The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Hoping board can provide financial help to reach goal
By Mark Reaman
The Adaptive Sports Center is asking the Mt. Crested Butte Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for a $2 million contribution. The money would go toward a new building, the Kelsey Wright Building, to be located where the Trailhead Children’s Museum is currently located in the Base Area. The DDA board members were supportive of the building and appeared ready to help with some infrastructure costs, but not ready to pledge $2 million.
Adaptive Sports executive director Chris Hensley and campaign committee chair Eileen DuPre said the organization is being very conservative with its timeline and funding. “We are in the schematic design phase and this week we hired a general contractor,” Hensley said at the DDA’s September 12 meeting. “We hope to break ground in the spring right after the ski area closes.”
Adaptive provided about 6,300 activities to 1,300 participants last year, split between winter and summer. Hensley said the organization is at the point where it is having to turn people away.
“We’re designing the building to double our current winter capacity,” Hensley explained. “We are building in response to demand.”
“We want to grow logically and not affect the quality of the programs,” added DuPre. “We believe the Adaptive Sports Center building aligns with the mission of the DDA. We bring in a lot of people to the valley. The town sees more hotel stays and more skier days. We see this as a positive for the town. We have raised about 75 percent of the funds and we won’t break ground until 90 percent of the money is raised, which is about $11.3 million. We need about $2 million to get where we feel comfortable breaking ground. We are asking the DDA to be a partner on this project for a positive investment in Mt. Crested Butte.”
Hensley said $9.3 million of the project’s $12.5 million total cost has been committed. Hensley said inflation is expected to increase the cost of the construction by about $300,000 between now and the start of construction. “So time is of the essence,” he said.
“When finished, the building will be paid for,” said DuPre. “We will have no debt on that facility. It will be less costly to own that building than to pay rent.”
Hensley said the organization is confident the remaining $3 million will be raised, especially with DDA support.
“It is a great project,” said DDA chairman Gary Keiser.
Responding to a question on how the DDA has assisted other building projects like Mountaineer Square, Mt. Crested Butte town manager Joe Fitzpatrick said the DDA paid for dewatering the property and also contributed to upgrade Gothic Road as part of the project. He said that with the transit center included, the DDA put in about $2.5 million.
“We’ve worked with Adaptive a long time and they do a fantastic, positive job,” Fitzpatrick said.
“I’m a bit hesitant to commit funds to benefit a building but I am open to looking at some infrastructure costs,” said DDA board member and Mt. Crested Butte mayor Todd Barnes. “That property will also likely need dewatering. Maybe we assist with beautification of the property. I think there is an opportunity to help out.”
“We are in the information gathering phase right now on where to spend the DDA funds that became available after the dissolution of the Biery-Witt Performing Arts Center project,” explained Keiser. “We don’t even have $2 million right now.”
Barnes explained that the DDA expects to have about $8 million collected by the time the current DDA expires in 2026. “The money is anticipated with no economic crash in the next ten years. It is not in the bank,” he said.
“We would like to help in some sort of way. It makes sense,” said DDA board member Janet Farmer.
“We’re prepared for a long-term commitment if that is what it takes,” said Hensley.
Keiser said the DDA has committed just over $1 million to help purchase parking behind the Nordic Inn. But he said there should be about $2 million in the coffers by the end of the year.
Keiser emphasized the DDA has held just two meetings to discuss how to prioritize DDA money, so the board was not yet ready to commit to any specific requests.
