The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Update: Adventure Park revenues up
The Mt. Crested Butte Downtown Development Authority’s 2011 budget is tightened up after the agency’s meeting on November 8. With a projected beginning fund balance of $486,979 and another $924,928 in estimated 2011 revenues, the DDA stands to spend $666,803 for the year.
The largest projected expenditure, $500,000, is allocated for design work on the Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center, to which the DDA has committed $6,000,000 total over the life of the project. There is also $36,803 budgeted for the mountain fire department’s ladder truck, and another $10,000 for contract services, which covers town staff time.
Board member Sara Morgan asked if everyone was okay with the allocation for the performing arts center. “Is everyone comfortable with the $500,000 for the PAC when we don’t know how viable it is yet?”
Town manager Joe Fitzpatrick assured Morgan, “There are certain triggers within the development agreement; until those triggers happen, no further expenditures for design will take place. The DDA has committed $6,000,0000 and all these funds come out of the $6,000,000.”
Board member Al Smith said, “Are there a number of people keeping an eye on that and making sure the money isn’t being spent on crazy parties, etc.?” Fitzpatrick assured him the board was keeping a close eye on the expenditures.
When all is said and done, the DDA should have a 2011 ending fund balance of $595,014. With that, the DDA approved its 2011 budget.
2010 Adventure Park update
Daren Cole, vice president for sales and marketing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, provided a report to the DDA on the Adventure Park’s performance from June 17 to September 12. Gross revenues for that period are $68,207.26, compared to $40,310.66 during the same period in 2009. As a payback for its investment in the Adventure Park, the DDA received $10,231.08 from that period’s revenues.
The DDA contributed $450,000 to help fund part of the cost of building CBMR’s Adventure Park. The resort will pay the DDA 15 percent of the Adventure Park’s revenues over the course of four years, or until the $450,000 is paid back.
“It’s a great example of how a partnership can work, and we’re excited to generate more revenue for you,” said Cole.
As for this winter’s schedule, “We’re trying to get the ice rink open as soon as possible. In a perfect world it will be open for Thanksgiving weekend,” he explained. “The tubing hill and bungee are slated to open December 18 and will go until 5 p.m. Ice skating will go to 6 p.m.”
Board member Al Smith asked what types of features they might add to the Adventure Park. Cole said they are exploring a number of options for next summer, including “bounce houses, spider webs… we could expand the mini golf. We’re looking at ziplines, and a whole variety of different activities.”
Board member Jamie Watt asked if CBMR is entertaining the idea of night tubing.
Cole said they’ve found people tend to go inside when it gets cold, but he wouldn’t rule night tubing out. “We can look at it and we’ll always entertain a longer time if there is demand for it.”
As for competitive opportunities at the park, Cole said there will be a broomball league organized by the Crested Butte Recreation Department; curling is on tap as well.
