SunRay Casino Relocation Plan Sparks Local Debate
SunRay Park and Casino’s owners have proposed relocating the racino from Farmington to Clovis.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:This move will be front and center at Monday’s San Juan County Commission meeting in Aztec as residents and officials assess the economic fallout.
The proposal, confirmed last week by SunRay president Paul Blanchard, comes after a steep decline in revenue and attendance that the company says has rendered its San Juan operations unsustainable. In a statement to local media, Blanchard cited a roughly 55% fall in casino receipts and weakening racetrack turnout as the primary drivers behind the decision. He also pointed to the regional energy industry downturn and growing competition from nearby tribal casinos as compounding pressures.
Blanchard framed the Clovis plan as a way to restore the business and bolster the state’s horse-racing sector. "We believe that this move will result in substantially higher revenues for the State of New Mexico, larger purses for horsemen, and more racing days", he said.
The Clovis development is proposed for a roughly 200-acre site on the town’s eastern edge and would include a 1,600-meter oval track, a 3,000-seat grandstand, a casino, a hotel and an RV park. The New Mexico Racing Commission has opened a 45-day public comment period while it evaluates whether to grant relocation approval. If the commission signs off and permitting proceeds on schedule, the applicants aim to begin operations in Clovis by spring 2027.
SunRay’s management has stressed regulatory and structural differences that favor the move. New Mexico’s racetrack casinos operate under tax and racing-purse requirements that differ from tribal compacts; racinos must allocate a portion of revenue – commonly cited as 20% - to horse purses, a structure that SunRay executives say makes profitability harder to achieve in Farmington’s market environment.
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Local Officials Weigh Next Steps After Relocation Plan
The San Juan County Commission meeting on November 10 will provide a public forum for residents, racing stakeholders and elected officials to respond. Local leaders say the announcement blindsided them; State Senator Bill Sharer criticized the company for failing to engage county officials sooner. San Juan County staff are preparing to outline potential next steps, which include repurposing the facility for outdoor markets, concerts, motocross and recreational amenities if the racino shuts down.
Economically, the loss would be tangible. SunRay currently provides about 120 jobs and contributes roughly $1.2 million annually to county coffers, figures county officials say are significant for a community still grappling with declines in the energy sector. State Senator Steve Lanier cautioned that the twin blows of the racino’s exit and a weakened oil-and-gas industry could slow San Juan County’s recovery.
Regulatory hurdles remain. The New Mexico Racing Commission’s review will weigh community input, projected racing schedules and financial assurances tied to purses and operations. Opponents and local advocates have raised questions about whether the proposed Clovis project will deliver promised economic benefits and whether relocation would exacerbate disparities between commercial racetracks and tribal casinos operating under separate agreements.
For residents and workers, the impending vote and comment period present the last clear opportunities to influence outcomes. County officials say they will use the November hearing to gather testimony that could shape a formal response to the relocation request – and to press SunRay for mitigation plans if the move proceeds.
As the regulatory process unfolds, the broader debate will center on how New Mexico balances competing gaming models, the future of regional horse racing, and how rural communities replace lost jobs and tax revenue when anchor attractions disappear. For now, Farmington residents face months of uncertainty while the clock runs on the NMRC review and SunRay advances its Clovis ambitions.
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