Regional tourism effort may secure another year of state interest

LOVELAND and ESTES PARK — Tourism-related projects in Loveland and Estes Park that were originally part of an $86 million tax increment financing deal with the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade may have another year of life before state financing disappears.

Members of the Northern Colorado Regional Tourism Authority, which is composed of 15 members from Loveland, Windsor, Estes Park and Larimer County, made an appeal last week to have the state authorization extended for a year because the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the ability of the tourism authority to solidify plans for projects that would draw tourists to Northern Colorado.

“We submitted a 92-page packet with robust reasoning” and asked for the extension, said Kelly Jones, economic development director for the city of Loveland. “We were told they are ‘favorably inclined to give us one year.’”

The extension is not a done deal until Nov. 15, when the state economic development panel is scheduled to vote on it, Jones said. And even then, “we still have some significant hoops to get through,” she said, including the financing.

P3 Partners LLC, a Phoenix-based company, has been identified to OEDIT as the developer for the Loveland projects. Regional developer Martin Lind had initially pursued developing the water park but has since released land that he had intended to use for that project. A site for P3 has not been identified, but proximity to Interstate 25 has been targeted. 

P3 Partners lists itself on its website as a real estate company that “works with communities on hotels, event centers, athletic facilities … through innovative development structures.”

The regional tourism proposal, which dates to 2015, originally included four projects: the Stanley Film Center in Estes Park; Indoor Waterpark Resort of the Rockies to be located in Loveland; U.S. Whitewater Adventure Park, also to be located in Loveland; and PeliGrande Resort, to be located in Windsor.

The PeliGrande, which Lind had proposed, was pulled from the project because it couldn’t meet the state criteria. The two Loveland projects are now referred to as the “Loveland Whitewater Adventure Park and Resort.” 

Even though a project is not now slated for Windsor, that community remains committed to the regional tourism authority, said Stacy Miller, economic development director for the city. Tourism activity will benefit Windsor even if a project is not within the town boundaries, she said.

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