Roswell Welcomes You!

by Charles Walker

Southeast New Mexico is far from the glamour and glitz of Hollywood. But, just like Hollywood, New Mexico's tourism, business retention, business recruitment, and other economic development activities revolve around image-making.

No doubt that in my community of Roswell, that Warner Brother's television show called "Roswell" is saving our community's advertising budget. In fact, they have even put billboards in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C. that say "Roswell." Those people at Warner Brother's sure are nice folks, but I wonder if they know that the sign painters forgot the word "visit" on all those billboards?

Like those high-school students Max, Isabel, and Michael on the Warner Brother's television show "Roswell," you too are probably asking some of the same fundamental questions about our pretty little town.

People's images of Roswell are heavily influenced by pictorial creations of our community. Unfortunately there are people out there that believe everything on those television shows such as "Roswell" is real. Because Roswell understands the fortunate marketing opportunity, which was thrust upon it by a mysterious crash in 1947, let me set the record straight.

See, what people don't know is that this opportunity was really developed in the midst of the war clouds that hovered over Europe in 1939. During this time, plans were underway for the U.S. Army Air Corps [U.S. Air Force] to expand its pilot training programs. In 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the acceleration of our national defense program to aggressively train 30,000 additional pilots. The Roswell Chamber of Commerce promptly developed a vigorous campaign called "Roswell Idea for Airbases" which led to the establishment of Roswell Army Flying School, a start of an economic boom for Roswell.

After the war, the Roswell Army Flying School was utilized for the inactivation of combat troops. In the immediate post-war period, the Roswell Army Flying School was re-named Roswell Army Airfield, and it became an even more important economic engine for Roswell. The community was on the way toward becoming a military town heavily dependent upon those airman's paychecks. You know the saying "what the military dollar machine said did not happen, really did not happen."

In the late 1940's, in keeping with the United States Air Force policy of naming air bases in honor of Air Force heroes, Roswell Army Airfield became Walker Air Force Base, named for Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker, a native of New Mexico. Walker Air Force Base expanded and became the most dominant economic force in Roswell. (Even surpassing agriculture). No doubt Roswell was then a true military town, so those "black and white" flashbacks shown on the television show could be accurate. Being a military town, Roswell citizens did not question the military on anything- never saw it- we know nothing- and nothing happened!

This powerful economic engine lost its influence upon Roswell in 1968, when Walker Air Force base closed.

The base was closed officially on June 30, 1967, after 26 years of service to the United States, not to mention to our community. Thus, this large economic influence was gone from Roswell and the community started seeking those "elusive answers" to questions like "What do we do with all those empty buildings on the Base?"

By establishing the former Walker Air Force Base as an industrial park, the City of Roswell and the Chamber of Commerce were able to focus on an economic development program that attracted manufacturing jobs to the community. Creative Pultrusions, Nova Bus, Christmas By Krebs, AAR Corp, Dean Baldwin Painting, and Impact Confections are a just few examples of this industrial park success.

Another question to be answered was "What are we to do with all those empty houses that airmen used to live in?"

Again, the Roswell Chamber of Commerce and the City of Roswell went to work. Establishing Roswell as a haven for people who are entering their "Golden Years" was the solution. No, Roswell is not one of those planned retirement resort cities such as those found in Florida or Arizona. The community has strong health and human services providers, a mild climate, affordable housing, and a low cost of living. In fact, Kiplinger's Magazine recently picked Roswell as one of the top six places to retire. As our nation's population becomes older, retirement recruitment will play a bigger role in Roswell's economic development efforts.

Let me tell you another thing that Hollywood fails to mention--Roswell is an agricultural powerhouse. With plentiful water, fertile soil and a mild climate, the county generates over $375 million dollars of agricultural output. The area around Roswell is home to over 45 percent of the state's producing dairy herds. Leprino Foods has established one of the worlds largest mozzarella cheese plants because of the area's forty-plus dairies.

" Did a spacecraft crash in Roswell?" is another often-asked question. Because the Roswell Chamber of Commerce, the City of Roswell, and other community leaders like the UFO Museum have capitalized on the events in 1947, much of Roswell's financial capital or investments needed to promote or attract visitors to Roswell has been paid for by non-New Mexican companies such as Warner Brothers.

When these people visit Roswell, the state and city benefit through job creation in the service sector. These direct jobs can be calculated on a per-trip spending basis and cause indirect jobs to be created by the tourism employees expenditures in Roswell's economy. Both these direct and indirect jobs have a second benefit to the state and the community known as the multiplier effect. The multiplier effect is the recycling of these tourism dollars throughout the community and the state. State and local governments benefit from the revenues generated through tourism taxes. Hence the state of New Mexico and the City of Roswell, through tourism, exports, or shifts, its tax burden to non-residents of New Mexico.

The Roswell Chamber of Commerce has for years promoted Roswell as a place to combine business and personal travel. We have emphasized cultural and recreational activities.

The City of Roswell has kept pace by establishing a convention center, the Cielo Grande recreational complex and our cultural amenities such as the Roswell Museum and Art Center. "Roswell" the TV show certainly will encourage non-residents to come to Roswell, New Mexico.

"So, What did happen in 1947?"

Well, the only way you can get an answer to that question is if you call one of our local hotels, book a room, eat at one of our fine restaurants, and come by the Roswell Chamber of Commerce for this information.

See... the story of Roswell's economic resurgence is really no government covered up secret! The story of Roswell is fitting for Hollywood, for its success is due in part by the community's innovation and determination to grow after the closure of Walker AFB. Today, as then, the community still believes in economic development.

I look forward to seeing you in Roswell soon!

Charles Walker is the Director of the Roswell Chamber of Commerce. He is responsible for Chamber activities as well as community and economic development for Roswell, New Mexico.

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