Logan attorney makes case for Tucumcari

TUCUMCARI — Coronado Partners frontman Warren Frost can tick off several reasons his group should land a horse-racing track and casino license in Tucumcari over Clovis. But he first says picking Tucumcari would be best for the New Mexico Racing Commission itself.

Frost, a Logan attorney, said in a telephone interview that some believe $20 million of a Clovis race track's annual income would come from Lubbock - visitors who currently go to Zia Park Racetrack in Hobbs or Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso.

"The goal from the racing commission is to enhance racing in the state of New Mexico," Frost said. If the commission chose Clovis, "you essentially are cannibalizing from the Hobbs and Ruidoso tracks, which doesn't make any sense. If the goal is to enhance money going into New Mexico racing, why would they want to split up that pie?"

Frost said putting an $80 million racino in Tucumcari would expand the horse-racing market into northeast New Mexico and draw visitors from the north Texas Panhandle, which doesn't allow gambling. That includes Amarillo, which he estimates would amount to 65 percent of the Tucumcari racino's revenue.

Frost and his group will make those arguments and others during the racing commission's public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Tucumcari Convention Center.

The commission stated in an email it plans to livestream the hearing on YouTube.

Lordsburg also is vying for a racino license. But Frost for weeks has said the top contenders are in Clovis and Tucumcari.

Frost also said Tucumcari holds an advantage over Clovis with Interstate 40, which carries more than 14,000 vehicles a day, according to the state transportation department.

"Clovis doesn't have anything similar to that," Frost said.

Frost said Tucumcari and Quay County are "united" in support of the racino, while at least one opposition group - RaciNO: Clovis Racino Facts and Truth - has emerged on Facebook against the Clovis project.

"The Clovis opposition group, they're really getting after it," Frost said. "There's no organized opposition like that in Quay County."

Part of the reason Coronado Partners has encountered little resistance is because Tucumcari, San Jon, Logan and Quay County will receive 1 percent to 1.5 percent of the racino's yearly proceeds, Frost said.

For San Jon, he estimates that would be about $150,000 a year.

"That doesn't sound like a lot of money, but if you're San Jon and can't afford a police officer, $150,000 is a lot of money," he said.

Coronado Partners holds an option on 330 acres in east Tucumcari between I-40 and Route 66. The Tucumcari racino, Frost said, would have a 1-mile oval track with an extension for quarter-horse racing and possibly an infield amphitheater for concerts. The proposed facility would contain 600 slot machines, a restaurant, a lounge and other features. Frost estimates the racino would employ 300 people, plus another 100 during racing season.

He said a racino needs only 150 acres, so Coronado Partners owning additional land is a plus.

"What sets us apart is having that 180 additional acres for future development to enhance the property - hotels, perhaps an RV park, things of that nature," Frost said.

Frost led a failed attempt 10 years ago to land a racino in Tucumcari. The commission awarded the license to Raton, which never opened the racetrack amid financing problems.

Frost feels more confident about his bid this time.

"We had a great application before, and we had sleazy politics get in the way," he said. "In retrospect, there was nothing we could do because we were beat before we got started."