Business Images Rio Grande Region, TX 2012

7/31/2019 Business Images Rio Grande Region, TX 2012

1/33

Tm t ShSolar power projects heat up

Pscptf GwthRegion evolves asbiomedical hotbed

Httg th MkWhite Sands, Fort Bliss growth propels local economy

rio Grande reGion, TexaS

businessclimate.com/rio-grandebuSineSS

SPonSored b THe rio Grande CounCi o GoernMenTS | 2012


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VAN HORNt e x a s

Give Us a Call or Visit Us Online

Town of Van Horn P.O. Box 517 Van Horn, TX 79855

(432) 283-2050 (432) 283-2839 Fax

www.vanhorntexas.org

Wide Open Spaces Clean Mountain Air and Water

Texas-Sized Business Opportunities Without the Stress Wind Energy, Natural Gas, Agriculture

the Blue Skys the Limit!

Located on I-10 Along the historic Union Pacific Railroad

Van Horn is the Crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail,

Close to Guadalupe Mountains National Park,

Davis Mountains, Marfa,

Big Bend National Park and El Paso
http://www.vanhorntexas.org/http://www.vanhorntexas.org/


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b u S i n e S S C i M a T e . C o M / r i o - G r a n d e 1

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on

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Please recycle this magazine

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4/33

2 r i o G r a n d e r e G i o n

Digital Edition

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5/33

buSineSS

rio Grande reGion, TexaS

2012 Edition, volumE 2

Editorial projEct managEr Emily mmackin

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proofrEading managEr RavEn PEtty

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Staff WritEr kEvin litWin

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rEcEptioniSt linDa BiSHoP

Business Images Rio Grande Region s pbshed b

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el Ps, Tx 79901

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The Rio Grande Region
http://www.elpasoredco.org/http://www.elpasoredco.org/


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Almanac

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10/33

toDD BEnnEtt


Business Climate

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Psptyio rande egion is a magnetfor ne investment and jobsSr b Betsy Williams

investors and industries are flocking tothe Rio Grande Region, where growthin the defense, manufacturing,

biomedical and renewable energy sectorsare fueling the economy and paving theway for a prosperous future.

Critical competitive advantages, includinglocation, land, labor and low costs, havedrawn hundreds of new companies to theBorderplex which encompasses El Paso,Texas, Las Cruces, N.M. and Ciudad Juarezin Chihuahua, Mexico and more are onthe way.

Regional leaders have identified industrytrends, created a targeted marketingapproach and fostered a collaborativework environment with resources andpartners in the area, says Davin Lopez,president and CEO of New Mexicos MesillaValley Economic Development Alliance.

TarGeTed MareTS

We spend quite a bit of our timebuilding upon the economic anchors thatmake our region unique, Lopez says.

These anchors encompass everything

Global Companies

in the borderplex

An array of nationally

and internationally known

companies operate in the

Borderplex, including:

ADP

Bosch

Datamark

Delphi

Dish Network Electrolux

FoxConn

Inventec

Lear

Lexmark

Helen of Troy Corporation

Honeywell

Pegatron

Western Rening


trff fws g i-10 E Ps, tx.


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from the commercial port of entrywith Mexico in Santa Teresa toSpaceport America and sharedairspace, the regions agriculturalbase and its assets of sun and land.

As a result, target markets

include border manufacturing andlogistics, aerospace, food processingand renewable energy, Lopezcontinues. Building a businessproposition around these anchorsallows us to compete for businessbased on infrastructure and assets.

Few areas have the strong coreof economic development partnersthat share such aligned interests.

