YOU WATCH IT. KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS, THE OWNER OF THE GLADIATOR, IS RESPONDING FOR THE FIRST TIME TO ACCUSATIONS OF MISUSING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BUY THE TURF THE TEAM PLAYS ON THE GRASS BALL WITH ALBUQUERQUE TAXPAYER DOLLARS IS IN THE RIO RANCHO EVENTS CENTER. HERE’S TARGET 7 JOHN CARDINAL. GINA PRIEST CAUGHT THOMAS, WHO OWNS THE GLADIATORS, TOLD US THE TURF WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED IN ALBUQUERQUE, BUT THE PANDEMIC CHANGED PLANS. THIS TURF COSTING MORE THAN $235,000, IS SITTING IN THE RIO RANCHO EVENT CENTER. IT WAS PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND THE LEGISLATURE USING YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. I MEAN, THAT’S A LOT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS GOING TO SOMEPLACE THAT’S NOT THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TOOK ISSUE WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE TURF AND AN ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL IS NOW ASKING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE. WE’RE ASKING THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE FACT THAT THIS TURF IS IN A DIFFERENT CITY AND THE WAY IT WAS JUST AND ALSO THE FACT THAT IT WAS ADVERTISING FOR A PRIVATE COMPANY BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2021, THE LEGISLATURE GAVE THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. $160,000. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT TURF, PLAYING FIELDS AT PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES IN ALBUQUERQUE. NOWHERE DOES IT MENTION ARENAS OR RIO RANCHO. I COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT WE WERE PAYING FOR TURF IN ANOTHER CITY. TARGET 7 REACHED OUT TO GLADIATORS. OWNER GINA PRIEST, COURT THOMAS. SHE DECLINED TO DO AN ON CAMERA INTERVIEW, BUT SHE DID SAY WE COULD QUOTE HER. WHEN ASKED WHY THE TURF IS IN RIO RANCHO, SHE TOLD US THE PANDEMIC PLAYED INTO IT, SAYING NOBODY DROVE THE GLADIATORS OUT OF TINGLEY COLISEUM AND ALBUQUERQUE. WE JUST COULDN’T GO THERE IN 2021 BECAUSE IT WAS A STATE FACILITY. THEY HAD SHOTS THERE. THEY WERE PASSING OUT FOOD. IT’S OPERATED BY NEW MEXICO AND IT WAS CLOSED. ALBUQUERQUE KEY CITY COUNCILOR DAN LEWIS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT POINT. I MEAN, INITIALLY THEY WEREN’T ALLOWED TO BECAUSE OF COVID AND ALL THAT. BUT I BELIEVE THEIR LEAGUE IS REQUIRING THEM TO HAVE A CERTAIN THING, AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW, JUMBOTRON AND SOME THINGS THAT THAT TINGLEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE, I BELIEVE. IN OUR PREVIOUS REPORTING, TARGET 7 DISCOVERED THAT PRIEST CORNE THOMAS DONATED 1500 DOLLARS TO MAYOR TIM KELLER’S CAMPAIGN BACK IN 2021. PAY TO PLAY IS NOT NECESSARY AIRILY ILLEGAL. I MEAN THAT AT SOME POINT THAT TAKES PLACE THROUGHOUT EVERY POLITICAL JURISTIC SHOWING IN THE UNITED STATES. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DONATIONS PRIEST CAUGHT, THOMAS SAID, I JUST SUPPORT ALL THE CANDIDATES. THAT’S HOW I WAS RAISED. TARGET 7 FOUND THAT PRIEST CORNE THOMAS DID DONATE $500 TO MAYORAL CANDIDATE MANDY GONZALEZ, BUT SHE DIDN’T DONATE TO EDDIE ARAGON. DRY RUN CONCLUSIONS THAT SOMEBODY WHO MAKES A 1500 DOLLARS DONATION IS THAT PAY TO PLAY AND THEN RETURN THEIR COMPANY GETS THIS BIG BENEFIT. I MEAN, THAT’S SOMETHING EVERYBODY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS ABOUT. BUT WILL THE TURF RETURN TO ALBUQUERQUE OR TINGLEY COLISEUM SINCE COVID EMERGENCY ORDERS ARE NOW OVER? ACCORDING TO A CONTRACT, THE GLADIATORS WILL BE AT THE RIO RANCHO EVENT CENTER UNTIL AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. PRIEST SEAN THOMAS TELLS TARGET 7 THE FIELD IS GOING TO BE PICKED UP ON JULY 30TH. THAT’S ALL I KNOW. WE ASKED PRIEST CORRINE THOMAS WHERE THE TEAM WOULD BE PLAYING NEXT SEASON AND WHETHER IT WOULD BE IN ALBUQUERQUE. SHE SAID IT’S TOO SOON TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR TARGET 7. I’M JOHN CORNELY. THE CITY HAS DEFENDED THE TURF IN RIO RANCHO, SAYING ALBUQUERQUE CHILDREN CAN BENEFIT FROM YOUTH CAMPS BEING HELD THERE. THE GLADIATORS OPEN THE SEASON SATURDAY AND THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE A YOUTH CAMP THERE THE FOLLOWING MORNING. ON THURSDAY, TARGET 7 TAKES A LOOK AT JUST HOW MANY CAMPS HAVE BEEN HELD THERE AND WHETHER THE CITY HAS OFFER