ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – There was some drama leading up to the former President Donald Trump’s rally Thursday. 

First, the City of Albuquerque blocked use of the convention center, citing ongoing repairs. Expo New Mexico reportedly gave the campaign the same answer. 

After deciding on the airport venue, the state land office did not allow parking for it on leased state land outside the Isleta Amphitheater. 

Folks Thursday morning parked nearby, but they were not terribly happy about it. 

“This situation that they’ve created with the parking is unbearable, and I’m holding the city management, administration, the state administration, responsible for the crisis that they are creating with this parking nightmare,” said Tom Laiche, a Trump supporter. 

As KOB 4 told you earlier this week, Mayor Tim Keller’s office says Trump still owes Albuquerque close to half a million dollars. 

Despite other high-profile executive visits to our city over the years, 4 Investigator Brittany Costello says bills like this are rare.

Keller’s office says the city has billed campaigns in the past. But, the example they gave us was a $1,000, not half a million. Trump’s bill started growing with interest after a 2019 stop in Rio Rancho.

The City of Albuquerque covered security related to his stay at a downtown Albuquerque hotel.

Keller says the city paid to shut down streets and close city hall, $7,000 for barricades, $133,000 for city employees and $71,000 for police service.

The mayor’s spokeswoman told us the city has charged campaigns in the past that require extra time and equipment, citing President Biden’s campaign rally at a Westside Community Center. The city says it charged a Democratic committee $1,000 for that one.

Former longtime Albuquerque mayor Martin Chavez told us Thursday that during his time, city policy was to charge for the use of city facilities but never for police protection, like Keller did.

Off the top of his head, Chavez could only think of one outstanding bill for presidential candidate George W. Bush. The city could not track down that outstanding bill for Bush. We’ll let you know if we get it. 

The city is not charging former Trump for Thursday’s visit.

20 years ago, Las Cruces settled with the Air Force after cargo planes that were part of a presidential visit caused an estimated $2 million in damage to the city’s airport runway.