Ice Castles Opens; Chamonix Moves Closer to Finish Line
Rick Langenberg
Cripple Creek is on the move and gearing up for an active winter season when it comes to tourism and casino/hotel development.
During their final meeting of the year, CC elected leaders confirmed that the town’s popular winter attraction, Ice Castles, has opened earlier than expected and with a larger footprint. In addition, the council and the Chamonix casino and hotel took another step forward in finalizing the public improvements and fee monies still needed for the $300 million development to reach the end zone in securing all their required city permits. Moreover, this will allow the Chamonix to gain legal control of several key thoroughfares, as part of a road vacation process that actually began in 2018.
Also, the latest released gaming numbers indicate that the town is way ahead of 2023 betting action and proceeds are showing big hikes. On the downside, city leaders may have to get their political battle swords out in combating a growing gambling threat: online gaming. This could amount to the next serious battle city leaders face in the legislative trenches in Denver.
These are some of the highlights of the council’s Dec. 17 session, the final meeting of 2024.
Ice Castles Opens For Second Season
According to Mayor Annie Durham, it’s now official. The Ice Castles company has remained firm rearding its earlier announcement of a Dec. 18 opening, as it will become the second year the ice fantasy-land attraction welcomes visitors, tourists and gamblers for several months. With the lengthy streak of warmer weather, some speculation mounted that the attraction may not open until after Christmas.
But company officials recently made it clear the Cripple Creek Ice Castles would open on Dec. 18, with another Colorado site in Eagle, launching on Dec. 19. “For the first time in our company’s history, we are thrilled to open two Ice Castles locations in Colorado before Christmas” stated Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird, in a press release. He cited cold overnight temperatures as a key factor, enabling artisans to stack icicles and spray the necessary amount of water for the Castles to freeze. The Castles creation features towering ice mazes capped by a whimsical array of caverns, walls and tunnels, creating almost a winter Disneyland-type fantasy feel.
Durham confirmed at last week’s council session that this opening and Ice Castles project in Cripple Creek is right on target. She has expressed much optimism about the Ice Castles this year, saying the company has a larger footprint area to work with this year. In addition, officials believe they are better prepared for the attraction, with the addition of more food vendors. The limited number of food options became the major complaint visitors voiced during the inaugural year. For more information, about times and to make reservations, check the company’s website and the city’s tourism-related site.
Billy’s Expansion Granted Final Extension
In another big development matter, the council last week approved an ordinance granting the Chamonix Casino & Hotel and Bronco Billy’s a final extension until July 16 to complete necessary public improvements and setting the stage for the developers to obtain a final certificate of occupancy designation. This has been the regulatory goal the developers have strived to achieve since 2018. But more specifically, both the city and Full House Resorts, owner of Bronco Billy’s, reached an agreement on final permit fees the developers owe the city of Cripple Creek. Under the latest agreement, these payments total a little more $463,000. Under the agreement reached, Full House must make 15 monthly payments of about $38,500 to secure a final certificate of occupancy permit.
The city’s attorney, Erin Smith, was quite confident this payment schedule would be met. Otherwise, the developers’ proposed control of a key section of Second Street and an adjacent alley would get rescinded and they would have to pay hefty infrastructure rental fees to the city. She was responding to questions about what would occur if the casino and hotel owners miss payments.
Baxter Lee, the general manager of the Chamonix and Bronco Billy’s echoed similar sentiments and even indicated that Full House may explore the option paying off these fees much earlier than required. The fees are based on the massive amount of time city officials spent in doing inspections at the hotel property and in reviewing their complex building situation. No project in the Cripple Creek’s recent history involved more building permits and regulatory procedures. Recently, the two parties reached an agreement on the fee payments.
Lee also assured the council that the developers are well ahead of meeting the July 16 deadline for public improvements, which now deal mostly with the parking lot lights, drainage work and related exterior infrastructure. “The hotel is built,” said Lee. He stated that no more work is needed inside the nine-story, 300-plus room structure.
Lee said Full House had reaped the benefits of more favorable weather and has already completed the vast majority of the needed parking lot work. The parking lot lighting has been the major concern voiced by city leaders.
All in all, city officials and Chamonix operators want to see the project get finalized from a permit standpoint. The project actually had its genesis in 2018.
A Great Year for Gaming
In other news, Finance Director Monet Edwards stated that the most recent monthly gaming report, provided by the Colorado Division of Gaming, showed a slight decline in revenue. But for the current year, the city has hit the jackpot with its adjusted gross proceed numbers (which tabulates casino winnings) showing a 15 percent hike, while coin-in figures (representing overall betting volume) are generating a 10 percent hike. And for the last recording month, when compared to the same month a year ago, the town lit up the boards with a 20.5 percent hike in proceeds and a 14.5 percent increase in betting volume.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that the city could face a big political threat on the horizon, with the onslaught of more online gaming action. Sol Malick, the city’s lobbyist, told the council that this is an issue they need to monitor closely as many games displayed online replicate exactly what is offered in the three gambling towns. “I am very concerned,” said Malick, who indicated that this represents a violation of the original gaming amendment.
