Just outside the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico sits a sleepy mountain community that is now thriving. Ruidoso, NM is an economic hub in its county, and its small business community continues to expand as more tourists are finding this once unknown area.
The mountain-resort town has been experiencing explosive growth in the last few years and is currently the third fastest growing city in the state. The population boom brought with it investments from developers building condos, apartment complexes and retail space.
Tourism provides a steady revenue stream for the city and has two popular casinos. During the height of the tourist season the population jumps to 25,000 compared to the 7,698 permanent, full-time residents. The lodgers tax collections have increased from to slightly more than $1 million in the 2004-2005 travel season from $370,535 in 1995-1996, according to the towns Chamber of Commerce.
FOX Business anchor Cody Willard heads back to his hometown to prove American prosperity is alive and well.
By the Numbers
In 2007, the estimated median household income was $44,545 and increase from $37,107 in 2000
Last year, estimated median house or condo value was $159,421 a jump from $98,200 in 2000
As the population surges, so do building permits in Lincoln County which average 145 this year
A $200 million rebuild of the city’s Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino hopes to add to the already tourism expanding tourism bubble
One of the city’s hotels, River Crossing, houses 273 rooms have been booked almost that are priced as low as $130 per night during the week to more than $300 for a suite on the weekend and the casino has 1,000 slots and 34 table games
In August, the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to provide a $600,000 grant to provide seasonal daily service between Dallas-Fort Worth and the town’s regional bank
Assessed taxable value of housing units has jumped 9.34% percent in the last year, from just more than $216 million in 2004 to slightly above $236 million this year.
A Glance in the Rearview Mirror
1.) What has changed about your hometown the most since you left?
The town has grown, and there's been an infiltration of national chains -- I shoulda shorted Starbucks (SBUX) the day it got into Ruidoso. The good news is that most of the locals avoid the chains like the plague. The bad news is the tourists do go to the brands they know. Traitors (sorta just kidding -- but I end Happy Hour saying "Support Your Local Business" for a reason.)
2.) What one characteristic in your life now do you credit your hometown for planting in you?
The only thing permanent in life is family. And I love mine for supporting me so much over the years in every way they could.
3.) What do you miss the most?
The outdoors and my many friends and my family. I miss Ruidoso A LOT!
4) Given the chance, would you move back? Why?
I hope to start a family and move back to Ruidoso and be a writer or something someday. Gimme five or ten years...
5.) What economic opportunity has your hometown lost?
Wal-Mart (WMT) came in and begged our sold-out Republican/Democrat city council to give them tax advantages that local small businesses don't have. Unlevel playing fields ruin a local community's vibrant economy. Wal-Mart later got even more tax advantages from the sold out Republican/Democrats in Ruidoso Downs and the evil chain that can't compete without welfare and cronyism continues to suck earnings out of the community.
6.) What does your hometown not get enough credit for?
When I was a kid Ruidoso was known as the best kept secret in the southwest. I sorta wanna keep it that way (all this coverage today notwithstanding!)
Hey Cody,
What an outstanding job you have done representing our little piece of heaven here in Ruidoso,NM.
Win, Place & Show is still buzzing about the show you did there....everyone was impressed with you and your crew.
Keep up the good work and keep voicing those great opinions on the state of our country.
I just wish some of the politicians in Washington had your common sense approach....we wouldn't be in the mess we are in right now.
Sincerely,
Eddie & Mary Beth Fowler//Win, Place & Show
December 6, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Lori
What does Cody think of Bill Richardson leaving New Mexico in "the red" and then going to be commerce secretary for the whole US? If you cannot manage the small stuff, how can you handle the medium size stuff? Also, Bill Richardson braggs about the fact that 1 in 4 New Mexicans are on the Medicaid program. What is that something to be pround of? Maybe this is why the state of New Mexico is in the "red"? Encouraging the poor and unemployed to stay that way? When will Bill and his new BFF learn, nothing is free and we all pay the price for the lazies who depend on the "funding streams" (take from Peter to pay Paul).
December 6, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Ted
Way to go Cody, keep up the pressure on the banks and the credit card companies who "decide they must raise the rates (althought they got real cheap money and baillouts) The real folks need you to tell the real Story. Sorry I missed you at WPS Ted
December 6, 2008 at 9:39 am
peter
FBN still has a long way to go. Please move a little faster... and send this guy to the cop shop beat for three or four years. This town has "two popular casinos."??? How many unpopular casinos does it have? He's searching and not finding.
