Proposed 236-acre redevelopment aims to create new sports and entertainment district, revitalizing the area, while supporting new housing and local business
10/27/2025 ALBUQUERQUE, NM TSX, NYSE: STN
Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has been selected by the State of New Mexico’s General Services Department to develop a master plan for the proposed redevelopment of the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque. The Stantec-led master plan will provide the State with a path forward for the 236-acre property, with a focus on redefining the space as a vibrant, year-round destination and regional economic catalyst. Once complete, the master plan will offer the State with multiple options on how the fairgrounds can better serve the neighborhood, community, city, and state.
Located at the center of Albuquerque’s International District, a culturally vibrant corridor, the fairgrounds serve as an anchor point for five distinct neighborhoods along the historic Route 66. With a long history of community-building initiatives, the State aims to bring economic and social vitality into the area. The project also seeks to address Albuquerque’s pressing need for approximately 55,000 new housing units over the next decade.
“The New Mexico State Fairgrounds represent a unique opportunity for the city of Albuquerque to address some of its most critical and on-going challenges,” said Nancy Locke, senior principal and landscape architecture discipline lead at Stantec. “Through thoughtful planning and community engagement, a redefined fairgrounds site has the potential to revitalize the community and neighborhood for years to come.”
Meeting community needs
The planning efforts for the fairground’s redevelopment will consist of three individual phases. Phase one will consist of community engagement and outreach, economic and impact analysis, and facility assessments. Phase two will focus on developing three scenarios for the site’s future use, prioritizing community feedback and engagement. The third and final phase will be the development of a preferred plan and implementation strategy, considering all information and community feedback gathered in the initial two phases.
The project will be funded by EXPO New Mexico, an agency of the State of New Mexico, responsible for the state fair annually and managed and guided by the State of New Mexico’s General Services Department. The resulting master plan will be managed and implemented by the State Fairgrounds development district. The newly established district will serve as a financing mechanism with the goal of reinvesting in the fairgrounds site and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Stantec has a long history of supporting complex and transformative redevelopment projects across North America. The firm led master planning efforts for the Colorado State Fairgrounds district, which reframed the cultural asset as a vibrant heart of the community—anchored by new, more sustainable and resilient facilities. The firm led Nashville’s approved Global Mall Area Plan, which transformed 67-acres into a mixed-income, mixed-use community that better serves the surrounding area. Stantec also led the preparation of the overall master plan and public realm concepts for the Saskatoon Downtown Event and Entertainment District in Saskatchewan; a project that helped revitalize one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities while connecting the community to public space.
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About Stantec
Stantec empowers clients, people, and communities to rise to the world’s greatest challenges at a time when the world faces more unprecedented concerns than ever before.
We are a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. Our professionals deliver the expertise, technology, and innovation communities need to manage aging infrastructure, demographic and population changes, the energy transition, and more.
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Media Contact
Michael Stevens
Stantec Media Relations
Ph: (509) 957-5262
michael.stevens@stantec.com
Colin Nekolaichuk
Stantec Media Relations
Ph: (416) 542-6049
colin.nekolaichuk@stantec.com
