By Jesse Jones, City Desk in The Paper. — Bernalillo County Commission Chair Adriann Barboa sent an early morning call to the community Wednesday for a press conference at the Expo New Mexico entrance that was long on rumors and short on facts. During the briefing, Barboa claimed that “people who represent the governor and the state” told her the state had secured $100 million from the legislature for the fairgrounds, including $70 million for a stadium and $30 million for housing.
The event quickly fizzled when Barboa was unable to back up her claims with specifics of the information she provided to reporters.
Minutes after Barboa finished, former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez held an impromptu press conference at the same spot to dispute Barboa’s claims. Chavez, a paid contractor for the governor’s fairgrounds initiative, called the opposition shortsighted.
“We wonder why we don’t do great things sometimes in New Mexico,” Chavez said. “What we heard this morning from the commissioner was one reason, because people say no without even listening to the facts.”…