaza, Socorro, NM
Buy fresh, locally-grown produce direct from the farmer. Our local market features occasional entertainment, arts and crafts, and the Friends of the Library will hold used book sales throughout the year. This friendly gathering is open July through October on Tuesday evenings from 5 pm – 7 pm and Saturday mornings beginning at 8 am on the Historic Plaza. Come support the local area farmers, or just come and hang out – it’s a great social event. Contact Deborah (575) 835-8927.

10-12 14th Annual Art Loop Tour
This free self-guided Lincoln County tour will take you to the studios of 26 artists; a diverse selection of Fine Art and Contemporary Crafts including ceramics, glass, fabric art, jewelry, sculpture, gourd art and painting. Look for the colorful Art Loop signs and banners at each studio; brochures with maps available at the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce June 1st. Info: Gallery 408, 575-648-2598 or visit artloop.org. Lincoln, NM

11 Silver City Farmers Market
Every Saturday 8:30-Noon
Downtown Silver City in the future MainStreet Plaza between 7th & 8th Street next to the Big Ditch.
All Grant and Catron County Growers are encouraged to attend!
For information call Asunda Uribe at 534-9458

11-12 July Jamboree Arts & Crafts Show
Artists from all over the country will be displaying their works here in beautiful Zenith Park. Admission is free to the public. Fun, Food & Entertainment will abound. Come and enjoy the cool mountain air and escape from the summer heat.
Info: 682-2733. Cloudcroft, NM, www.cloudcroft.net

11 Fourth Annual Animas River Blues Fest
Aztec, NM

11-12 Shakespeare Ghost Town
Open for Visitors, Lordsburg, NM
(575) 542-3403 for more information

11-12 Sweet Corn Extravaganza
Willcox, Arizona at Apple Annie’s.
Enjoy hot roasted sweet corn and a great day of family fun on the farm! Other vegetables available for picking. (520) 384-2084

11 Ha:san Bak ~ Saguaro Celebration
Vail, Arizona at Colossal Cave Mountain Park.

Harvest, prepare and taste saguaro fruit, learn about its uses in the Tohono O’Odham culture. Public invited. 11:00 am to 2:00 pm: Demos, tastings and live music. $5/car. (520) 647-7121

11 “Song Collection: Arizona’s Wellspring of Music”
with Jay Cravath ~ sponsored by AZ Humanities
Council. 7:00 pm. Butterfly Lodge Museum,
Greer, AZ
www.wmonline.combutterflylodge.html, 928-735-7514

12 Sacramento Mountain
Historical Society Annual Meeting
For times please call 575-682-2932,
or email: smhsmuseumoffice@yahoo.com
Cloudcroft, NM, www.cloudcroft.net

15 Summer Children’s Programs
Baldwin Cabin Public Library, Datil, NM
The programs, all on Wednesdays in July, will start at
1:00 p.m. with reading and end at 2:30 pm after a snack.
All children (and their parents) are welcome.
BCPL is on FR100 off U.S. 60 three miles
west of downtown Datil.

17 July Melodrama in the Park
Last performance of the July Melodrama performed in
the Zenith Park Picnic Pavilion. Admission is free.
Seating is limited so arrive early.
Info: www.cloudcrofttheater.com. Cloudcroft, NM

17 Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain!

Spencer Theater, near Ruidoso, NM
8:00 pm. The great stage & screen star’s re-creation of MarkTwain,
his astute wit & political irreverence.
Tickets: $89 & $86.
1-888-818-7872
www.spencertheater.com

17-18 Pioneer Days Celebration
Snowflake, AZ
Parade, entertainment, rodeo and barbeque, dances, historic home tours, fireworks.
www.snowflaketaylorchamber.org

18 Field Trip
(location to be announced)
Grant County Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society
Information ~ 575-538-5706

18-19 Peach Mania Festival
Willcox, Arizona
at Apple Annie’s. All you can eat Pancake Breakfast, 7:00-10:30 am. Peach picking all day long.
(520) 384-2084

18 Rockhound Music in the Park
Rockhound State Park, Deming, NM
Various musical entertainment (western, pop, bluegrass, etc.) for listening and dancing. Free and open to the public. 6:00 -8:00 PM
575-546-6182

19-25 2009 National High School Finals Rodeo
Farmington, New Mexico
National High School Rodeo Association
www.nhsrawranglerdivision.org

22 Summer Children’s Programs
Baldwin Cabin Public Library, Datil, NM
The programs, all on Wednesdays in July, will start at 1:00 p.m. with reading and end at 2:30 pm after a snack. All children (and their parents) are welcome. BCPL is on FR100 off U.S. 60 three miles west of downtown Datil.

