From the El Paso Times:
Big Tuna USA, a company with a unique niche in the North American pipe industry, has chosen Las Cruces as its manufacturing center, the company announced Tuesday at Las Cruces City Hall. It plans to hire 30 workers over the next three years, and will manufacture and distribute a high-density pipe product patented by the Australian-based Long Pipes Ltd.
The Bordplex Alliance has declared that its mission is to promote economic development in El Paso, Las Cruces, and Ciudad Juarez. So I guess the Borderplex Alliance can chalk this one up as a success, right?
Maybe not.
State and local lawmakers weighed in on Tuesday’s announcement, as did those in the economic development community.
“I’m absolutely thrilled by our continued economic expansion across key growth areas,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in a written statement. “Every new partner, each new investment, all the new jobs — all of it boosts the signal we’re sending to industry here and elsewhere that New Mexico is open for business and ready for significant growth.”
“We have the workforce, we have the business climate, we have the incentives and companies are taking notice,” said New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes. “Big Tuna is a great example of a startup company coming to New Mexico where it can take a great idea and succeed.”
“We are excited about this opportunity to welcome yet another international manufacturing operation to Las Cruces,” Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said. “Through the efforts of [the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Association] and our economic development team we continue the momentum of industry diversification and new job opportunities for our residents.”
“This is an exciting opportunity to bring manufacturing and industry to Las Cruces, and to help build our workforce,” Las Cruces Mayor Pro Tem Kasandra Gandara told the Sun-News following the announcement. “These 30-plus jobs will be very important to our community.”
“We’re the second-largest city in New Mexico,” said Davin Lopez, president and CEO of MVEDA. “It should only make sense that we are part of the supply chain that’s supporting our natural resources that really support the state. In this case, we’re able to attract a company that’s providing manufacturing components to an industry that’s really representative of the state.”
Wait a minute. Las Cruces has its own economic development association? Is part of their mission to promote economic development in El Paso?
And why wasn’t the Borderplex Alliance asked to contribute a quote to this article? Do you think that maybe it’s because they didn’t do jack to get Big Tuna to move to Cruces?
So Dona Ana County has the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Association, Jerry Pacheco’s International Business Accelerator, and the Borderplex Alliance working for economic development in Dona Ana County, and the City of El Paso has, what? A third of the efforts of the Borderplex Alliance?
How’s that working out for us?