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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Smith

DATE TYPED 2/24/2005 HB

SHORT TITLE Shakespeare Ghost Town As State Park

SB SJM 26

ANALYST Aguilar

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

Indeterminate Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

REVENUE

Estimated Revenue

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

Indeterminate

$30.0 Recurring State Parks Operat-

ing Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 26 authorizes the State Parks Division to accept a donation of property

and to establish Shakespeare Ghost Town as a state park.

Significant Issues

Current statute requires legislative approval of any acquisition of land to be used for state park

purposes prior to the execution of a written agreement binding the state to any expenditure of

Senate Joint Memorial 26 -- Page 2

funds. The private owners of Shakespeare are prepared to donate approximately 33 acres to the

state to establish the park.

The State Parks Division (SPD) notes the site is highly regarded by historians and enthusiasts.

Shakespeare is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a colorful history.

Shakespeare was a stage stop on the Butterfield Trail and saw three separate mining booms in the

1870s and 1880s. The site includes eight historic buildings and over 150 historic foundations. A

state park at Shakespeare would interpret frontier history as well as New Mexico’s rich mining

history, a subject that is not well represented in the state park or state monument system.

Shakespeare is located 2.5 miles south of I-10 and about two miles from a New Mexico state

welcome center that gets about 80,000 visits annually, a large percentage of which inquire about

Shakespeare. The site however, is open only 24 days per year. Under State Park management,

the site would be open year-round and would have strong park visitation and revenue generation

potential. Shakespeare is also an ideal location to support New Mexico’s growing film industry.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The acquisition of Shakespeare as a state park would require recurring operational expenditures.

PA/yr