22-26 69th Annual Montosa Camp Meeting
Come for the day or join us for the five days. Three chuck-wagon style meals a day, donations only.. Family camp located 3 miles E. of Datil, NM, just west of mm 81.Turn right, about 4 miles to camp site. No charge, dry camping, RV or tents. Water and shower facilities are available.

24-26 4th Annual White Mountains Round-Up
Show Low, Arizona (866) 532-4070,
www.whitemountainsroundup.com

24-26 38th Annual Ruidoso Art Festival
At the Ruidoso Convention Center, 111 Sierra Blanca Drive, Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Festival hours are – Fri. July 24: 12 noon to 9:00 pm – Sat. July 25: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm – Sun, July 26: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
For more information please call the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce at 1-877-RUIDOSO (784-3676) or 575-257-7395. www.RuidosoNow.com

25-26 Silver City’s “Cowboy Days”!

A weekend filled with fun, events, food and
celebration, celebrating the National Day of the American Cowboy! Events, demonstrations, arts & crafts, food and fun at Gough Park during Saturday; Golf Tournament on Sunday. For more information, contact Pat Hunt: 575.534.0550

25 “Cowboy Jubilee” Ruidoso Downs, NM
Hubbard Museum of the American West.
A Celebration of National Day of the Cowboy Week and Day of the Cowboy in New Mexico. 8 a.m. til noon Family and Children Activities. 1 p.m. til 3 p.m. Cowboy Poetry and Music. More Info: 575-378-4142 Web: www.hubbardmuseum.org

25 Luna Rodeo

Luna, New Mexico
Best little Rodeo in the West!
Home of the famous “Wild Cow” Ride

Mail in entries by July 17.

9:00 AM MDT Slack Barrel Race
Breakfast Burritos at the Arena
10:00 AM ~ Parade (Entries welcome)
11:00 AM MDT Slack Team Roping
Barbeque ~ Luna Community Center
and great food at the Arena
1:00 PM ~ Rodeo
Bull Riding, Calf Roping, Bareback & Saddle Bronc
Breakaway Roping (Open, females only)
15 Barrel Racers, Steer Riding, 35 Team Roping Pairs,
“Wild Cow” Ride, Calf Riding, MuttonBusting for Kids
Free Events: Egg Toss and Calf Scramble
Western Dance at 8:00 PM (Community Center)
575-547-2176 OR 547-2144 www.lunarodeo.com

25-26 Fourth Annual Hummingbird Festival

At Lake Roberts (N of Silver City)

Hummingbird banding, local artists, food, and around 2000-3000
hummingbirds in attendance!
www.hbnm.org, (575) 536.3866

31 Eagar Daze
(July 31 and August 1)

Begun in 1985, Eagar Daze is an annual event held the first Saturday of August. This event celebrates the communities rich heritage as a logging community, and features timber sporting events, local entertainment, a concert band in the domed stadium, and an arts and crafts fair. One of the few remaining logging events in the southwest, the celebration features a Barbeque, pancake breakfast, games for the children, and a ceremony that acknowledges Citizen of the Year. Eagar Daze includes tournaments in softball, volleyball, and horseshoes, and draws crowds from all over the southwest. For more information on Eagar Daze, including a schedule of events and vendor opportunities, please contact the Eagar Parks and Recreation Department at (928) 333-4128.

SANTA FE — Starting July 1, service-connected disabled veterans who are New Mexico residents will be eligible to buy an annual combination fishing and small-game hunting license for $10. The license normally costs $33.

