The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Zoom-by or best event ever?
The Crested Butte Town Council will consider at its next meeting on Monday, April 7, upping its contribution to the USA Pro Challenge bike race event to $35,000, instead of the budgeted $25,000. Members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) made the request to the council at the Monday, March 17 meeting. Given that such a financial request wasn’t on the agenda, the council wanted to hold the discussion at the April meeting to give the public a chance to comment on the idea.
LOC directors Dave Ochs and Karl Trujillo gave the council a PowerPoint presentation showing the benefits of the event. Mayor Aaron Huckstep stepped down from the discussion since he is the third primary director of the LOC.
Ochs made it clear the event couldn’t be held without support from the towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. “We don’t have the budgets of the Aspens or Vails or Breckenridge,” he said. “What we do have is great energy with a world-class finish. The teams and organizers love coming here. This is a perfect footprint to hold such an event.”
Ochs also pointed out the demographics of spectators who follow such professional biking events. “It’s not the vagabond, hippie contingent camping up Slate,” he said. “It’s the high-end spenders who might see it on TV and come here for the event, or even when it isn’t here.”
Ochs said the Pro Challenge is covered by the world’s most major publications and provides Crested Butte with priceless publicity.
He and Trujillo said hotel rooms are expected to cost a lot more for the 2014 event since Crested Butte Mountain Resort no longer manages the Elevation Hotel. That is where a lot of the rooms were comped and much of the logistical support was organized.
“We don’t have any major sponsors so we depend on the governments,” said Ochs. “There’s not another way to do it. Mt. Crested Butte pledged $35,000, so we are asking you to do the same.”
“Spending $35,000 to get us out in the international community is not that much,” said longtime supporter and local restaurant owner Peter Maxwell. “It gives us a lot of good exposure. Cyclists and fans have the money to come here and spend it. If the town gives an extra $10,000, then Maxwell’s will donate another $5,000.”
Councilman Glen Michel pointed out that Mt. Crested Butte would be the primary beneficiary of room rate increases through its sales tax collections. “We won’t get that direct day-tax benefit,” he said.
Councilman Roland Mason asked if the county had been approached for funds.
Ochs explained that the county donated a lot of in-kind contributions just preparing Cottonwood Pass Road for the bikers.
“In the big picture, we are sending a postcard of this town to the world and to a quality demographic,” said Trujillo.
“The exposure for the town can’t be bought,” said Councilman Shaun Matusewicz. “The shots of Crested Butte are the best.”
Crested Butte resident Joan Windsor said she didn’t think the money was worth it. “I volunteered to help the race that first year,” she said. “It’s the biggest non-event I ever volunteered for.
“Look at something like the Nordic Center, which is out there four or five months a year bringing people in and not getting near this amount of money from the town,” she continued. “I think you need to re-evaluate the money spent on this event that just zooms by. This doesn’t consistently service the town like a Nordic Center, for example.”
The council wanted to hear more public comment on the issue so will discuss the additional funding at the April 7 meeting.
