A Border City’s Bold Vision for Growth

From housing booms to entertainment districts, this New Mexico border city is transforming itself while honoring its binational heritage

At the southernmost point of New Mexico, where three states and two nations converge, Sunland Park is writing its own story of growth and transformation. The city, led by fourth-term Mayor Javier Perea, has evolved into one of New Mexico’s fastest-growing and safest urban centers, while preserving its unique border identity.

“Being right there on the border between Texas, New Mexico and Mexico, my community faces a lot of different challenges, but also a lot of opportunities, very unique to our community,” says Mayor Perea, who began his fourth term on January 1st 2024, marking over 12 and a half years at the city’s helm. The opportunities he speaks of are rapidly materializing, from new housing developments to ambitious entertainment venues.

The city’s location has historically served as a natural crossroads for commerce and culture. “We’re in a binational bicultural community,” Mayor Perea explains. “That area has always been a place where people go back and forth between Mexico, whether the United States or even at one point when it was all Mexico.” This heritage of movement and exchange continues to shape Sunland Park’s character today.

The city’s evolution from a modest border town to an emerging hub of development showcases the results of careful planning and community engagement. The welcoming nature of its residents, coupled with their strong work ethic, has created an environment ripe for growth. “The people here are very welcoming, very friendly, hardworking individuals that want to provide a better future for their families along with the next generation,” Mayor Perea observes.

Growth and Safety at the Tri-State Junction

Sunland Park’s strategic position at the intersection of New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico creates unique opportunities and challenges in managing growth while maintaining its distinctive character. The city’s recent recognition as one of New Mexico’s safest urban areas comes alongside its status as one of the state’s fastest-developing regions.

This rapid development is reshaping the city’s municipal approach. For the first time, Sunland Park implemented a comprehensive master plan five years ago, marking a turning point in how the city approaches its future. “In the city’s 40-year history, we never really had a cohesive master plan,” Mayor Perea points out. “We had to be upfront about the issues that our community faces.”

The influx of new residents, particularly from other parts of the United States drawn to the region’s lower cost of living, has contributed to rising home prices in the borderland area. However, this growth has catalyzed unprecedented development within the city. “We anticipate another maybe between 2,000-2,500 new homes within our region, within the city of Sunland Park itself,” Mayor Perea says, “and that’s on top of the 2000-4,000 homes that we’ve already seen built over the last 10 years during my tenure here at the city.”

The city administration recognizes the long-term impact of current development decisions. “We want to create sustainable communities long into the future, and we have one opportunity to get this right for the next 30 years,” Mayor Perea emphasizes. “Once you build a community, it’s there and it gets pretty much redone every 30 years or so. We want to make sure that what we do with the policies we put in place and what we approve as the governing body is in the best interest of the community and the long-term future of our homes here.”

Meeting Housing Demand with Mixed Development

Sunland Park is tackling its housing needs through a multi-faceted approach that blends traditional single-family homes with innovative higher-density developments. “Through the recent zonings that we have made across the entire city, we have allowed for single residential homes, which is one of the biggest things that we’re seeing right now,” Mayor Perea explains. “But also, our council has approved higher density developments within the city of Sunland Park, especially in our entertainment district, and along the major streets within the city.”

The city’s vision for future development includes modern mixed-use buildings that combine commercial and residential spaces. “We anticipate that in the future, we’re going to see multilevel housing, multilevel developments that have commercial space in the bottom and housing on top,” says Mayor Perea. This approach serves a dual purpose: increasing housing availability while optimizing municipal resources. “That will also help us reduce municipal cost with a higher density in certain areas across the city.”

The planning process has been marked by extensive community engagement, with residents showing strong support for increased density in specific areas. This community backing has been crucial in shaping the city’s development trajectory. “We got a lot of feedback from the community during the development of these master plans, and there seems to be a lot of support for higher density,” Mayor Perea notes. The city maintains a careful balance between new development and existing neighborhoods, “maintaining some of the historical development that existed before with single family homes across the city.”

Building Community Through Sports and Leisure

Sunland Park’s ambitious parks and recreation initiatives have gained strong public backing, with residents showing their support through a decisive vote. “The city has approved, by over 75%, bonds for quality-of-life issues,” Mayor Perea says. “And that includes improving public parks across the entire community.”

The funding strategy involves multiple bond issuances, with the first round already complete and subsequent rounds planned for the current and following years. The focus covers basic recreational facilities while creating comprehensive community spaces. “The idea is to make sure that we have livable spaces close to people’s homes and outdoor spaces where people could go out and promote healthy living,” Mayor Perea explains.

The city’s sports complex, its largest park, is undergoing significant improvements. A recent $800,000 grant will fund an artificial turf soccer field, positioning the city to tap into the lucrative sports tourism market. “That’s a billion-dollar industry, and I think our entire region is missing out on that,” notes Mayor Perea. The complex offers diverse amenities, including a skate park and basketball courts, creating an inclusive space for various activities.