We are one of the largestinternational border communities

in the world, says Bob Cook,president of the El Paso RegionalEconomic DevelopmentCorporation, noting theregions metropolitan populationof 3 mil lion. We have a verymanufacturing-oriented economy,with more than 225,000 peopleemployed in the manufacturingsector, making us one of the top10 manufacturing centers inNorth America.

borderPex PoWerSoCa eConoM

Automotive and manufacturingin the Borderplex power the localeconomy, and production andemployment at Juarez maquiladoras

and their El Paso suppliers are onthe rise. Production sharing acrossthe border is an attractive optionfor global companies, like Delphi,Lear and Bosch, that want tomaximize labor and profit. U.S.

merchandise exports passingthrough El Paso ports last yeartotaled $29.2 billion.

In 2011, El Paso and Juarezofficials signed a letter of intentwith Freight Shuttle Partners tobuild the worlds first monorailfor shipping cargo across aninternational border. The projectwill encompass an estimated15-mile stretch of bi-directionalguideway, connecting securecustoms facilities in El Pasoand Juarez. The project will befinanced by the private sector,minimally costing an estimated$140 million.

The labor market is youngand educated, with a highpercentage of bilingual workers,and the region consistentlyappears on coveted Top 10 lists,ranging from the nations safestlarge city (El Paso) to BestPerforming Cities (Las Cruces). El

Paso also toppedNewsweek s listof Can-Do Capitals and was one offour U.S. communities presentedwith the National Award forSmart Growth Achievement bythe EPA in 2011.

by the numbers

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Source: www.elpasoredco.org
http://www.elpasoredco.org/http://www.ttuhsc.edu/fostersomhttp://www.elpasoredco.org/


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wMchxpansions at Fort Bliss, witeands issile ange boost teio rande egions eonom

Sr b M.V. Greene Phgrph b Todd Bennett

if there is a paradise amongU.S. military installations,it must be located in the

sprawling Rio Grande Region.This regional military complex

comprises some of the militarysbig-league bases including FortBliss, Texas, the White SandsMissile Range and Holloman AirForce Base in New Mexico allof which cover more than 7,100

square miles of ground and airterritory and provides the nationwith one of the worlds largestand incomparable concentrationsof military readiness.

MuTiPe CriTiCa MiSSionSIn addition to the major bases,

a variety of critical missions andactivities take place in the southernNew Mexico-West Texas area,including land and air unit jointtraining, professional military

education, maintenance and repair,and aerospace initiatives, as wellas research, development, test andevaluation activities. Federalgovernment agencies, includingthe Departments of HomelandSecurity and Justice, have a keypresence in the area, along witha network of highly specializeddefense contractors.

What this means for the region

and communities stretchingfrom Las Cruces, N.M., to ElPaso, Texas, is vibrant economicactivity, forward-thinking academicinstitutions, skilled technicalworkforces, and specializedmanufacturing facilities anddistribution networks. The regioncan expect a solid economic future,as well as defense instal lations thatare expanding, not retreating.

Fort Bliss spends about$3.9 billion per year in the area

Whe Sds msse Rge s epdg s sse esg D a c, n.m.


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on military payroll for its 32,000soldiers. Holloman estimates itstotal economic impact on the regionwas $693.2 million, accountingfor payroll for more than 11,000

military and civilian personnel,contract expenditure and the valueof job creation. White Sandsemploys about 7,000 people onthe range in many highly skilledtechnical occupations.

orT biSS neW roe

In May 2011, Fort Bliss off iciallybecame the new home of the Armyshistoric 1st Armored Division,which had been housed inWiesbaden, Germany. The base,covering more than 1.1 millionacres in New Mexico and Texasand headquartered in El Paso,is expected to see its militarypopulation swell to 100,000 by2013. To support that expansion,the Army is spending billionsof dollars to construct new,modern facilities for soldiersand their families.

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard,Fort Bliss commanding general,

says he expects the expansion to

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Holloman Air Force Base employs 11,000.

Fort Bliss is the new home of theArmys 1st Armored Division.


