Building a More Dynamic & Prosperous Future for the Greater Gallup Region

For over a decade, the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation (GGEDC) has worked systematically and strategically to create conditions that ensure community readiness for new development in the City of Gallup and McKinley County. The GGEDC has maintained a consistent focus on the area's economic assets - centered on transportation, logistics and workforce development - and despite many changes in the global and regional economy during that time frame, those efforts are bearing fruit. Multiple manufacturing companies are showing serious interest, investments are flowing into critical infrastructure projects, and further studies are underway to drive the development of an Inland TradePort cluster.

That excitement is portrayed in GGEDC’s FY 2023-24 Mid-Year Report here. Of special note, during 2024, GGEDC will continue to provide technical assistance to McKinley County and the City of Gallup by overseeing and coordinating the work of a series of expert consultants in four separate but interrelated efforts detailed below.

Gallup / McKinley County Regional TradePort

This Inland Port/Supply Chain Accelerator is considered a "mother project" for the region, tapping the nation's top experts to tie together and further develop all of Greater Gallup's industrial capacities in an inland port cluster. Its strategic value comes from a design to relieve Trans-Pacific supply chain/commodity flow congestion at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The inland port would provide land for manufacturing, warehousing, rail/transloading connections, and Foreign Trade Zone services to establish Greater Gallup as a logistics hub serving the national logistics network and as a connection point for Trans-Atlantic trade through Port Houston.

GGEDC is managing the work of a nationally recognized industry consultant firm hired by McKinley County to conduct a deep-dive analysis and implementation plan for developing a fully functional inland port. Current plans for the port are organized around the Gallup Land Partners’ properties on Carbon Coal Road, including the Gallup Energy Logistics Park, which is a BNSF-Certified Site. The consultant work will continue through the balance of 2024. As part of the planning for the port project, the consultant will lead a ten-person team to visit the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to explore needs and opportunities to partner with the Ports.

Autonomous Vehicle Test Truck

GGEDC is also overseeing the work of another McKinley County contractor designing an Autonomous Vehicles (AV) Test Track as a research and development facility. The track will facilitate commercial trucking companies who want to test and develop emerging AV technologies. The Energy Logistics Park is a desired rural location along the I-40 corridor where AV technology can be developed, tested and perfected to support this rapidly emerging trendline in interstate commerce. Test track design work will include participation and input from an Albuquerque-based firm and other firms engaged in developing AV trucking technology. This initiative is associated with plans by the State of New Mexico to “decarbonize” Interstate-40, anticipating the deployment of fleets of AV trucks that have been tested and vetted for safety and efficiency as a low-emissions alternative for moving goods across the state.

Foreign Trade Zone & User Fee Airport

The GGEDC is working with national experts contracting with the City of Gallup to achieve Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) and User Fee Airport (UFA) designations centered at the Gallup Municipal Airport. With scheduled major renovations and upgrades, the airport is enhancing its operations following the resumption of subsidized passenger air service in 2022.

Hydrogen/Multi-Fuel Hub

GGEDC is managing a contractor’s work to study and design a multi-fueling hub in Gallup, centered on Hydrogen fuel and electric vehicle charging stations focused on the fueling needs of the trucking industry. The end goal will be increased value in the future as trucking companies transition from diesel to hydrogen, which is gaining prominence as an alternative fuel with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In conjunction with a project underway for a private company to convert coal-fired electric generation at the former Escalante Generating Station site in Prewitt to hydrogen energy generation, the Gallup region has the opportunity to ride the wave of the future as part of an interstate coalition to establish an I-40 "Clean TradePort Corridor.”

Transformative Portfolio of Services

To support those initiatives, the GGEDC recognized a need for a transformed portfolio of capabilities within the organization to provide local support as a go-to leader for helping companies get established and operational. While it seeks to deliver on a long list of special projects, the GGEDC is grounded in its core professional economic development functions of Business Attraction & Recruitment (BAR) and Business Retention & Expansion (BRE).

“We changed our framework in 2024 to accommodate the traction our marketing efforts were gaining. Specifically, a wave of companies were seeking to locate their facilities and operations in Gallup,” said Bruce Armstrong, GGEDC Economic Development Manager. “As a small-staffed organization, we must be agile and flexible to work with and effectively onboard these companies. Laser-focused organizational leadership from the GGEDC Board and Executive Director keeps us on track and aligned with our mission and strategic planning.”

A comparison of the “Strategic Framework” detailed in GGEDC’s FY 2022-23 Annual Work Plan (left) and its FY 2023-24 Economic Development Program (right) highlights the increasing complexities the organization embraces as it works to balance its core functions with the need for active engagement with multiple companies considering locating and onboarding their operations in the City of Gallup and McKinley County

Today, beyond Economic Development Leadership and Operational Support, the GGEDC strategic framework includes core functions to provide the foundation for:

• Business Retention & Expansion
• Industrial Attraction & Recruitment
• Project Management
• Marketing & Capacity-Building

With an increased emphasis on special projects and a focus on sustainability, GGEDC is working to ensure that investments and projects are balanced with ongoing developmental needs and opportunities.

Be Part of the Momentum 

GGEDC works tirelessly to support businesses and promote the retention and development of well-paying jobs available in McKinley County. Contact us at (505) 722-2980 or via email to be part of the tremendous momentum occurring here today! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!