In fact, many of us on Council were in favor of a new convention center, as were many members of the Urban Renewal Authority, on which I also sit. We were excited by some of the possibilities we saw, especially in concert with the Southwest Urban Renewal Area. However, the voters approved a Charter change in 2005 that started off with (article 11-70):

“The City of Colorado Springs shall be prohibited from planning, building, funding, or financing a convention center, with or without a hotel or other ancillary structures, unless a majority of voters gives prior approval to the complete project at a regular or special municipal election.”

So here’s the Catch 22: how do we start the process of thinking about a new convention center if we are prohibited from even “planning” one? And how do you get the voters to approve a “complete project” if we can’t plan, fund, or finance under the rules of the charter?

This proposed charter change was a campaign issue when I ran for re-election in 2005. I heard several of the candidates say (me included) that a charter change too severely tied our hands when planning for the City but a slick campaign for the charter change won out.

You can blame Council for some things, but not this one.

Don’t have a build it and they will come attitude, get a study done. See if you have the infrastructure to support more meetings/trade shows and if a new facility can co-exist and compliment current product and try it again.

Also look at other things that could be enhanced with an increase in taxes, marketing campaigns, signage, etc…

While they argued last time that the tiny tax increase to tourists would cause them to lose business, as soon as the effort failed, they instituted their own $12 “resort fee” for all guests.

There is no question that the benefit to the community would far outweigh the costs, but you need to find a way to get around the Broadmoor’s selfishness and the money they will put behind defeating it.