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forge even greater ties to the region.Fort Bliss is the largest employer

in El Paso and a major contributorto the local economy, Pittard says.Several thousand jobs on our base

are filled by local residents. Ourunits, organizations and individualsare also involved in the localcommunity in various ways.They sit on boards, we haveprograms with schools andwe partner with local collegeson higher education programs.

neT Zero ProeCT

Additionally, Fort Bliss is partof the Armys groundbreakingNet Zero energy conservationpilot program. Under the program,selected installations aroundthe country are working onsustainability projects to reduceconsumption of energy, water orwaste by 2020.

The aim of the program is tomove the base to greater energyself-sufficiency, while serving asa model for Army installationsworldwide, says B.J. Tomlinson,Fort Bliss renewable energy and

sustainability program manager.The whole concept of energysecurity doesnt just apply to warzones, Tomlinson says. It alsoapplies here at installations.

WHiTe SandS

exPandinG ranGe uSeWhite Sands Missile Range in

Dona Ana County is a researchand training facility for the Army,Navy and Air Force, as well asprivate and public organizations.

Army Col. John G. Ferrari, rangecommander, says White Sandswill expand its footprint asthe nations leading missileand aerospace installation toinclude more operational anddevelopmental testing and livefire activities that will rotate inthousands more service membersand military contractors.

The range is going to becomemore multifunctional with more

users coming down the road, hesays. It will be a much more diverseuser group than in the past.
http://mail%20to:[email protected]/http://innofthemountaingods.com/


16/33


Pscptf Gwthio rande egion evolves into a biomedial otbed


17/33


Sr b Melanie Hill Phgrph b Todd Bennett

Science and health care are evolving in the RioGrande Region, producing more biomedical

jobs, research and graduates than ever before.If you look at the past 12 or 13 years, the industrys

evolution has been striking, says Noemi Rojas,communications director for the Medical Centerof the Americas Foundation.

More than a decade ago, a local economic summitset forth a vision to position the region as a globalleader of health delivery, education and research,specializing in issues unique to Hispanic, borderand military populations. Since then, the approvalof the El Paso Childrens Hospital (opening in 2012),$1.25 million in medical scholarship funds, and theestablishment of the Texas Tech University HealthSciences Center Medical School, University Medical

Center of El Paso and the Medical Center of theAmericas Foundation have placed the region firmlyon that path.

El Pasos most recent commitment to growingthe regions biomedical industry includes an allocationof 12 acres and more than $3 million to the MCAFoundation, an organization anchored by UMCand TTUHSCs Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.By 2016, leaders hope to house a biotech incubatorand commercialization center on the property tosupport the establishment of a biomedical researchpark that would focus on border health and

treatment for combat injuries.

idea or CoMbaT, GeneTiCS reSearCH

Expansions at Fort Bliss are expected to createeven more research opportunities in the region forpost-traumatic stress disorders, brain injury, prostheticsand advanced operational procedures. The fort is hometo the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, whichis currently undergoing a $1 billion renovation thatincludes the newly opened, holistic Warrior TransitionComplex for wounded soldiers.

TTUHSC, which opened the Paul L. Foster Schoolof Medicine in 2009, continues to attract aspiring

ft: asprg drs r he P l. Fser Sh f mede rght: the sh rs ers eresed wrg he brder.

doctors many of whom share a desire to practicemedicine on the border. The school recently addedthe Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing, and itsprograms receive support at both the local andnational levels. A $1.5 million grant from the CancerPrevention Research Institute of Texas will helpTTUHSC and the University Medical Centerestablish a Cancer Clinical Research Core Facility.In 2011, the medical school received a $945,000grant to develop a primary-care program formedical students on the U.S.-Mexico border,which also serves as a hotbed for genetics research.

El Paso, in part because of its relativegeographical isolation, tends to have large


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19/33


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mede; trg he Ge Gree HSh f nrsg; a ere he P l.Fser Sh f mede

multigenerational families,which makes it a terrific placeto do genetic research, saysCharles Miller III, Ph.D., chairof TTUHSCs Department of

Biomedical Science. What welearn through research in ElPaso will become increasinglyimportant for the health andeconomic well-being of Texas,and really every major city inAmerica, within 20 years.

reWardinG or doCTorS

Physicians and El Paso nativesAngel and Briana Garcia returnedto their hometown for residencytraining in 2008.

