From a report by KFOX 14.
The beloved Amador Live, a staple for food, music, and nightlife in downtown Las Cruces, has announced its closure, leaving both loyal customers and city officials surprised. The announcement was made via a video on social media by owner Max Bower.
“We know it was a tough year, 2024 was a tough year for a lot of people in town, it was a tough year for a lot of businesses, and Amador was no exception,” Bower said.
The closure marks the end of an era for the downtown area, highlighting the challenges faced by the business over the past year. Bower explained the decision, saying, “We are going to be closing and might come a little unexpected, but given where things are in the market, it’s time to do it. If we felt there was light at the end of the tunnel, we could probably figure out a way to keep it going, but at this time, it’s not something that we’re prepared to do.”
City officials expressed disappointment but emphasized that the closure is not indicative of broader issues in the downtown area. Chris Faivre, the city of Las Cruces deputy director of community development, said, “I don’t think that there’s any concern that this is sort of a larger problem for downtown. I think it was sort of an isolated incident. We are sad to see them go, but it’s not going to discourage future redevelopment or interest in downtown.”
Faivre highlighted the city’s efforts in revitalizing downtown, noting, “The city’s worked really hard over the last several years to revitalize downtown. We have the Rio Grande Theatre, we have other bars and restaurants down there, so any sort of loss of a business is not a good thing for downtown. We definitely sympathize with them.”
The closure leaves questions about the future of Amador Live’s iconic location. Faivre stated, “The city does own that facility. It was leased out to Amador Hospitality. They will vacate the premises, and the city will then look for new opportunities to either lease it out again or explore other uses for that facility.”
City officials remain hopeful that the community will continue to support downtown businesses while they search for ways to repurpose the space. “I don’t know specifically what the future of that location will be, but the city will be actively looking to find new opportunities for that facility, whether it’s along the same lines of what was there before or if it’s something different. All opportunities, all options are on the table,” Faivre said.
As for the Amador Live team, they remain grateful for the community’s support and haven’t ruled out the possibility of a return in the future. Bower expressed gratitude, saying, “Just the support we got from the community as a whole, we will never forget it. It’s been a wonderful thing, and you never know, it could be one of those things where down the road, when the economy is a little more healthy, that the Amador or something like it will come together and will reopen.”
Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez also commented on the closure, stating, “It is sad and unfortunate news about the closing of the Amador Live establishment. The city has worked hard to revitalize downtown over the last several years, and so we are always disappointed to see any setbacks to our downtown. Because downtown has become a popular destination for many residents and visitors, the city will explore all options for the future of the facility with the idea of moving quickly to keep up the momentum of downtown redevelopment.”