ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – From dim lighting and decades-old infrastructure to fresh softball fields and secure fencing. The city and state has put more than $30 million into Albuquerque’s Los Altos Park renovations over the past six years. 

Crews are now weeks away from finishing the final phase of the project. This will be the second full softball season at the newly-renovated park. The city hosted 27 tournaments in 2024, attracting 12,000 softball players.

“I think people have seen what we have here. They love it. The players have loved it,” said Dave Simon, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation.

Albuquerque has 16 on the schedule for this year so far, and Simon expects that number to grow. 

“We need to look at projects like this as not only an investment in our own community and families, but an investment in our city’s sports and outdoor recreation tourism economy. And this is one investment that is paying off,” said Simon. 

Simon hopes to see the same thing happen on the western side of Los Altos, known as Phase Two. A dog park and BMX pump track will be ready by early summer. 

“We want to invest in ourselves and always have things for youth and families to do. But at the same time, make smart investments that can help us grow our economy,” Simon said. 

He says the city took that into consideration when planning the pump track. 

Simon says this facility will stack up to some of the best BMX facilities in the country and the city will make a bid for a tour stop. 

“We wanted to try to tap into the growing popularity of the sport,” said Simon. 

They wanted to tap into better security, too. There’s better lighting, and more deterrents in the design. 

City security will also be on site 16 hours a day starting next week.

“We’re really looking forward to an incredibly exciting and great year at Los Altos in 2025,” said Simon.