HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 71

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Daniel R. Foley

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO NAME A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY AND COST OF HAVING DIVISION 1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL GAMES IN NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, football is one of the most popular collegiate games, with passionate, diehard fans; and

     WHEREAS, football's popularity culminates each year in the college bowl games, which draw over one million fans to the twenty-five bowl game cities, creating a phenomenon that has been dubbed "tailgate tourism"; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's mild winters make it an ideal destination during college bowl game season and its many other attractions make it desirable enough for fans to extend their football vacations; and

     WHEREAS, a division 1 college football bowl game would be an excellent tourist draw for New Mexico and an opportunity to advertise the state to millions of television viewers around the world; and

     WHEREAS, according to Media Week magazine, ABC's telecast of the four bowl championship series games this season brought over one hundred six million dollars ($106,000,000) of value-added exposure to the games' title sponsors; and

     WHEREAS, sponsorships by New Mexico businesses and the state could be an economic boon to those businesses and the state; and

     WHEREAS, the state would have an on-air opportunity to educate the rest of the country and the many international viewers about New Mexico's culture, products and services and tourist destinations, which would result in increased tourism and economic development;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governor be requested to name a small committee consisting of himself, the director of the New Mexico sports authority and the athletic directors of the university of New Mexico and New Mexico state university to study the feasibility of New Mexico offering a division 1 college football bowl game at the university of New Mexico football stadium; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor assign the New Mexico sports authority and the economic development and tourism departments to provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the costs and benefits of having the Chile Bowl in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor's committee meet periodically with the economic and rural development and telecommunications committee or similar interim committee to apprise it of progress; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor's committee have final recommendations to present to the appropriate interim legislative committee by November 1, 2006; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to Governor Bill Richardson and the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council.

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