A new state study found that Española has the community support, visitor potential, and cultural foundation needed to sustain a dedicated lowrider museum, though significant planning and funding remain before the project moves forward.
"I know it will be bring high revenue," said JoAnne Medina, a lowrider enthusiast and event coordinator with The Espanola Lowrider Association. "I work by El Santuario de Chimayó and I get a lot of tourists that ask us, 'What's going on? When are they going to get it built?'"
Medina hopes the museum can spread awareness of the lowrider culture she’s been a part of since the 1980s.
The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs released the report on Thursday which evaluates governance options, potential sites, operational needs, and long-term viability.
The DCA said in a statement that a museum could attract between 40,000 and 60,000 annual visitors. To support this level of activity, the analysis estimates the need for 18 to 25 professional staff and an annual operating budget of $2 million to $3 million.
Before any plans can move forward the museum will require a formal governance structure and long-term operational funding.
But Medina remains optimistic.
"We are the low rider capital of the world," she said. "Especially now it's only getting bigger and better and more positive."
