Jobs expected to be plentiful as $4M project unfolds
Members of McKinley County’s business community, along with city and county officials, gathered Oct. 17 for a groundbreaking ceremony related to the $4-million Gallup Energy Logistics Park.
Gallup Land Partners, LLC, and the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation announced that the first phase of the project is set to start within seven to 10 days.
“This is an exciting day,” Gallup Mayor Jackie McKinney said in opening remarks. “This is a wonderful opportunity for those of us in this community.”
Next up is the construction of the project’s first phase – which includes the laying of some 11,000-square-feet of rail track that will connect the existing BNSF Railway loops.
Robert Roche, the proprietor of GLP, said for the past four years the project has gone through the required design, permitting, engineering, and funding hurdles.
“This is just the first phase,” he said. “We will show them why they should invest in this community.”
Jacob Bracken, a manager at GLP, said the project will bring many jobs, at various levels, to Gallup and McKinley County.
Both Bracken and Roche said at least 20 employees are “needed to start work right now.”
Ean Johnson, a Phoenix-based economic development representative from BNSF and member of the GGEDC board of directors, told the near 100 people gathered at the Gallup Cultural Center to hear the announcement that there is no other project along the Southern Trans of BNSF.
Patricia Lundstrom, a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the executive director at GGEDC, said it’s a matter of time before the full project comes to fruition in January 2017. She said the project entails six phases.
“This is definitely progress,” Lundstrom said. “This is the beginning, and there is a lot more work yet to do.”
By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent
