County outlines economic development push: recruitment, market studies, 'Desert Kitchen' and GRT-sharing incentives

Doña Ana County administrators asked the County Commission for feedback on a package of economic development initiatives that includes recruitment for a new economic development director, market and parks planning RFPs, a potential commercial kitchen at the fairgrounds, and options for gross-receipts-tax (GRT) sharing to incentivize business investment.

Jonathan Macias, Assistant County Manager, said the county reposted the economic development director position and added a $20,000 sign-on bonus payable after a one-year probationary period. Macias said a recruitment brochure and a set of RFPs are live; RFPs mentioned in the presentation include a market and retail analysis (closing end of the month) and a parks, recreation and community centers master plan (scope closes April 30) that would include implementation steps at five-, 10- and 15-year intervals.

Stephen Lopez, Assistant County Manager, described a proposal to convert the fairgrounds’ Quonset-hut kitchen into a short-term-rental commercial kitchen, dubbed "Desert Kitchen," that could be rented for…