CBMR plans to add more activities at the base area

Red Lady Lodge still on hold

Bungee devices, a climbing wall, and synthetic ice-skating may complement the base area of Crested Butte Mountain Resort this summer if the Mt. Crested Butte Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the resort can work out a partnership.

Resort planners came before the DDA on Monday, April 6 to pitch the idea of partnering in the construction of a year-round play area at the base of the ski slopes. The DDA liked the idea and was willing to fund the construction of some of the amenities, but an actual partnership between the two entities is still being negotiated.
CBMR chief operating officer Ken Stone said the base area “adventure park” would help add value to the resort experience and encourage guests to stay longer. The adventure park would be located next to the Treasury Center, at the site of the old Gothic Building.
CBMR vice president of sales and marketing Daren Cole said the park would provide a number of non-skiing activities for guests to try, some of which could be enjoyed year round.
The primary component of the adventure facility will be a 6,000-square-foot skating rink in the middle of the area. “This will probably be the key area, the focal point of our adventure park,” Cole said.
Cole said there were several different types of skating rinks that could be built. The rink could be a winter-only facility with real ice, or it could use synthetic ice and be open year-round. Cole says they’ve also considered using synthetic ice in the summer and real ice in the winter, but that could be pretty complex to achieve.
The facility will also host a 28-foot freestanding climbing wall, with 360 degrees of climbing features and six belay stations.
The resort also proposed adding a euro-bungee trampoline, where kids and adults can jump on a trampoline while affixed to a large bungee cable.
Furthermore, as a wintertime activity the resort proposed building an improved tubing hill with runs of varying difficulty and a t-bar to ferry passengers and tubes to the top.
Cole said they had estimated the adventure facility would generate $680,000 in revenues during the first year of operation. Entrance to the park would be offered as a complement to a day’s ski ticket, or as a stand-alone experience. Rather than charging a set amount for each of the activities, Cole said the resort was considering a flat fee of $25 to use all of the facilities.
Altogether, CBMR estimated the adventure play area would cost a total of $1.015 million to construct, including the skating rink, landscaping and dirt work, and equipment purchases. The skating rink alone was estimated to cost $500,000.
DDA board member Al Smith asked where the resort stood on the proposed Cimarron project, a luxury condominium that is slated for construction in the same location. “Is this [adventure park] a 10-year placeholder for Cimarron?” Smith asked.
Cole said Cimarron was on hold until the economy recovers and the adventure park could be considered a placeholder. He said everything was designed to be portable or movable in case CBMR decided to continue with Cimarron.
DDA member Chip Christian asked about the status of the Red Lady Lodge, an on-mountain dining facility that was proposed to be built at the top of the Red Lady Express lift.
Stone said Red Lady Lodge was probably not going to begin construction this summer. “Right now we’re looking to delay it to the following year. It makes more sense to put money in the place we need it… The thing we really need to do is have a lot more activities,” he said. Stone said the resort is looking to move forward with remodeling the Ice Bar this summer to accommodate more people.
Smith said he liked the idea of building an adventure park. “I know it’s not what everyone might have hoped for, but people are enjoying the wide-open view out there. Instead of saying, ‘Gee, we can’t build Cimarron,’ let’s fill up the space with activities,” Smith said.
Smith asked if CBMR needed the DDA’s approval or a letter of blessing to build the facility.
“I think they’re going to be asking us for money,” said board member Sara Morgan.
Town manager Joe Fitzpatrick said an executive session was scheduled after the presentation to discuss a potential public / private partnership between the DDA and CBMR to construct and operate the facility.
He said the DDA would also need to decide if it should change its funding priorities. In 1996 the DDA created a Plan of Development that included a skating rink and park facilities as top priorities for the DDA to pursue. In 2005 the DDA shifted gears and made building a community recreation center their top priority, along with parking improvements, better pedestrian access and facilities, and bringing more special events to the base area.
DDA chairman Allen Cox said the recreation center was on hold until the economy recovers and the DDA’s tax-increment financing picks back up, but in the meantime the board should decide if the authority’s money could be better spent elsewhere.
Crested Butte Music Festival board member Woody Sherwood was present and asked the DDA to consider the possibility of building a new performance space in Mt. Crested Butte as one of their funding goals.
The DDA then went into executive session to discuss contract negotiations for a partnership with CBMR.
According to Fitzpatrick, during the executive session the DDA formed a special committee, consisting of Christian and Cox, to continue to iron out a partnership with CBMR. That committee will be meeting with CBMR representatives over the next few weeks, Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick said the DDA may hold a special meeting to discuss their funding priorities and review the 2009 budget.
Fitzpatrick says the DDA has about $500,000 in cash available to spend, but they don’t necessarily intend to spend all of that money on the new adventure park. Right now, Fitzpatrick says, the DDA is primarily focused on funding the skating rink.
 Cole said CBMR would like to have the adventure park in place by July 1, 2009.
DDA board member Michael Kraatz excused himself during the board’s discussion due to his employment with CBMR.