There was some intense public comment at Monday night's city council meeting in Albuquerque, with many talking about the netting requirements for Isotopes Park

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

THE STATE. DETAILS IN YOUR SEVEN-DAY FORECAST. DOUG: INTENSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT CITY COUNCIL WITH MANY TALKING ABOUT THE NETTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ISOTOPES PARK. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER SHELLYE LEGGETT HAS DETAILS ON THE DEBATE. SHELLYE: THE EXTENSION OF THE SAFETY NETTING AT ISOTOPES PARK IS A NEW STANDARD BY THE MLB, SO THE NETTING IS GOING UP OR MATTER WHAT, BUT TONIGHT, SOME RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF A LESS PERMANENT OPTION. HUGS, CHEERS, HIGH-FIVES. JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS YOU’LL SEE AT A NEW MEXICO UNITED MATCH. >> THERE’S NO WAY ANY OF THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WAS A NET AS A BARRIER. SHELLYE: BUT RIGHT NOW, THOSE TYPES OF INTERACTIONS WITH PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS ARE IN JEOPARDY. >> I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO INVEST THEIR MONEY ELSE WHERE ATTENDING CONCERTS OTHER PLACES SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO THEM BEHIND A NET. SHELLYE: CITY LEADERS PLAN TO SPEND $250,000 AT ISOTOPES PARK TO EXTEND THE SAFETY NETTING. NEW MEXICO UNITED SUPPORTERS SAY THE NETTING WILL HURT THE GAME DAY EXPERIENCE. THEY ARE PUSHING FOR A RETRACTABLE SETUP INSTEAD. >> WE ARE SAYING YES TO NATS, BUT WE JUST WANT SOMETHING THAT IS MOVABLE SO WE CAN ALL ENJOY THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE MATCHES. SHELLYE: THE TEAM HAS INFORMALLY OFFERED TO HELP PAY ANY NEW ASCENT -- EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PUTTING UP A RETRACTABLE NET, AND THEY SAY IT WILL BENEFIT THE PARK LONG AFTER THE TEAM HAS THEIR OWN STADIUM. >> WHO’S GOING TO WATCH A CONCERT WITH NETS IN THE WAY? >> WE CAN WATCH CONCERTS AND HAVE THE NET LIFTED AND WATCH RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND HAVE THE NET LIFTED AND OF COURSE WATCH OUR NEW MEXICO UNITED TEAM AND HAVE THE NEXT LIFTED. SHELLYE: TONIGHT, THERE WAS NOT A VOTE BUT CITY LEADERS HAVE ALREADY HIRED A CONTRACTOR THAT IS WEIGHING ALL THE OPTIONS. AT CITY HALL, SHELLYE LEGGETT, KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. DOUG: NEW MEXICO UNITED IS COMMITTED TO PLAY ONE MORE YEAR AT ISOTOPES PARK. THE TEAM’S COACH SAYS THE LEAGUE REQUIRES NEW TEAMS TO MOVE INTO A SOCCER

Advertisement Isotopes Park safety netting back up for debate There was some intense public comment at Monday night's city council meeting in Albuquerque, with many talking about the netting requirements for Isotopes Park Share Shares Copy Link Copy

There was some intense public comment at Monday night's city council meeting in Albuquerque, with many talking about the netting requirements for Isotopes Park.The team is required to extend the safety netting at the park because of new standards by Major League Baseball, but some have raised the idea of a less permanent netting option.Supporters of New Mexico United said their game day experience and interactions with players are in jeopardy."I know a lot of people are going to invest their money elsewhere attending concerts, other places, so they don't have to see them behind a net," said the Curse New Mexico secretary Rachel Johnson.Albuquerque city leaders plan to spend $250,000 at Isotopes Park to extend the safety netting. New Mexico United supporters said the netting will hurt the game day experience. They are pushing for a retractable setup instead. "As a young child, I almost got hit by a foul ball at a Dukes game, so I understand the safety concerns," said a Curse New Mexico member."We're saying yes to nets, but we just want something that's movable, so that we can all enjoy the atmosphere of the match," Johnson said.The team has "informally" offered to help pay any new expenses associated with putting up a retractable net and said it will benefit the park long after the team has their own stadium."Who's going to watch a concert with nets in the way," said a Curse New Mexico member."We can watch concerts and have the net lifted and watch religious events and have the net lifted and of course watch our New Mexico United team and have the nets lifted," Johnson said.City council members did not vote on the issue, but said they are looking into the idea and have already hired a contractor who is weighing all the options.New Mexico United is committed to play one more year at Isotopes Park. The team's coach said the league requires new teams to move into a soccer-based facility within three years.