July 25, 2009
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
The economic benefits from The Pit do not have to wait until the sunken and legendary arena built in 1966 is all slick and shiny from its $60 million facelift.
And the University of New Mexico Lobos will have to wait their turn to take part in this gigantic, economical shot into New Mexico’s needy arm.
First, a whole lot of New Mexico companies and New Mexico workers get to benefit from UNM’s vision to return University Arena to its rightful place as one of the finest basketball arenas in the nation.
The impact from one of the largest construction jobs in New Mexico obviously includes the money going into the pockets of New Mexico companies and New Mexico workers. But even the area around The Pit is impacted by workers hitting the local burger joints or maybe filling up their gas tanks.
There can be up to 200 workers a day doing their thing to help bring a modern touch to this aged but special building.
“The impact is tremendous,” said Tim Cass, UNM’s Senior Associate Athletics Director. “I don’t think people realize how many ways this project helps the state. There is even economic impact from the recycling of the materials being torn down.”
But first, let’s list the New Mexico subcontractors, material suppliers and service providers working on The Pit’s renovation. A few of these companies are national organizations with local offices, but hiring the New Mexico worker:
A&A Signs, ABC Door Company, Advance On-Site Protection Security, Advantage Drilling LLC, Albuquerque Cabinets Inc., Albuquerque Reprographics Inc., Albuquerque Windustrial, Albuquerque Winnelson Company, Allied Forces Temporary Services, AMEC, American Fence Company of New Mexico Inc., American National Insulation, AmFab Inc., Border State Electric Supply Inc., Business Environments.
CALPLY Inc., CED, Cintas First Aid & Safety, Concrete Washout Systems of New Mexico Inc., Coronado Wrecking & Salvage Co. Inc., Culligan Water Systems, Daylighting Solutions, Ephesus Office Technologies Inc., Fairway Inc., Frank’s Supply Company Inc., G&H Construction Company Inc., Gill-Con Inc., Grant & Associates Mechanical Inc., Great Western Specialists, High Mesa Consulting Group.
Industrial Commercial Coating LLC., Integrated Control Systems Inc., Kirk Air Company Inc., KWAL Paint, L&P Building Supply of Albuquerque, LaFarge North American Inc., Les File Drywall Inc., Magic Clean LLC, Majestic Construction Inc., Maranatha Construction Inc., Massey Johnson Associates, Merit Insulation Inc.
Mosher Enterprises, Motorized Sun Solutions, National Electric Supply, National Heating and Ventilating Co., National Restaurant Supply Co. Inc., National Roofing Company Inc., Post Tensioning Reinforcing Services Inc., Precision Masonry Inc., Preferred Painting Inc., Python Construction Company, RamJack of New Mexico, Rio Grande Drywall Supply Co.
Roadrunner Waste Services Inc., Robert Cohen Co. LLC., RSC Equipment Rental, Sealant Specialists Inc., Socha Company Inc., Southwest Glass & Glazing Inc., Stan’s Precision Specialty Co., STM Enterprises LTD., Territorial Scaffold Inc., The Door Guy Inc., The Noel Company Inc., Thyssen Krupp Elevator, TLC Plumbing and Utility, TRSC, Vernon Tile Co. Inc., Vulcan Materials Co., Western State Fire Protection Co., White Cap Construction Supply.
That massive list of New Mexico companies benefiting from The Pit’s $60 million renovation doesn’t include Flintco West Inc. — the general contractor which has had a regional office in New Mexico for more than 15 years and which also hires New Mexico workers.
“This is a stimulus package on several levels,” said Paul Krebs, UNM`s Vice President in Charge of Athletics. “These renovations are not simply going to benefit UNM or New Mexico in the future. They are an immediate impact to local trades and local workers.
“The renovations are employing hundreds of people. This is a time when contractors are looking for work and this renovation is putting hundreds of people to work and generating millions of dollars for New Mexicans.”
Said Jim Lloyd, Senior Projects Manager for Flintco: “There is such an obvious impact not only in providing work for workers, but in manufacturing and purchasing of needed materials. Most of this work goes to New Mexico because the New Mexico companies are the ones providing the best value for the university.”
Of course, the long-range goal here is providing New Mexico basketball with a venue that has no superiors and few equals. The completion of this task also will bring money into the state as UNM will be better suited to host first and second-round NCAA Tournaments and other high-profile events that will put money into New Mexico pockets.
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“These renovations are not simply going to benefit UNM or New Mexico in the future. They are an immediate impact to local trades and local workers.” Paul Krebs, UNM Vice President in Charge of Athletics |
“We not only think it’s important that the construction money is staying in state,” said Cass. “We also think it’s important that improvements to The Pit not only will generate future revenue for UNM, but also for this community.”
The Pit was built in 1966 for an amazingly, economical price tag of $1.4 million and even though The Pit was the site of the 1983 Final Four, the aging of University Arena has kept the NCAA from bringing men’s tournament games to Albuquerque.
That should change when the Pit is expanded by 60,000-square feet that includes 40 luxury suites and 244 Club Seats. The Pit will have state-of-the-art locker room facilities, new scoreboards, an expanded concourse, new restrooms, expanded concessions, a high-rise look out front.
The finished Pit will be highly beneficial to UNM and extremely attractive to New Mexico fans. Until then, there are a lot of other winners hanging around The Pit — the workers of New Mexico.