Courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News, by Steve Ramirez
LAS CRUCES — Hobbs and Lea County, not Las Cruces and Doña Ana County, will be the location of the $1 billion Center for Innovation, Testing and Evaluation (CITE).
“Ultimately, we determined Hobbs and Lea County was the best fit for CITE based on the available land, infrastructure and breadth of community support that is required for this type of project,” Bob Brumley, managing director of Pegasus Global Holdings, said in a news release Tuesday. “We have always known that the state of New Mexico is the perfect place for CITE, and we have spent a considerable amount of time searching for and evaluating the right location within the state.”
Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said he was notified by Brumley, by telephone, only moments before a late-morning news conference that the lucrative project was going to Hobbs. “In the end, I was told it was a business decision,” said Miyagishima, of the brief phone conversation he had with Brumley. “Obviously, I’m disappointed. “I understand that a fair amount of the income they plan to make will come from energy they produce and will be able to sell back. Apparently, that kind of infrastructure is already there, and we would have had to build it here.”
CITE will be the first-of-its-kind fully integrated test, evaluation and certification facility replicating a true, modern-day city in size and scope. It will comprise urban, suburban and rural environments and include a mix of new and aging infrastructure. The facility will give clients a one-of-a-kind opportunity to test and evaluate their technologies in a setting that most closely simulates real-world applications. The test infrastructure will not be populated, allowing for a true laboratory without the complication and safety issues arising from having residents.
“I’m proud that New Mexico is able to provide a home for a state-of-the-art project like CITE,” said Gov. Susana Martinez. “We have worked closely with Pegasus Global Holdings to see the selection process through in order to bring jobs and innovation to our state, and I’m pleased that they are moving forward in New Mexico. This is a great opportunity for growth and job creation and I’m excited to see the impact that CITE will have on the region and the state.”
In December, the New Mexico Partnership, on behalf Pegasus Global Holdings, solicited proposals from 16 communities across the state that were interested in CITE. An advisory committee was formed to evaluate the proposals and determine which were viable options for the CITE project. Lea County and Doña Ana County were the finalists for the project.
John Hummer, a Las Crucen who served on Pegasus’ advisory board, said while Las Cruces will not be the location for Pegasus, the project is good for the state. “As a member of the advisory group, it’s always been about New Mexico,” Hummer said. “From a Las Cruces perspective, absolutely, it would have been great for Las Cruces.”But I can’t say just how proud I really am to a part of the community, and the way we came together to represent Las Cruces. Hobbs got the prize, but New Mexico wins either way.”
State Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela agreed. “We are very pleased by the sizable capital investment which will occur, along with the jobs that will be created in New Mexico,” Barela said. “The decision to bring CITE to New Mexico is a testament to the hard work performed by all parties involved.”
Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., said regardless of where the project goes, New Mexico is the big winner. “It is a testament to our district that the two final locations under consideration were both in southern New Mexico,” said Pearce, who is from Hobbs. “With the selection of either site, New Mexicans benefit. I congratulate Doña Ana County for being chosen as a finalist, and I thank them for the hard work that they have done. Additionally, I congratulate Lea County on being selected, and I commend Pegasus for bringing jobs to New Mexico.”
Groundbreaking of the CITE facility will be in June. It’s anticipated that at least 350 direct jobs and 3,500 indirect jobs will be created in its design, development, construction and ongoing operations.
