Presidents Corner

We have wonderful news to report about the progress of Wheels. We are under contract to purchase the 27-acre AT&SF Backshops site with its 350,000 sq ft of buildings at 908 S 2nd. Our goal of many years is coming to fruition, thanks to the help of Governor Richardson, Mayor Chavez, Councilor Ike Benton, the full Council, and all the work and persistence of so many for so long. Also, I recently signed the MOU outlining our relationship for the next 20 years with the City. We are grateful to Gail Reese, CFO, and Dr. Bruce Perlman, CEO, for their help, and that of the Legal Department of the city as well.

We will celebrate this success at a gala on November 10 at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Please join us at 6pm for a huge silent auction, followed by a steak dinner and a live auction with many great surprises. The cost is $100 per ticket, with tables for $1,000. Some sponsorships are available as well. Our honoree this year is Don Chalmers of Don Chalmers Ford. Don has been instrumental in our progress, and refurbished a sad, green, 1942 Seagraves fire truck, turning her into a red and brass gem. Our guest speaker will be Lisa Strout, head of the NM Film Commission. She will talk about the relationship between the movie industry and the Backshops. Have you see "Wild Hogs?" If so, you got to see John Travolta at the Backshops. If you like Transformers you will have seen Optimus Prime at our new home as well. We are seeking items ibr both the silent and live auctions, so if you have anything to contribute, or wish to purchase tickets, please call 243-6269.

The Wheels Museum, Inc., in conjunction with the Univer­sity of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque, is bringing an Urban Land Institute team to begin planning early next year. This group of nine experts will advise us as to Museum and site planning from an economic viewpoint. Public meetings will be held and more information is available by calling our office.

We have been given a magnificent model train exhibit depicting the State of New Mexico. This is a real show, complete with bleachers, a working waterfall, hot air balloons that really go up and down, a fire, and other special features. The exhibit is about 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide and 30 feet long. It has been valued at $ 140,000.00 and was constructed by Lester Merrill and friends over the span of several years in Clovis, NM.

Also a huge thanks to a Wheels friend for the loan of an "O" roll coin piano. This gorgeous specimen from the 1920s plays honky-tonk music when she is fed with a mere 25 cents, and may be seen at our office at 1501 N First Street. It is our expectation to place this oak beauty in a special exhibit of that era. Any one have a Model T to go with it?

This has been an exciting summer here at the Wheels Development Office, and we expect to have more developments to tell you about soon.

Love,