The float New Mexico sends to the upcoming Tournament of Roses Parade might not cause as big a stir as 2008's space-themed, award winner, but that doesn't make it any less fun.

Unveiled on Thursday at The Chuck Jones Gallery, the float features an Acme Rocket-riding Wile E. Coyote chasing Jones' iconic Road Runner down an asphalt highway traveling from the mountain scenery of Northern New Mexico to the desert of Southern New Mexico.

Float designer Raul Rodriguez, who also designed the state's last two Tournament of Roses floats, said the idea to use the characters came about when he and state Tourism Director Michael Cerletti started throwing ideas around.

The theme for the parade is Hats Off to Entertainment, so the pair started thinking about New Mexico's film history. Rodriguez said he also asked Cerletti about the state flower and bird.

"The minute he said roadrunner, I said, 'Bingo,' " Rodriguez said.

A longtime Jones fan, who also has connections with Warner Brothers, Rodriguez asked the company for permission to use the characters on the float.

Craig Kausen, Jones' grandson, explained Thursday that his grandfather always felt a connection with the state.

"He would say, 'I was born in 1912, and the state was brought into the Union in 1912, so we were brought into the Union together,' " Kausen said.

Cerletti said exposure at the Tournament of Roses Parade — which he said is watched on television by 16 million households — in addition to various other activities revolving around the parade, has yielded great results for tourism in the state, with visits to the department's Web site and inquiries about the state both increasing.

The float — which will be built by Pasadena-based Fiesta Parade Floats — is expected to cost about $220,000, Cerletti said, but the state expects to pay between $100,000 and $170,000 after sponsorships.

Bobbi Baca, who coordinates volunteers who help build the float, said the Jones-inspired creation will probably be more widely accepted than the somewhat-controversial, space-themed float from 2008's parade, but it will have the same sort of appeal. "The kids talked about our float because it was fun," Baca said. "And if kids talk, parents listen."

The float, she added, will also bring a hint of nostalgia for parents who grew up watching the cartoon. Those things, she said, will be enough to spark an interest in the state.

Contact John Sena at 986-3079 or jsena@sfnewmexican.com.