HOUSE MEMORIAL 75

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY SPORTS AND SPORTS-RELATED EXPENDITURES, CREATE A LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SPORTS AND SPORTS TOURISM AND ASSESS AND RECOMMEND IF THE SPORTS AUTHORITY DIVISION OF THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico sports tourism is a vital and important part of the state's economy that is enjoyed by the state's residents and helps to attract thousands of tourists to the state each year; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico sports and sports tourism are important functions of both economic development and tourism in the state; and

     WHEREAS, sports tourism can be described as travel away from one's primary residence to participate in a sports activity for recreation or competition, to observe sports at the grassroots or elite level or to visit a sports attraction such as a sports park or hall of fame and can be measured by the number of people that attend the hosted sporting event; and

     WHEREAS, the economic development of sports is the gaining of sports business, such as real estate development and redevelopment infrastructure, to support sports tourism and job creation through relocation of sports businesses; and

     WHEREAS, the sports authority division of the tourism department has the duty to develop an overall strategic plan for recruiting and retaining all forms of professional and amateur sporting events, but it is not specifically directed to create a long-term strategic plan to benefit economic development in the state; and

     WHEREAS, a purpose of the tourism department is to monitor the progress of state-supported tourism activities and prepare annual reports of such activities, their status and their impact; and

     WHEREAS, the legislature has found that the economic development department, with resources from the New Mexico finance authority, should be used for the effective promotion of economic development within the state; and

     WHEREAS, it is important to New Mexico's economic development to create a long-term strategic plan for sports tourism, including spending requirements and return-on-investment criteria, that will help to meet the current and emerging needs of New Mexico's sports tourism industry; and

     WHEREAS, developing a long-term strategic plan may help New Mexico realize the full potential of the economic benefits that New Mexico sports and the sports tourism marketplace could bring to the state; and

     WHEREAS, to ensure that New Mexico realizes the full economic potential of New Mexico sports and the sports tourism industry, it should be determined whether the sports authority division should be transferred from the tourism department to the economic development department;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the secretary of economic development be requested to convene a working group to study sports and sports-related expenditures, including the actual return on investment for all sports and sports-related expenditures made by the state, and create a long-term strategic plan for New Mexico sports tourism to meet the current and emerging needs of New Mexico's sports tourism industry; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group be composed of a representative from the economic development department; a licensed attorney with at least three years' experience working in sports law; a professor of law learned in sports law; an economist; and a certified public accountant; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group assess and recommend whether the state would be better served by transferring the sports authority division from the tourism department to the economic development department; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group present its findings and legislative recommendations to the appropriate interim legislative committee with oversight over economic development and tourism issues in New Mexico by October 1, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the economic development department, the tourism department and the New Mexico legislature.

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