News & Insights
Photo courtesy of: Greg Land
The University of New Mexico has taken the first step in a transformative effort to modernize University Stadium and reimagine its entire south campus as a vibrant mixed-use economic development district.
As reported in Sports Business Journal, UNM has hired a joint venture of Gensler and New Mexico-based Dekker, firms with extensive higher education and campus planning expertise, to lead a comprehensive feasibility study. B&D’s Venues Practice Group will support the process by performing the athletics master plan for the south campus. The state-funded effort will evaluate University Stadium’s condition, including the fan and game-day experience, restrooms, concessions, premium amenities, and revenue opportunities.
The study will also produce renderings, phasing options, and cost estimates while considering expanded year-round uses such as high school championships, community gatherings, and statewide events. Results from the study are expected by early 2026.
A broader vision: mixed-use development
Beyond the stadium itself, the plan looks at the South Campus Tax Increment Development District (TIDD). Created by state law in 2023, the TIDD is a collaboration among UNM’s Lobo Development Corporation, the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and the State of New Mexico. It is projected to generate approximately $267 million in infrastructure investment for public safety, transit, parking, pedestrian networks, trails, and recreation fields — all designed to support new economic growth.
This mixed-use concept draws on national trends, such as Atlanta’s Battery district, where sports venues are increasingly paired with retail, entertainment, housing, and commercial opportunities to create year-round destinations.
What comes next
The study is expected to run between six and 12 months, with stadium-specific recommendations unveiled in early 2026. As part of this process, B&D’s athletics master plan will help align market opportunities with UNM’s mission while ensuring athletic facilities serve the needs of students, athletes, and the broader community. Early framework materials point to strategies that integrate student housing, retail, entertainment districts, workforce housing, and wellness facilities into a cohesive south campus district.