We plan on staying in El Pasofor the same reason we decidedto come back, says Briana Garcia,M.D. Its a great place to worksince theres such a need for doctors.There is also the developmentof UMC into a tertiary centerthat adds another level ofmedical complexity.

As the primary teaching hospitalof the Paul L. Foster School ofMedicine, The University Medical

Center of El Paso is a researchpowerhouse and acute-care teachingfacility. Debabrata Mukherjee,M.D., left the prestigious ClevelandClinic to join UMC as chief ofcardiovascular medicine in 2010.

My goal is to make this thedominant academic medicalcenter in the region, focusingon world-class patient care,innovative research and leadersin graduate medical education,says Mukherjee, who will implement

UMCs cardiovascular fellowshipprogram in 2012. The growthin military instal lations, scienceinvestment and bi-nationalmanufacturing makes the regiona hub of economic activity, and ispaving the way for even moreinvestment and expansion.


20/33


Energy/Technology

io rande egion taps solar poer potential

el Paso, Texas, drew international acclaimin summer 2011 for its dogged ability to

withstand the worst drought in generations.

Building that resiliency took two decades of hard

work and planning. Now, the Rio Grande Region

has embarked on a new project to become a leader

in alternative energy.The Chihuahuan Desert has already started to

bloom with the first fruits of those efforts.A 5-megawatt solar power plant built and operated

by NextEra Energy Resources at Hatch IndustrialPark and a 20-megawatt plant built by NRG Energy

Inc. near Santa Teresa, N.M., came online in summer2011. Both plants sell their power to El Paso Electric,

which is working to boost the percentage of power itgets from renewable energy.

a reneWabe enerG CorridorJim Hayhoe, president of Solar America

Consultants, helped with each of the projects andsays they are only the tip of the iceberg. Just west ofHatch, in Nutt, N.M., plans are under way for an80-megawatt solar project. And its not just solar: ElPaso Electr ics 1.3-megawatt Hueco Mountain WindRanch continues to provide clean power, and theBureau of Land Management is expected to issuelicenses for geothermal projects along Interstate 25,

Hayhoe says. He is working with government officialsto market the area as a renewable energy corridor.

Tm t Sh

Sr b Dan Hieb Phgrph b Todd Bennett

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Hatch Industrial Parks 5-megawatt solar power plant


21/33


Theres no question, this region is very motivatedto move in that direction, Hayhoe says. All theprojects are very strongly supported by the peoplehere in local government.

The partnerships are win-win, Hayhoe points out.In the case of the solar projects in Hatch and SantaTeresa, the local government leased the land to thecompanies that built the projects, which then sell theenergy to El Paso Electric so the utility can meet itsrenewable energy goals. Municipalities end up gettingnot only clean power, but also a steady new sourceof general fund revenue, thanks to the leases.

Best of all, it puts the desert to use. Land thathas sat empty for decades is now producing powerand profits.

dierSe TeCHnooGieS

The two new solar plants have another benefit:They deploy different technologies.

When it came online, the Hatch plant was the largestconcentrated photovoltaic plant in the country, designedto use mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto the power-generating silicon sort of like using a magnifyingglass to focus the sun. The 20-megawatt Roadrunnerplant built by NRG Energy is more conventional.

One challenge in working with solar plants is theamount of power they generate can vary because ofthe movement of clouds across the sky, says RockyMiracle, El Paso Electrics senior vice president for

corporate planning and development. As the powergeneration rises and falls at the plants, the utilitywill be looking for the most effective ways todistribute the power.

