Certified Appraisals, Inc. Blog

Back in December of 2013, Colorado Springs was granted tax funding assistance through the Regional Tourism Act for help in financing the City for Champions. The four proposed projects included the U.S. Olympic Museum and Hall of Fame; the Gateway Visitor Center at the Air Force Academy, the UCCS Sports Medicing and Performance Center; and the Colorado Sports and Event Center. A lot has happened since then. Where are we now?

Much progress has been made on the UCCS and Air Force Academy projects. This could be due to the heads of both schools being very supportive of their respective projects. The other projects don't have anyone strong cheering them on. It was hoped the Olympic Museum would be open by the end of 2017, or at least by the 2018 Winter Olympics. Initial plans were to have designs by mid-2015, which is approaching quickly. Hopefully we will see something in the near future.

As for the downtown Sports and Event Center, that is another situation altogether. It initially was proposed to be a new baseball stadium for the minor league team, Sky Sox, which has since left for another city. It was then proposed to be a 10,000 seat outdoor stadium/3,000 seat indoor stadium capable of holding multiple sporting events. The stadium has endured much criticism and any momentum that it had has since ceased. Perhaps it will pick up ground again once a new mayor is elected. Or maybe all it needs is an outspoken backer. The other projects have that and are seeing results, so maybe that is all that is neeed. There is potential in being a venue of multi-uses, so having the right person speaking about it will maybe gain support.

All these projects should potentially be a great thing for Colorado Springs economically, bringing in much more needed tourism and more jobs to the area. Hopefully we will soon see designs for the Olympic Museum. The Sports and Event Center has a lot of potential, but has a long way to go before we see anything concrete. Hopefully things get moving and we end up with an event center with all the potential we know it has; Olympic sports, soccer, basketball for local high schools and UCCS. Let's hope things get moving soon.