ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico’s very first In-N-Out Burger location is heading to southeast Albuquerque.

The University of New Mexico announced Tuesday the highly-anticipated restaurant will be located inside the planned South Campus Development project near University and Gibson.

In-N-Out officials say the new location will likely open sometime in 2027.

“This will help kick-start the development that we anticipate in that whole area,” said David Campbell. “I can say that the desirability of our site has increased a great deal with this announcement.”

Campbell is the executive director of the Lobo Development Corporation – the group overseeing the development project.

UNM officials have been working for over a decade to bring new retail and entertainment options to more than 60 acres of undeveloped land between UNM’s sports stadiums and Gibson Blvd.

“It’s already an area that attracts millions of people to sports events, and we think that this will only enhance that experience,” he said.

Early renderings of the South Campus project reveal developers are making space for nearly a dozen retailers and at least one large, anchor store.

Campbell says the project will elevate the experience for sports fans, provide new benefits for UNM, and support the surrounding community.

“These will be commercial enterprises that meet the needs of the immediate community, some of which has been described as a food desert,” he said.

So far, Raising Canes’ is the only other business committed to building a new location inside the South Campus area; however, Campbell says developers are still negotiating with more businesses.

Campbell says there are several infrastructure developments – including new water lines and roads – that need to be constructed before businesses can move in.

Campbell added, developers are also working with city and state officials to resolve any potential traffic issues ahead of time.

“This is anticipated to be a busy area, we hope it will be a busy area, because we want to provide services in that area for not only UNM but for the entire community,” he said.

There’s no timeline when construction on the new In-N-Out location could begin. Cambell predicts it’s a matter of months – not years – until infrastructure developments and construction on other businesses might begin.