Figuring out the best way to tap into the solar powerwill play a key role in New Mexicos economic future.The state has the second-highest potential in thecountry for solar power generation. And with panelprices falling and fossil fuel costs up, the technologyis already on the verge of being price competitive. Infact, when accounting for externalities like pollutioncosts, it already is, Hayhoe says.

One externality that is especially pertinent for

those living in the Chihuahuan Desert is wateruse. NRG Energy says that its 20-megawatt plantwill only consume as much water each year as twoaverage suburban homes. Coal-fired plants currentlysupply the vast majority of New Mexicos power, buta 500-megawatt coal plant can use that much waterin a day.

El Paso Electric is using its own incentives $2.5million worth to encourage residents and businessesto install solar panels.

Hayhoe is among those who have done so. Onebenefit is that his home sometimes generates more

power than it consumes and El Paso Electric pays12.5 cents a watt to buy it back.Sometimes in the winter, I get a check, he says.

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22/33


Education

egional olleges, niversities prepare

gradates for top indstries, international markets

e

ducation and workforce development are highpriorities in the Rio Grande Region, where avariety of institutions offer challenging courses

and first-class research- and tech-based programsdesigned to prepare students to work in the regionskey industries as well as international markets.

The University of Texas at El Paso offers high-qualitygraduate opportunities including Master of BusinessAdministration programs through the College ofBusiness Administration. In 2010, the college wasnamed the top graduate business school for Hispanicsin the U.S. byHispanic Business magazine.

In addition, the universitys School of Nursing wasnamed the top nursing school for awarding bachelorsdegrees to Hispanics in the country byThe Hispanic

Outlook in Higher Education magazine in 2011.The School of Nursing has a long history in El Paso,

says Elias Provencio-Vasquez, Ph.D., the schools dean.Eighty-five percent of our students are Mexican orof Mexican-American descent, and 60 percent of theindividuals who graduate from the program practiceas nurses in the area.

bioSCienCe, aeroSPaCe reSearCH

Nearby in Las Cruces, New Mexico State Universityis the only institution in the state offering an honorscollege and programs in aerospace, industrial andsurveying engineering.

NMSU, ranked among the top 100 colleges forawarding degrees to Hispanics, is also known forbeing a NASA Space Grant College, as well as for itsinnovative research in information and biosciences,natural resources, aerospace and U.S.-Mexico borderdevelopment.

A personalized, small-college setting combinedwith the resources of a large research university allowsNMSU to offer curricula designed to encourage studentlearning and success, says Minerva Baumann, theuniversitys Director of Media Relations.

NMSU is also home to the Arrowhead Center,which provides workforce training. In 2011, the centerdeveloped a partnership with the White Sands MissileRange to collaborate on the development of military

and civilian applications for national security, aerospace,technology and alternative energy fields.

Sul Ross State Ross University in Alpine also receivednational recognition in 2011; the school was namedone of the top 100 institutions for Hispanic studentsbyThe Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine.

reGionS CoMMuniT CoeGeS

Offering six locations throughout the region, ElPaso Community College serves approximately 30,000students and is the No. 1 awarder of associate degreesto Hispanic students in the nation.

The school provides more than 130 programs of

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Sr bJessica Walker Phgrph b Todd Bennett

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23/33


buildinG dreams

for aspirinG

arChiteCtsThrough a new part nership

between El Paso CommunityCollege and the Texas Tech College

of Architecture, aspiring architects

in El Paso can now earn a bachelors

degree in architecture.

The program, which began in 2007,

is the first of its kind and enables

students to attend school locally at

Texas Tech College of Architect ure

in El Paso. After completing 131

credit hours, students obtain a

Bachelor of Science degree in

architecture. The next step is to

transfer to the Lubbock campus and

earn a masters degree in the field.

The program is creat ing more

opportunity for the regions Hispanic

population; 95 percent of the 40

students who enrolled in the program

in 2007 were Hispanic.


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to Brilliant Business Success!

