nearby
major military bases. By some estimates, Holloman accounts for half the
economy of Alamogordo. The city also has a public school system, a
branch of New Mexico State University, and the New Mexico School for the
Blind and Visually Impaired, making education also a significant
contributor to the economy. A city's gross receipts tax funds incentives
for new businesses, which are recruited by the nonprofit Otero County
Economic Development Council. Several films a year are shot partly in
the Alamogordo area and the filming expenditures add to the economy. The
New Mexico Museum of Space History, Lincoln National Forest, and White
Sands National Monument are in or near the city. A hot-air balloon
festival is held annually. Skiing is available in nearby Mescalero and
Cloudcroft, and gambling is available at the Inn of the Mountain Gods
Resort & Casino in Mescalero