University will be site of convention center

Congratulations to New Mexico State University for the city’s selection of the west end of campus for its new convention center. President Michael Martin and university staffers have worked hard to make this happen, and it’s going to reshape campus.

The Las Cruces City Council decided Monday to build its long-delayed convention center on 11 acres primarily used for agricultural research just east of the I-10 bridge over University Avenue.

There are many agricultural buildings (and staffers) that are going to have to be transplanted. Many won’t be happy about it.

But placing the convention center there, on the city’s southwest side, makes sense. The east side of the city is growing fast enough without the convention center. In the past few years a Wal-Mart and a new hotel have gone up near where the convention center will be built, and the facility will be a big boost to tourism in the Mesilla area.

It will also aid Martin’s goal of building a performing arts center on campus, which could be built on the west end and share parking with the convention center.

Lots of big changes are happening on campus.