Civil Municipal - Feb 2024

to the Rio Ruidoso River, which flows tumultuously from Sierra Blanca to the Hondo Valley, creating a boisterous commotion as it thunders over the river rocks. With deer, elk, and wild horses roaming freely, Ruidoso’s outdoor amenities are a tremendous incentive for tourists and active residents. Lynn D. Crawford, Mayor, and CEO of Ruidoso, affirms, “The lakes are a major draw with trout fishing, biking, and hiking trails.” Pinnacle Trail Systems offers mountain bike instruction and guiding services. Fort Stanton Equestrian Trail Head is open to visitors and offers 93 miles of sustainable trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Grindstone Lake Trails are 14 miles of custom-built mountain biking trails, with hiking and horseback riding allowed. The town’s magnetism is not only its aesthetics and activities but its inhabitants. “We have a tremendously positive community full of volunteers for our programs,” states Crawford. “There is a volunteer committee for everything, from Parks and Rec to the Cemetery Board.” Ruidoso is the largest municipality in Lincoln County and serves as the regional economic hub. With 1.9 million annual visitors, it is not surprising this territory’s primary industry is tourism. A PROGRESSIVE MARKETING SYSTEM, CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND FUNDING Last year, the Village of Ruidoso committed to developing a 5-year comprehensive marketing plan. Kerry Gladden, from PR & Media Relations, says, “As we were putting the prospectus together, it became clear we needed to transition from a destination marketing organization to a destination marketing and management system.” During COVID, people flocked to the area, escaping the high infection rates and tension in larger municipalities. Although Ruidoso still welcomed tourists, this influx of city-fleers raised fundamental questions for Gladden. “How do we manage the population? How do we convince visitors to travel responsibly?”This is where the management system 89 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02 RUIDOSO, NM