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Holiday Inn Express El Paso Centralwww.hiexpress.com/elpasocentral

Inn of the Mountain Gods Resortand Casinowww.innofthemountaingods.com

Rio Grande Council of Governmentswww.riocog.org

Texas Tech University Health SciencesCenter Paul L. Foster School of Medicinewww.ttuhsc.edu/fostersom

Town of Van Hornwww.vanhorntexas.org

study and approximately 350courses designed for personalenrichment and continuingeducation.

Doa Ana Community Collegealso serves area students, offeringthree campuses and a Small Business

Development Center. Because manyof the colleges programs havearticulation agreements withNMSU departments that allowcourses to transfer smoothly,DACCs proximity to NMSUis a major draw for students.

In 2012, DACC will open twonew learning centers in the regionand continue expansions at itsEast Mesa campus.

dua CrediT, ear

CoeGe ProGraMSLocal high school students can

get an early start on their collegeeducations by enrolling in DualCredit Programs and Early CollegeHigh School Initiatives, offeredthrough various higher educationinstitutions in the region includingNMSU, EPCC and DACC.

NMSUs Dual Credit Programenables students to earn both highschool and college credit at littleto no cost; typically, tuition is free,

books are provided, and generalfees are waived.

EPCCs Dual Credit Programalso allows high school juniorsand seniors to take college-levelcourses while earning high schooland college credit. Additionally,the school offers an Early CollegeHigh School Initiative, enablingstudents to obtain a high schooldiploma and an associate degreein four years.

DACC provides a Dual CreditProgram, too, which is availablefor junior and senior high schoolstudents; those who enroll inthe program can earn highschool elective credit as wellas college credit.

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26/33


ctting-edge are abonds in te io rande egion

nationally ranked medical centers, the latesttechnology and a growing selection of servicesmake the Rio Grande Region a picture of health.

University Medical Center of El Paso gives patientsaccess to quality physicians and the most up-to-dateclinical information.

Our staff brings evidence-based practices to theUMC campus, so our patients are the beneficiaries of

the latest medical breakthroughs, says Diana Fancher,R.N., chief nursing officer at UMC.UMC is undergoing its largest renovation, with

expanded emergency and intensive care departments,a new cardiovascular service line and more. In 2012,UMC will open the citys first womens hospital anda separately licensed childrens hospital.

exPanded HeaTH SeriCeS, aCCoadeS

El Pasos Sierra Providence Health Network includesfour specialty care hospitals: Providence MemorialHospital, Sierra Medical Center, Sierra ProvidenceEast Medical Center and Regional Childrens Hospital

at Providence. SPHN earned its ninth consecutiveNational Consumer Choice award in 2011 and launcheda med flight air transport program.

The air transport program will raise patient servicesto greater heights for those in the region, says JohnHarris, Sierra Providence Health Network president.

Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare includes two HCA-owned hospitals in the El Paso region. Las PalmasMedical Center is the only regional kidney transplantcenter, while sister facility Del Sol Medical Centerrecently received f ive-star ratings f rom HealthGrades.

More SPeCiaT Care

In the Mesilla Valley, patients turn to MemorialMedical Center of Las Cruces. The facility offers the

Wll-Tt

Sr b Melanie Hill Phgrph b Todd Bennett

Health

MMC Cancer Center, staffed by board-certifiedphysicians in medical oncology and hematologyand radiation oncology.

MountainView Regional Medical Center in LasCruces includes emergency care, a Heart Centerand more. Next door, patients enjoy easy access tothe MountainView Outpatient Surgery Center.


27/33


Doctors at El Pasos University MedicalCenter consult with a patient.


28/33


cltral attrations, donton revivals enane qalit

of life in io rande egion

dstctv dstcts

Livability

photo c our tE Sy of m ar c buhr ig

Mills Plaza District in El Paso, Texas


29/33


The Rio Grande Regionenjoys more than 300 daysof sunshine a year. Even its

winter days average 50 degrees.That idyllic climate combined

with an abundance of diverseattractions and affordablecommunities add to the qualityof life within the region. On theNew Mexico side, one of thosecommunities is Las Cruces, whichhas been ranked as a top retirementarea and offers an array of artgalleries and museums.