December 6, 2008 at 6:22 am
david
i see he failed to mention that this is the place to come if you want to get away with murder. even paul harvey said if you want to get away with murder do it in lincoln county new mexico and by god he was 100% right. my son was shot and killed and robbed last year and the cops did not even take finger prints of the gun, nor did they run the serial number and to say this is a great place to live well maybe but dont get killed here as ther will be no closure for the family. if you do not believe me i have the reports and photo's so if you want to here some interviews with people that commit crimes let me know. i also was told by the chief of police that it is ok for someone at a crime scene to move a gun, isnt that tampereing with evidence, well i guess in other parts of the world it is but not here. and talk about targeting minorities and natives well they are keeping the system moveing right along. and you can check the court records for that proof.
December 6, 2008 at 2:02 am
Robert Prescott
Sounds like Salida Colorado. We love it here. We moved our business here 3 years ago (Young Colors), my hobby is part time ski instructor at Monarch - unpretenious, fun and freindly. Our little business in the mountains of CO is growing - and we love the lieflstyle a moutnain community offers.
December 5, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Al Vom Steeg
Cody,
I lived in Ruidoso for 10 years in the 80's. Two of my kids were born there. I now live in a very small mountain community in Southern California called Wrightwood. It's as close as I could get to Ruidoso.
Ruidoso is a wonderful place.
Al
December 5, 2008 at 3:31 pm
DBeese
Time to exploit one of the last clean and beautiful places in America to get away from it all and enjoy the resources. Southern California used to be a great place to visit 30 years ago, too. I'm sorry to hear that Ruidosa has been "discovered". Good bye clean air and water, welcome more exploitation!
December 5, 2008 at 2:55 pm
marilyn nelson
Cody, I didn't see anywhere mentioned the wonderful Quarter-horse racing that is held at Ruidoso. They still have them, do they not?
December 5, 2008 at 1:44 pm
jules
Whoa - Is Cody not coming back to FBN??? I wont watch anymore
Subscribe to Comments
Mary Beth Fowler
Hey Cody, What an outstanding job you have done representing our little piece of heaven here in Ruidoso,NM. Win, Place & Show is still buzzing about the show you did there....everyone was impressed with you and your crew. Keep up the good work and keep voicing those great opinions on the state of our country. I just wish some of the politicians in Washington had your common sense approach....we wouldn't be in the mess we are in right now. Sincerely, Eddie & Mary Beth Fowler//Win, Place & Show
Lori
What does Cody think of Bill Richardson leaving New Mexico in "the red" and then going to be commerce secretary for the whole US? If you cannot manage the small stuff, how can you handle the medium size stuff? Also, Bill Richardson braggs about the fact that 1 in 4 New Mexicans are on the Medicaid program. What is that something to be pround of? Maybe this is why the state of New Mexico is in the "red"? Encouraging the poor and unemployed to stay that way? When will Bill and his new BFF learn, nothing is free and we all pay the price for the lazies who depend on the "funding streams" (take from Peter to pay Paul).
Ted
Way to go Cody, keep up the pressure on the banks and the credit card companies who "decide they must raise the rates (althought they got real cheap money and baillouts) The real folks need you to tell the real Story. Sorry I missed you at WPS Ted
peter
FBN still has a long way to go. Please move a little faster... and send this guy to the cop shop beat for three or four years. This town has "two popular casinos."??? How many unpopular casinos does it have? He's searching and not finding.
david
i see he failed to mention that this is the place to come if you want to get away with murder. even paul harvey said if you want to get away with murder do it in lincoln county new mexico and by god he was 100% right. my son was shot and killed and robbed last year and the cops did not even take finger prints of the gun, nor did they run the serial number and to say this is a great place to live well maybe but dont get killed here as ther will be no closure for the family. if you do not believe me i have the reports and photo's so if you want to here some interviews with people that commit crimes let me know. i also was told by the chief of police that it is ok for someone at a crime scene to move a gun, isnt that tampereing with evidence, well i guess in other parts of the world it is but not here. and talk about targeting minorities and natives well they are keeping the system moveing right along. and you can check the court records for that proof.
Robert Prescott
Sounds like Salida Colorado. We love it here. We moved our business here 3 years ago (Young Colors), my hobby is part time ski instructor at Monarch - unpretenious, fun and freindly. Our little business in the mountains of CO is growing - and we love the lieflstyle a moutnain community offers.
Al Vom Steeg
Cody, I lived in Ruidoso for 10 years in the 80's. Two of my kids were born there. I now live in a very small mountain community in Southern California called Wrightwood. It's as close as I could get to Ruidoso. Ruidoso is a wonderful place. Al
DBeese
Time to exploit one of the last clean and beautiful places in America to get away from it all and enjoy the resources. Southern California used to be a great place to visit 30 years ago, too. I'm sorry to hear that Ruidosa has been "discovered". Good bye clean air and water, welcome more exploitation!
marilyn nelson
Cody, I didn't see anywhere mentioned the wonderful Quarter-horse racing that is held at Ruidoso. They still have them, do they not?
jules
Whoa - Is Cody not coming back to FBN??? I wont watch anymore