We requested all pertinent emails discussing the creation of the proposed United Stadium but certain emails were blocked by the Keller administration
by: ABQRAW Staff
Posted: November 2, 2021 / 12:40PM MDT
Updated:
At a July 24th, 2021 New Mexico United home game, Mayor Tim Keller, The New Mexico United ownership, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, Chief Operations Officer for the city Lawrence Rael, and other city high level city employees publicly pitched the idea of a city funded stadium through city bonds.
We publicly requested all emails from the Mayor’s office with anything dealing with the New Mexico United. Our request ranged from when Keller was elected to current day. We were specific in asking for any emails from NM United owner Peter Trevisani, newmexicoutd.com domain emails, and Mayor Keller’s office.
City Clerk Ethan Watson and staff fulfilled the request and provided us with 63 emails. The majority of those emails were press releases, drafts for editorials, and a few confirmations of meetings. Mayor Tim Keller invoked executive privilege under state laws and it is unclear how many emails were blocked from the request.
There were NO emails given in the public record request from the New Mexico United owners and staff. We wanted to see what kind of deals and promises were made with NM United owners and Mayor Tim Keller.
In the record release we got one non executive exempt email that Mayor Keller sent. It was on how to convince the community on the stadium.
Mayor Keller said: For this type of thing, lets err on the side of over explaining,repetition etc. see redlines. Clean (sic) up and ready to go on my end.
The company CAA Icon who was hired by the City, to do the stadium feasibly study offered advice on how to walk city councilors and voters through the idea.
Voters will decide if the stadium will built with city bonds. Early voting has started and the last day to vote is November 2nd.