Governor Bill Richardson Gets Positive Reception from Mexican Leaders on NFL Study
Governor Bill Richardson Gets Positive Reception from Mexican Leaders on NFL Study
Governor Bill Richardson, following successful meetings with government and business leaders in Mexico, announced today the creation of an NFL working group that will oversee New Mexico's effort to potential pursue a professional football
franchise for the franchise.
Governor Richardson appointed Department of Finance & Administration Secretary James Jimenez to head the NFL working group. PNM Chairman Jeff Sterba will represent the private sector; and Dan Barrett, New Mexico's consultant who will study
the potential for an NFL team, will also represent the state on the working group. The group will work closely with representatives from Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Sunland Park, El Paso, Juarez and Monterrey.
"After these successful meetings, it is clear that we need to step back and allow our new NFL consultant to do his work to determine the feasibility of having an NFL team in the region," Governor Richardson said.
Governor Richardson traveled to Mexico this week to conduct preliminary meetings with leaders from various border cities about the possibility of a regional NFL franchise. The Governor also met with leaders from Monterrey. The meetings came one day after the State of New Mexico hired Dan Barrett to serve as a consultant and conduct feasibility studies on the possibility of an NFL team in the future - at least five years from now.
"I did not ask for, nor did I expect any commitments during this initial, exploratory mission," Governor Bill Richardson said following meetings in Juarez and Monterrey. "However, our Mexican counterparts in Juarez and Monterrey were eager to move
forward with this study. They want to play a hands-on role in determining the real potential for an NFL team - a bi-national franchise - in this region."
Governor Richardson also met with top executives from the following companies to encourage them to do business in New Mexico:
ALFA: They are a Mexican company consisting of four business groups: Alpek (petrochemicals and synthetic fibers), Sigma (refrigerated and frozen food), Nemak (aluminum auto components) and Onexa (telecommunications)
Vitro: An expert and leader in glass manufacturing, packaging, and distribution.
Villacero: A steel conglomerate of time-tested companies producing, transforming, processing and distributing quality-certified steel products in Mexico and internationally.
Soriana Organization: Is Mexico's second largest retailer based on sales, with 160 hypermarkets (huge stores that sell both food and general merchandise) in 54 Mexican cities.
FEMSA: Mexico's largest beverage company and of the leading Latin American beverage companies.
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2006/march/031706_02.pdf