The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
New course ready to play June 19
After completing its own research, the Mt. Crested Butte Downtown Development Authority agreed to provide Crested Butte Mountain Resort with the $14,000 it needs to build an 18-hole miniature golf course in the Adventure Park. The course is due to be finished and ready to play on June 19, to coincide with the opening of the lifts and the rest of the Adventure Park.
CBMR had committed to building nine holes, but to improve the length of stay in the Adventure Park, they requested the additional funds to bump the course to 18 holes. The DDA funds were first requested during a meeting on April 5; at that time the DDA told CBMR they needed some time to evaluate the project. After the DDA board members—in particular, Chip Christian—completed their independent research on the project, the board held a special meeting on April 13 and agreed to provide the $14,000. CBMR will continue to pay back 15 percent of Adventure Park ticket sales to the DDA, including revenues from the mini golf.
“I contacted the owner of Mini-Golf and three or four references,” Christian reported. “I found it very interesting that they all kept it set up in the winter. All had been up nine to 11 years, and in only one instance did they need to replace the carpet. The people said their courses got heavy play without exception.”
Christian said what sold him the most was a story told by one owner who recently had a flood overtake his course down by the river—he turned around and repurchased the same product.
Christian said the other course owners said the 18-hole course takes between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes to play.
“I think if we can get it up and running by the start of summer, maybe we can generate some more spending on the mountain,” said Christian.
“We looked at a number of options with the DDA board for additional activities for the Adventure Park, and mini golf was the unanimous selection, providing a unique feature that we don’t have in the north end of the valley,” said Daren Cole, CBMR’s vice president for sales and marketing. “In looking at our guest comments on the Adventure Park, the number one request was for a family activity, and mini golf is a perfect fit.”
The course will be located beneath the structure that currently covers the ice rink, and the boards around the perimeter will be removed.
Nick Herrin, CBMR’s director of resort services, shares Cole’s enthusiasm for the project. “The great thing about it is that it will create a longer stay for guests in the town of Mt. Crested Butte. And our goal as a company and a town is to create more life and have more people taking part in the activities, eating lunch, taking in the shops and amenities in Mt. Crested Butte.” A nine-hole course results in a half-hour “stay” compared to 1 hour and 15 minutes for 18 holes, according to CBMR.
“Adventure is different to all different ages, and we’re really trying to create more activities for all ages so more people can take part in the activities in Mt. Crested Butte,” Herrin added. “The coolest thing about the mini golf is the other Adventure Park features are more age-specific. Our main goal was to create an activity the entire family can do together.”
An all-day Adventure Park ticket is $35 for adults and $25 for kids under 6, and gets you access to the climbing wall, reverse bungee, and mini-golf course. A single-use ticket, to play one round of 18 holes for example, costs $10.
The course is manufactured by Mini-Golf, Inc. Visit www.minigolfinc.com to see sample courses and specs.
