Judge Dismisses Lawsuit That Held up Development of a New Stadium

Today, a NM District Judge ended a lawsuit that would have stopped the construction of a new stadium in Balloon Fiesta Park. This clears the path for the United’s next steps towards breaking ground on a new stadium and permanent home for the team. In November, the Environmental Planning Commission approved development of the stadium.

“This project represents more than a soccer stadium, it’s the culmination of decades of effort, and location changes, to make generational investments that will create safe ‘3rd places’ for our families to gather; this helps us achieve the highest and best use of the Balloon Fiesta Park,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “This will open the door for a wide variety of community development activities from local high school tournaments to a professional woman’s team to sports tourism.”

The City has worked with New Mexico United for several years to create a dedicated stadium for our premier soccer team. Several sites were evaluated over several years, with the Balloon Fiesta Park site being chosen for its ease of access, available parking, and ample amenities as well for the synergies it creates with programming at the park. A lawsuit had been brought challenging the EPC’s authority over master plans, but a District Court Judge today said the EPC does have the authority to approve these types of facilities.

The new United Stadium will be a dedicated park for thousands of fans to see our hometown soccer club take to the pitch. The plans call for an 8,000- to 10,000-seat stadium with infrastructure provided by the City, and the stadium itself will be funded by New Mexico United. No City funding will be used to build the stadium, and United would be required to invest a minimum of $30 million into the site.
The stadium will bring amenities to New Mexico’s families and will improve utilization of land at Balloon Fiesta Park to help enrich one of our most frequented areas and provide new economic opportunities for the city.

“We are thrilled with the District Court’s ruling that agrees with the EPC’s decision to allow the New Mexico United Stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park,” said Peter Trevisani, CEO of New Mexico United.

The New Mexico United a USL squad that is currently ranked 1st in the standings. The team currently plays at Isotopes Stadium, but has to convert the baseball diamond to a soccer pitch for every game.

The City of Albuquerque owns Balloon Fiesta Park and we have upgraded the park, with significant help from Governor and Legislature, with several new features, including permanent bathrooms, new electrical infrastructure, a park-wide PA system, and new electrical connections that allow concerts improve public safety and venders during balloon fiesta, soccer games and all events at the park. In 2024, the City also added thousands of new parking spaces to the park with the purchase of a lot east of the stadium.

For NM United Inquiries, Call Joanie Griffin with Sunny 505 at 505-261-4444.