Group contests Expo New Mexico racino bid award

The corporation that lost its bid for a contract with Expo New Mexico is now protesting the decision. The Laguna Development Corporation was competing with the Downs at Albuquerque for the 25-year contract with Expo New Mexico. Last month, the Downs was awarded the contract. But LDC said its bid offered more money for improvements, and they say the Downs was given access to LDC's bid, giving them an unfair advantage to win. "We are confident that our bid was the superior one. It was advantageous from a financial standpoint to the State and to Expo New Mexico," Skip Sayre, an LDC spokesman said. LDC's protest asks for the contract with the Downs to be rescinded. KOB Eyewitness News 4 contacted the attorneys for the Downs. They sent the following statement: “The Downs at Albuquerque absolutely and unequivocally denies the allegations leveled by Laguna Development Corporation and their attorneys in their Preliminary Bid Protest dated January 4, 2012. The Downs considers the allegations frivolous and extremely irresponsible. Had Laguna Development Corporation’s lawyers conducted even the most cursory review of the facts they would have learned that the $43,800,000 number was the EXACT number used by The Downs as a base-line for participation rent when negotiating a lease with the previous administration 14 months ago."...more