Carlsbad, New Mexico

From Atomic Industry to Tourism Economy

How do you take an economy that revolved around the atomic industry and revitalize it as a regional tourism attraction?  Tripp Umbach was retained by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop the ambitious and creative response to that question.  Working in partnership with the Carlsbad Economic Development Corporation, the team conducted market research, including industry cluster analysis and community input sessions as well as visioning exercises with community stakeholders to determine the viability and build consensus for adaptive reuse and revitalization of former industrial properties adjacent to the river and the city’s central business district.  The assessment took into account entertainment, shopping, recreation, culture and dining.  The project transformed a dried creek bed and a struggling part of the urban core into a pedestrian-friendly river walk development along the Pecos River. 

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