Clovis brewer won’t qualify for development dollars

CLOVIS — The Clovis Economic Incentive Board wants to take a look at exactly how manufacturers can qualify for taxpayer-funded economic development dollars. But for now, it has decided a prospective local brewer doesn’t make the cut.

The board last week voted to deny a request from Bandolero Brewing for a $20,000 post-performance grant. At issue was Bandolero having no way to know if it could meet the current standard that its customer base be more than 50 percent out-of-state.

Board members also decided to have Clovis Industrial Development Corp. Executive Director Chase Gentry and board members Megan Palla and Vince Tyson study the feasibility of changing the out-of-state dollar requirement. City

Manager Justin Howalt said city staff would help provide research, as board members could have more difficulty navigating through other New Mexico municipalities for their economic development ordinances.

The board originally discussed the grant request from Bandolero at its Nov. 13 meeting, and asked the Clovis city commission to create an ad hoc committee to look at the out-of-state requirement. The commission decided in its Nov. 22 meeting to send it right back to EIB.

“They felt as far as developing a working group,” Howalt said, “that EIB is the working group.”

Bandolero is planning to open a brewery and restaurant on the 400 block of Main, but sought the manufacturing grant for a future bottling operation.