By ALLAN SAENZ
Owner
SALA Los Alamos Event Center

I want to start by saying I support downtown redevelopment. We all want to see vacant buildings come back to life, like the former CB FOX building.

That is exactly what I did when I brought back the old movie theater and turned it into SALA, a community event center, with private funds and private risk. We took a vacant building and brought it back to life for movies, events, rentals, community programs, watch parties, performances, and gatherings. We have also tried to work with the County and seek support through LEDA or similar economic development tools, but we were not successful.

Because of that, I oppose using public funds for this project as currently proposed. My concern is not with redevelopment itself. My concern is that public funds would be used in a way that creates direct, subsidized competition with existing local businesses. The proposed CB FOX project includes a food hall, performance venue, private dining and meeting rooms, public and private meeting rooms, retail spaces, and a rooftop bar and restaurant. Those are not just hotel amenities. Those are event, rental, entertainment, food, beverage, and gathering spaces. These are areas where existing local businesses, including SALA, already operate and depend on revenue.

SALA has invested heavily in downtown Los Alamos with private risk. We depend on rentals, events, community programming, theater use, food and beverage, and future expansion to stay open and grow. If millions of dollars in public funds are given to a new project that includes competing event and entertainment spaces, it changes the playing field and could affect the future of SALA being able to remain open.

I am not asking the County to stop downtown revitalization. I am asking the County not to use public money in a way that could unintentionally harm the local businesses that are already here, already investing, and already doing the work of bringing people downtown.

Before approving this agreement, I ask Council to consider:

• A clear analysis of how this project may impact existing downtown businesses.
• Equal consideration for existing businesses that have already invested in downtown revitalization and are also trying to expand.
• Whether public funds should be used for a project that directly overlaps with services already provided by local businesses.

We should bring vacant buildings back to life, but we should not use public funds to put existing local businesses at risk.