By KRWG News
Las Cruces – After losing more than $77,000 in New Mexico State University funds and drawing a crowd of only about 7,000 people, the Thunder on the Rio Grande air show in Las Cruces has been postponed indefinitely.
Organizers had hoped the two days of wing-walking, F-16 flyovers, hang-gliding and a jet-powered school bus would bring an air show tradition to Las Cruces.
Airport manager Lisa Murphy says only about a third of the expected crowd attended the show last May.
NMSU was a co-sponsor of the event and lost $77,664 another factor in the decision to drop the event.
School officials say no tax dollars or state government appropriations were used. NMSU drew on student fees and other funds.
The Las Cruces city government and co-sponsor Adventure Aviation both broke even on the event.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.