Las Vegas named arts and culture place to be

SANTA FE — Las Vegas got a brand new designation on Wednesday — one that will translate into a new kind of state support for the community.

Las Vegas is one of two cities in New Mexico to be named an Arts and Culture District, the result of an interagency initiative signed into law last year. Silver City was the other city to win the designation.

As an Arts and Culture District, the cities will receive support for boosting tourism through promotion, marketing, technical and design assistance, said Elmo Baca, a state tourism official who served on the evaluation team that selected the two cities.

“What really impressed the panel was that Las Vegas seems to have the heart and desire for this. Their (proposal) was well prepared and well thought out and has a lot support,” Baca said. “It seems like Las Vegas has a lot of momentum.”

A $2,500 startup check was presented to the city’s MainStreet group Wednesday evening at New Mexico MainStreet’s winter quarterly meeting in Santa Fe. More than a dozen Las Vegas residents were on hand for the Arts and Culture District announcement.

“This will help us sell our history and our buildings,” Mayor Henry Sanchez said. “I’m so proud of these people who worked so hard on it.”

A cross-section of MainStreet leadership in Las Vegas worked for months on a strategic plan for “an arts and culture environment” to win the designation.

Friday: What it will mean for Las Vegas.