The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will rebrand under a new five-year title sponsorship with ExxonMobil starting in 2025. This is a move fiesta organizers say will boost financial support and resources, but the partnership is already facing criticism from environmental advocates,who argue that aligning with a fossil fuel giant conflicts with climate priorities
ExxonMobil is currently the Balloon Fiesta’s sole presenting sponsor and the event's current title is "Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Powered by ExxonMobil." The new deal includes changing the name of the event to the ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. This will start in 2025 and last through 2029. This new partnership will be the first title sponsorship since Kodak.
“The deal will provide ExxonMobil a chance to really highlight their involvement and support of the ballooning industry,” said Balloon Fiesta spokesperson Tom Garrity. “The decision was made because of ExxonMobil’s commitment to ballooning and specifically to the Balloon Fiesta.”
The Balloon Fiesta is a non-profit organization that gets its majority of funding from partnerships and investments. ExxonMobil will help provide resources through goods and services according to Garrity. He declined to comment on the details of any contract agreements.
After the 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic, Canon sued the Balloon Fiesta, alleging a breach of their three-year agreement. The Balloon Fiesta maintained that it did not cancel the event, but instead postponed it. Canon rejected a proposal to extend the sponsorship to 2021, but the case was dismissed by a federal judge. Both parties agreed to cover their own legal costs and keep the settlement details confidential.
There are many New Mexicans who think partnering with ExxonMobil is bad for environmental advocacy, especially as a major environmental battle is underway. A Santa Fe district court has rejected an attempt by the state of New Mexico and the fossil fuel industry to dismiss a lawsuit over oil and gas pollution. The case, Atencio v. State of New Mexico, was brought by environmental and Indigenous groups. With the court’s ruling, the lawsuit will now move forward, giving the plaintiffs a chance to make their case for stronger regulations on oil and gas operations.
Environmental organizations like Wild Earth Guardians, argue that the state's current approach prioritizes industry profits over the health and wellbeing of its residents, and they hope the court will enforce stricter environmental protections to address the pollution impacting their communities.
“Frontline communities in New Mexico continue to suffer from the pollution that results from oil and gas development, permitted by the state,” said Tim Davis, a staff attorney with Wild Earth Guardians, in a statement about the case. “It's time to put a stop to New Mexico's constitutional violations in which the state protects polluters and their profits.”
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