Raton, New Mexico
August 24, 2022

Earlier this year, the City of Raton, New Mexico submitted a request for Community Project Funding to Congresswoman Leger Fernández. Their office received nearly 150 requests and was permitted to submit only 15 final projects for further consideration by the House Appropriations Committee. The Raton Film Studio and Education Center was selected as one of those 15 final projects submitted to the Appropriations Committee. 

In July, Leger Fernández secured the House passage of $22.7 million in appropriations funding to help families and communities in New Mexico which includes $3 million towards a Raton Film Studio and Education Center.

If the budget passes the Senate in September, the funding will go towards the renovation of the Kearny school building, followed by an expansion of the gymnasium to become a New Mexico-qualified soundstage and home of a state-of-the-art Extended Reality (XR) studio which will be used to teach cutting edge technology in the Northern New Mexico region. 

An additional $1.1 million dollars in state capital outlay funds has been secured by the City to kick off the renovations at Kearny. The overall project is estimated to cost roughly $6 million dollars and will turn an abandoned 20,000+ sqft elementary school previously set for demolition into a workforce training center aimed at facilitating the region to tap into New Mexico’s burgeoning film economy. According to The New Mexico Film Office, 2022 has been a record setting year for TV shows and movies shot in New Mexico, bringing in $855 million this year, about $200 million more than last.

Learn More (External Links):

PRESS RELEASE: Rep. Leger Fernández Secures House Passage of Millions for Community Funding Projects in Appropriations Bill

Rep. Leger Fernández Votes To Pass Legislation To Help New Mexico Communities

What is Extended Reality Technology? A Simple Explanation For Anyone - by Bernard Marr @Forbes

Work Begins on El Raton Studios @Explore Raton