The special license was approved by the 2009 New Mexico Legislature and signed by Gov. Bill Richardson. It is available to any New Mexico resident service-connected disabled veteran who presents a “Veteran Administration awards letter,” at a Department of Game and Fish office in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Raton, Las Cruces or Roswell. The letter, available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, states that a veteran has been granted a disability and that the disability was service-connected.

“This is a way for the state of New Mexico to show its appreciation for the sacrifice our service-connected disabled veterans have made for their service to our country,” said New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services Cabinet Secretary John M. Garcia. The NMDVS has 17 offices statewide to assist veterans with filing for their service-connected disability claims.

The special license does not replace the free general hunting and fishing license currently available to resident veterans who are 100 percent disabled.

The $10 fishing and small-game license will be available July 1 and will allow the licensee to fish for all game fish and hunt for squirrel and game birds, other than wild turkey, during the open season for each species. The license will be available only at Department offices this year, but may be available by regular mail in the future.

For more information about the special disabled veterans licenses or other New Mexico hunting and fishing licenses, please call (505) 476-8000 or visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

UPHAM, NM – With New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Spaceport America officials and supporters of commercial space development in attendance, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport broke ground today in southern New Mexico. Today’s event delivered on the promise of an exciting new age for space exploration and development, as well as a bright future for the people of New Mexico and their children.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson remarked on the importance of the groundbreaking for the spaceport. “After all of the hard work to get this project off the ground, it is gratifying to see Spaceport America finally become a reality,” New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said. “New Mexicans have stepped up to the plate by making this investment. This groundbreaking ceremony is an important step toward our goal of being at the forefront of a vibrant new, commercial space industry.”

Executive Director Steve Landeene of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) commented, “The groundbreaking for Spaceport America is the beginning of a historic new chapter in New Mexico’s long legacy of space and cutting-edge technology. From the pioneering rocketry work of Robert J. Goddard in New Mexico in 1930, the beginnings of America’s space program in the 1940’s and 50’s to the ongoing NASA programs at White Sands Missile Range and now to Spaceport America, the Gateway to the Future.”

Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn was excited to be at the groundbreaking for Spaceport America. “The groundbreaking is an enormous milestone for Virgin Galactic which is investing over $300 million in developing a new space launch system which will operate at Spaceport America after it opens. Today’s event clearly signals the birth of a new commercial age in space and is a proud moment for the vision and foresight of both the people and government of the state of New Mexico.”

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group launched Virgin Galactic in 2004 with the objective of developing commercial space vehicles that would transform the safety, cost and environmental impact associated with manned space travel. As the spaceport’s anchor tenant, Virgin Galactic has been actively developing the technology to make low cost commercial space access a reality in conjunction with Burt Rutan and Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites, the company developing WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo for commercial spaceflight.

Today’s groundbreaking initiates construction on a cutting-edge, 110,000-plus square footfacility using cost-effective, energy-efficient green building practices. In accordance with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s executive order 2006-001 for state buildings, Spaceport America’s terminal hangar facility will be built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system. Extensive use of sustainable and clean energy technology throughout the design will ensure that the spaceport will set the standard for environmentally sound design for similar structures in the future. From earth-tubes that will pre-condition the air to reduce HVAC costs by 50-70% to solar thermal panels on the roof for hot water to the embedded in-floor loop system, Spaceport America is both unique and iconic in terms of visual and environmental design.

The design for Spaceport America’s terminal hangar facility was created by a team of American and British architects that were selected after competing in an international design competition. URS Corporation, one of the world’s largest design and engineering firms, teamed with lead designer Foster + Partners of the United Kingdom to submit the winning design. Foster + Partners has extensive experience designing airport buildings and other highprofile projects worldwide.

Spaceport America holds great promise for the people of New Mexico and their children. After voters in Sierra County and Doña Ana County approved an increase in local gross receipts taxes to fund the project, Governor Bill Richardson and the New Mexico State Legislature provided funding to develop and build Spaceport America. The economic impact includes growing the primary and secondary job markets to support the new commercial space industry. Perhaps most importantly, Spaceport America allows the creation of high tech jobs and education programs for the students of New Mexico and the world.