In spite of all the news releases we sent out, it wasn't until the rains started that people realized it was over and started coming to Ruidoso. The damage can be seen in the numbers. Lodgers' tax was down by 25 per cent in January and February and by 15 per cent in June. However, overall gross receipts were up for the year. Ruidoso has been a mountain getaway for flatland Texans and New Mexicans since the turn of the century.
Visitors come for the racetrack, two casinos, shopping and scenery.
Apparently, more and more of these visitors are coming to stay. We don't have a slow season anymore, and that's not because of visitors, it's people living here for longer periods of time. You can see it in things like traffic and water usage. It's hard to say. Even many full-time residents have legal residency somewhere else.