Happy to Have You

Jason, Coraline, and Leah

Warm Welcome

Welcome, and bienvenidos, to Las Cruces! 

On behalf of our residents, my fellow City Council Members, and our municipal government administrators, I welcome you to Las Cruces, NM. 

Las Cruces has now grown to more than 111,000 residents, which makes our community one of the 300 largest cities in the United States. Our great city is multi-cultured, and the genuine friendliness of our residents is second to none. 

Las Cruces includes some of the absolute best features and amenities New Mexico has to offer. We have made, and continue to make, significant downtown improvements. In recent years, we have seen our downtown come alive again with the opening of Plaza de Las Cruces, and businesses that complement the numerous activities downtown that support, encourage, and excite our residents. We have a strong commitment to enhance the quality of life for our residents, friends, and visitors – and it shows. 

Our city is excited about $35.6 million in improvements that are currently being made to parks, sports fields, and related facilities; our animal shelter; fire station; and walking, jogging, and biking trails. We have made a commitment to grow and enhance the economic opportunities for the Las Cruces Innovation and Industrial Park, on the city’s West Mesa, and we already are experiencing positive results. 

We are hopeful that more exciting changes are on the way! 

Las Cruces is at the crossroads of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Las Cruces is nearing the 175th anniversary of its founding, in 1849. Our city’s future is bright as economic development continues to be strong; academic achievement abounds at New Mexico State University, Doña Ana Community College, and at our high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. 

Our relationships remain strong with nearby White Sands Missile Range, NASA’s White Sands Test Facility, Holloman Air Force Base, in Alamogordo, and Fort Bliss, in El Paso. The development of commercial space travel continues to steadily grow at nearby Spaceport America, and we are excited about the future. 

I hope that you will take the time to enjoy all that Las Cruces has to offer! I encourage you to visit our city’s shops, restaurants, and museums. 

If there is anything we at the City of Las Cruces can do to help you make our community your new home, please let me know! 

Mayor Ken Miyagishima 
City of Las Cruces

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Welcome to Las Cruces!
 
As Presidents/CEOs of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce and the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, we are very excited to introduce you to our business community.
 
Our city has many obvious incredible experiences for you to enjoy. Our Saturday Farmers Market is one of the best in the country with more than 250 local artisans and food vendors, sharing with you unique gifts, tastes, and experiences. The Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, designated in 2014, provides endless opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful desert landscapes and creatures. And, just 50 minutes up the road, we have White Sands National Park, site of the oldest known human footprints in North America and home of the largest concentration of gypsum sand in the world. We have wine festivals, art openings, outdoor festivals, and more. The list goes on and on. 

What the two of us are most proud of is the thriving business community we have in Las Cruces. Our city is proud of the rich cultural influence seen in our restaurants, the drive from family-run businesses to provide personalized service, and the creativity from the business owners to make sure your experience is something you will never forget. 

As you get settled in Las Cruces, we hope you will get to know our local businesses, meet the folks who drive our economy and who give back to local charities because they are committed to helping others in our city. And, if you ever have questions about our business community, please reach out to either of us. We would love to talk with you. 

Yours in Service,

Debbi Moore, President/CEO, Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce
Carrie Hamblen, President/CEO, Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce

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Family Perspectives
Leah Messina and Jason Koenig    

Jason grew up in New Mexico, and Leah has lived in Las Cruces for the past 12 years, moving here from the East Coast. Together, we run a marketing technology firm, Sinuate Media, along with a great team. One of the questions we get most often when talking to clients who have never been to New Mexico is, “What is it like there?” We love sharing that we’re just a few minutes to the base of a mountain to go hiking, that the weather is great, how easy it is to get around, and how beautiful the landscape is, too. They always say they want to come visit!

As a company, we frequently like to pick a different location to visit and enjoy the local patio scene. There are so many places to choose from: La Posta, The Bean, Dry Point Distillers, Hacienda de Mesilla, Spotted Dog, Broken Spoke, and Luna Rossa are just a few. For date night, we like to visit the local breweries and wine bars and catch some live music. We’ve recently enjoyed Vintage Wine Bar and Grounded, both of which have beautiful outdoor areas. We always run into someone we know, which is a great part about being a tight-knit community.  

We are involved in the community as both business owners and parents. We’ve both been adjunct faculty at New Mexico State University – Jason teaching business and communications classes and Leah teaching eCommerce to art students. It has been great to be involved in the campus community, and stay connected to all the activities and events that happen there.

Raising our family here, we spend a lot of time outdoors and exploring the areas around us. Our house is up against the desert, so it is like having the world’s largest backyard. There are so many trails and parks to choose from in our town. Our youngest is enthralled with seeing rabbits, roadrunners, foxes, hummingbirds, quail, and other wildlife nearby.

We also love the easy day trips from here, whether it is to go shopping or dine in El Paso, a trip to the Pink Store in Palamos, Mexico, when we have out-of-town visitors, or up to Albuquerque or Santa Fe for the weekend. One of our most favorite getaways has been to the Black Range Lodge in Hillsboro, NM, where after the snow melts in the Gila, there’s enough water for a waterfall. The kids love exploring that area. 

There’s always something to explore here. Welcome to Las Cruces!