Las Cruces Council Work Session - August 10, 2026

The City of Las Cruces held a council work session on August 10, 2026, featuring detailed presentations from economic development partners including Film Los Cruces and the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MAVITA). Film Los Cruces reported significant local economic impact from film productions, citing $41.5 million in local film production spending and a total economic impact of $19.5 million in Dona Ana County. They highlighted efforts to grow the local film workforce, vendor base, and location database, as well as marketing initiatives to attract productions. MAVITA provided an overview of their business attraction, marketing, and retention efforts, including foreign direct investment campaigns targeting Canada and other countries, workforce development programs funded by ARPA, and support for local small businesses. They reported 26 site visits, four completed projects, and $26.45 million in capital investment, with a 576% return on investment for the city over 10 years. Discussions included budget questions, strategic planning for economic growth, and infrastructure needs such as road and rail access to industrial parks. The session also covered the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Property Reinvestment Program, which incentivizes private investment through property tax abatements to support housing and mixed-use development in designated areas. No specific contract awards or RFPs were mentioned, but the presentations emphasized ongoing marketing, workforce training, and economic development initiatives funded in part by city contributions.