Ruidoso Open for Business

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Ruidoso Open for Business

July 29, 2008

While the flooding of the Rio Ruidoso through the center of the Village of Ruidoso last weekend created havoc with businesses along the river and stranded vacationers in remote campgrounds, most of this Southern New Mexico resort community was left a bit soggy, but undamaged and open for businesses.

All main roads through the Village and surrounding highways remain open, and 95 percent of Ruidoso has no obvious impact from the heavy rain.

“Some local business owners were concerned that out-of-town visitors were under the impression that the flooding shut down the community completely, but that is not the case,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “They have asked me to pass on the information and I am more than happy to do so. I encourage all New Mexicans and their visitors to witness the beauty and friendliness of this area first hand, and include Ruidoso in the upcoming travel plans.”

The Village of Ruidoso continues its cleanup and recovery from record flooding. Waters have significantly receded, and rescue crews worked tirelessly to evacuate residents affected by the emergency. The flooding was caused by the more than six inches of rain that fell on the region in a 24-hour period.

The majority of the damage took place along low-lying areas of the Rio Ruidoso, with part of the Upper Canyon area affected as well. While some secondary roads servicing those areas are closed, residents still have electrical power. Residents whose homes were damaged are being sheltered at local churches and community centers, including the Church of the Nazarene and the Gateway Church of Christ. The Red Cross and the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management were also quick to respond to the crisis, with Governor Bill Richardson pledging immediate emergency aid for the Ruidoso area.

The Ruidoso Downs Race Track received heavy flooding and is currently closed. Track officials are optimistic that they will reopen by this weekend. Most area lodges, cabins and hotels are open for business as usual. However, if you are planning a trip to Ruidoso this week please contact the lodging establishment to confirm your reservation.

Some area bridges are closed so there may be short detours. Impact will be minimal in most areas.

For more information contact Steve Tally, Village of Ruidoso Director of Tourism, 575-257-7395 or tourism@ruidoso.net; or Darlene Hart, Village of Ruidoso Public Information Officer, 575-257-3473

For information on road conditions please visit http://nmroads.com/.

To view the Ruidoso Web Cam located in Midtown please visit http://ruidosonow.com/cam