A new $4 million multipurpose center, funded through a combination of state legislative support and municipal funds, is nearing completion. The facility’s location capitalizes on the region’s natural beauty. “This will be a space where people can have events with excellent views of the Franklin Mountains in El Paso and with beautiful sunsets and also the Rio branches just in the valley below,” Mayor Perea shares.

Connectivity is another key focus, with investments in a Rio Grande River trail aimed at linking Sunland Park with El Paso and connecting various city amenities. “We’re trying to connect the sports complex with the entertainment district that we’re working on and the communities across the Rio Grande,” says Mayor Perea. “We are making small investments at our capacity to make sure that everything is connected to a unified and synergistic future.”

Entertainment District

Sunland Park’s entertainment district is taking shape with several major developments now underway. A recent groundbreaking ceremony for the Independent Nation marks the first of multiple entertainment venues planned for the area, signaling the start of an ambitious transformation of this sector of the city.

The district builds upon existing attractions, including a racetrack, casino, and a small amusement park that has recently changed ownership. “The amusement park was recently purchased by Traders Village out of Texas. This will be their first investment in New Mexico, and this will be an expansion of the amusement park as well,” Mayor Perea says. The area also benefits from established draws like Mount Cristo Rey, which “draws over 30,000 pilgrims every year.”

The Rio Grande, flowing through the heart of the city, presents untapped potential for the entertainment district. “We have water running through the middle of our city and we haven’t capitalized on that. And whenever there’s water, there’s a lot of things that you could do with that,” Mayor Perea points out. Plans are already in motion to maximize this natural asset alongside new developments.

The entertainment vision goes further. “We’re also considering another entertainment venue that is hoping to bring small scale concerts to the city of Sunland Park,” Mayor Perea reveals. These entertainment facilities are expected to catalyze broader commercial development in the area. “What we also hope is that it ties into a commercial district with retail shops, restaurants, hotels, and things like that, and eventually connecting to a border crossing that we continue to work on to this day.”

Border Crossing Aspirations

The pursuit of a presidential permit for a new border crossing represents both a personal mission and a transformative opportunity for Sunland Park. For Mayor Perea, this project has been a driving force behind his decision to seek a fourth term in office.

“The biggest thing for running again for public office for this fourth term was the project of the port of entry,” Mayor Perea explains. While previous attempts by the city to secure the presidential permit were unsuccessful, current efforts have gained unprecedented traction. “During my tenure, I think this is the closest we have ever been to actually obtaining the presidential permit.”

Significant progress has already been made on the Mexican side of the border. “This is an official project now on the Mexican side. It has a federal registry number, so this project is eligible for funding on the Mexican side,” Mayor Perea notes. However, the U.S. side of the process requires additional steps. “Where we’re falling behind is on the American side right now. We’re waiting for the federal government to do the environmental review.”

For Mayor Perea, this project holds special significance, bookending his tenure as mayor. “That’s the biggest project that I came in trying to address when I started in 2012. And that’s the one thing I want to finish before I leave the mayorship,” he says.

Youth and Economic VisionSunland Park is working to transform itself from a bedroom community of El Paso into a self-sustaining city with diverse economic opportunities. This transition requires careful attention to economic development and youth engagement, two priorities that Mayor Perea sees as interconnected for the city’s future.

The current economic relationship with El Paso has historically led to revenue losses for Sunland Park. “We have always been a bedroom community to the city of El Paso, so we lost a lot of revenue to El Paso,” Mayor Perea explains. To address this challenge, the city is pursuing a multi-faceted approach to economic diversification, focusing on tourism development and the proposed port of entry project.

The emphasis on revenue generation ties directly to the city’s ability to enhance quality of life for its residents. “Without any revenues, we can’t provide additional services and improve the quality of life of our citizens,” Mayor Perea notes. The recent addition of the cannabis industry provides “a little extra gravy to our plans,” but represents just one component of a broader economic strategy.

Youth development is another key focus for the next four years, with the city working to strengthen its relationship with local school districts. The goal is to create an environment that nurtures young people and encourages them to remain in the community after completing their education. “We are working on establishing better relationships with our school districts and find better use of our spaces,” Mayor Perea says.

The vision of Sunland Park encompasses more than the immediate economic gains. As Mayor Perea puts it: “If we can get people or the youth to grow within our community in a safe and healthy environment, but also stay after they get their education, I think we would have so much more to offer. And I think we are taking the right steps, and we’re headed in the right direction when it comes to that.”

AT A GLANCE

Name: City of Sunland Park

What: One of New Mexico’s fastest growing and safest cities, transforming from a bedroom community to a self-sustaining urban center with mixed-use developments, entertainment venues, and recreational facilities

Where: New Mexico

Website: https://sunlandpark-nm.gov/