Las Cruces is New Mexicos

second largest city and boastsattractions like the Zuhl GeologicalCollection at New Mexico StateUniversity. NMSU is now addinganother museum and moreattractions.

The university is currentlyconstructing a Museum ofNature and Science to grace thedowntown area, plus addinga new performing arts venueon campus, says Chris Faivre,media manager for the Las Cruces

Convention & Visitors Bureau.Also occurring within the cityis a concentrated revitalizationof the entire downtown district,spurred by an eventual majorreopening of Main Street.

Faivre says that even though LasCruces has a population of 100,000and is located in a region of 200,000people, the city retains a laid-back,small-town feel.

Were adding more and moreamenities all the time that add toour quality of life, yet Las Crucesis still a community where it takesonly 15 minutes to drive from endto end, he says.

CuTura, naTuraaTTraCTionS

On the Texas side of the RioGrande Region, El Paso offers allthe amenities of a bigger metropolisand the best of urban living as wellas natural wonders and room to

explore. Its rich culture includesmuseums, theaters and live music,including El Paso Symphony the

states oldest operating orchestragroup along with the restoredPlaza Theatre listed on the National

Register of Historic Places.For outdoor recreation, Franklin

Mountains State Park is in thecenter of El Paso, and a Riverparkand Trail System runs along sectionsof the Rio Grande River withinthe city. Also within a short driveis Hueco Tanks State Park, knownfor its ancient rock paintings.

CMon doWnToWnAs for its downtown, El Pasos

district is undergoing a hugerevitalization effort withconstruction having begunon an $8 million high-endhousing complex to entice youngprofessionals to move downtown.Also, Mills Plaza District, a37,000-square-foot promenadewith waterfalls, shade trees, portableseating and regional plants, isbeing developed to encourageurban living and bring morebusinesses, restaurants and

residents downtown.

endeSS enTerTainMenT

In other western Texas andsouthern New Mexico countiesand towns in the region, visitorscan find casinos at destinationssuch as Inn of the Mountain Godsand Sunland Park Racetrack andCasino. They can also enjoy skiingat Ski Apache and Cloudcroft,peruse the quirky art oasis ofMarfa or escape to an upscale

Southwestern getaway at LajitasGolf Resort & Spa.

The region is home to beautifuland adventurous locales such asthe Robledo Mountains in DonaAna County, Lincoln NationalForest, the Gila Wilderness andElephant Butte Lake State Park.Other attractions range from ataste of cowboy life at HistoricPrude Ranch to numerous farmersmarkets, wineries, rodeos, sports

venues, ghost towns andmountainside observatoriesthroughout the region.

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30/33


Transportation

e entr port, union Paifi b

expeted to boost transportation in region

interstate access, five border crossings plusinternational rail and air service give the Rio GrandeRegion several transportation advantages.

A rail expansion by Union Pacific, along with theconstruction of a port-of-entry bridge between Tornillo,Texas, and Guadalupe, Mexico, is expected to bringeven more economic growth to the region.

As for transportation positives that already exist,Interstate 10 runs east-west, crossing I-25 in Las Cruces,N.M. That access to I-25 gives trucking and distributioncompanies an ideal route to Rocky Mountain states

and the Canadian border.Existing port-of-entry bridges within the region havea Dedicated Commuter Lane utilized by 30,000 peopleto make it easier for trucks and commuters to travelbetween El Paso and Mexico.

air and rai aPPea

The region is also home to three airports: El PasoInternational, Las Cruces International and Dona AnaCounty Airport. El Paso International schedules 120daily nonstop passenger flights to 12 U.S. cities, while

Las Cruces International has foreign trade zones, cargoservice, charter flights and more. Dona Ana CountyAirport at Santa Teresa recently completed $2 mil lionin runway improvements.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and UnionPacific Railroad offer international rail service, andUnion Pacific is investing more than $400 millionto construct a new hub in Santa Teresa. The projectis expected to create 3,000 jobs through 2015, and officialsestimate the terminal will provide southern NewMexico with a $500 million economic boost.

neW PorT o enTrThe $133 mill ion border crossing bridge being

constructed between Tornillo and Guadalupe willbe the largest port of entry along the U.S. southernborder and is expected to be completed in early 2013.

