R.J. Berry promised to run the City of Albuquerque like a business. He has but the problem is that Berry is not a successful business man. He lacks the skills and abilities of former Mayor Chavez. Berry has failed to promote Albuquerque as a product worth investing in for businesses. As a result we are ninety fourth out of a hundred of the largest metropolitan cities when it comes to recovery from the Great Recession.
Mayor Berry lacks the vision to get behind large city improvements that would attract employers and tourist to our city. He has no skills in promotion nor does his staff. Berry has not reached out to the environmentalist in this city to help him promote a partnership between them and the city that would aide in the development of attractions along the river. Mayor Chavez built the channel in the nature center that not only attracted tourist but protected the silvery minnow. Berry has totally ignored that project over the last few years.
Look at Tingly Beach as an example, Mayor Chavez redeveloped that areas for fishing and recreation. He cleaned up a very dirty place and turned it into a show place. Yet, Berry has done nothing to expand that development. Where is the public and private partnership that would develop that area further? Why not upgrade the rest of that tract of land and build restaurants along a nice pond where people could sit out on a deck and watch the water and the local bird life. During the day you could rent little boats.
Lights and landscaping could be placed around the ponds to make the place more inviting to tourist. An entrance could be built to allow people to enter the Zoo. People could be encouraged to eat at the restaurants maybe do a little shopping, play some golf and then take the little train to either the Zoo or the Bio-park. That train could be expanded to make a trip to the Hispanic Cultural Center. Local hotels could be encouraged to provide van trips, which would take tourist to the area for activities.
One has to ask Mayor Berry, where is his vision for our city? Where is the push to expand and build upon the projects that Mayor Chavez so successfully started for this city? Why is he such a failure at working with community groups when it comes to the development or redevelopment of areas in our city? Why is he not working with state senators to improve parts of our city? .