On the U.S. side, the border crossing will be about30 miles east of downtown El Paso and will be a six-lane toll bridge, replacing the existing Fabens-Casetacrossing. A new road that will connect traffic fromthe border crossing to I-10 is also planned.

es f accss

Sr b Kevin Litwin Phgrph b Todd Bennett

A plane takes off at Santa Teresas DonaAna County Airport, which recently completed$2 million in runway improvements.


31/33

Ad Index

4 CaminoRealHotel

C4 CityofmaRfa

23 DevelopmentCoRpoRationofpResiDio

17 elpasointeRnationalaiRpoRt

2 elpasoRegionaleConomiCDevelopmentCoRpoRation

3 HoliDayinnexpResselpasoCentRal

13 innoftHemountaingoDsResoRtanDCasino

C3 RiogRanDeCounCilofgoveRnments

9 texasteCHuniveRsityHealtHsCienCesCenteR

paull.fosteRsCHoolofmeDiCine

C2 townofvanHoRn


32/33

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inCoMe daTaE Ps mSa (2010)

med Hsehd

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ls cres mSa

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HouSinG MareT

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Pre (2010), $133,300

ls cres aerge He

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CoST o iinG

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Sources: ACCRA Cost of Living Index 2011

Q2 (Composite U.S. Index=100),

www.elpasoredco.org,

www.mveda.com, quickfacts.census.gov


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eConoMiC Proie

Whts olFor more in-dept demograpi, statistial and ommnit information

on te io rande egion, go to sssclmt.cm/-g and

lik on onomi Prole.

Bridging the Gap Between Business

and Government in Rio Grande

1100 N. Stanton

Suite 610

El Paso, TX 79902

(915) 533-0998

www.riocog.org

PoPuaTion (2010)

E Ps c, tx, 800,647

D a c, nm, 209,233

oer c, nm, 63,797

Brewser c, tx, 9,232

cbers c, tx, 2,398

Hdspeh c, tx, 3,476

Jeff Ds c, tx, 2,342

Presd c, tx, 7,818

Maor PoPuaTionCenTerS (2010)

E Ps, 649,121

ls cres, n.m., 97,618

Maor eMPoerS

Fr Bss, 20,000*

H ar Fre Bse, 10,000*

new me Se

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Whe Sds msse Rge, 4,300

tee Hehre ld. 3,053

ls cres Pb Shs, 3,000

uers med ceer, 2,310

Dsh newr, 1,830

Gc Seres, 1,791

* includes military

abor orCe (2010)

E Ps mSa, 318,115

ls cres mSa, 93,342

Maor PriaTeeMPoMenT SeCTorS

el Ps MSa dc. 2011

trde trspr

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nr Resres, mg

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Maor eMPoMenTSeCTorS

s Ccs MSa nv. 2009

trde trspr

& ues, 15%

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Living green is making sure the air in your home is healthy for your familyto breathe. Test your home for radon and build radon-resistant.

It's easy. That's living healthy and green.

Just call 866-730-green or visitwww.epa.gov/radon

Living greenstarts from the ground up.
http://www.elpasoredco.org/http://www.mveda.com/http://www.riocog.org/http://www.epa.gov/radonhttp://www.epa.gov/radonhttp://www.riocog.org/http://www.mveda.com/http://www.elpasoredco.org/


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Business Images Rio Grande Region, TX 2012

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