The Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs

More than 210 businesses and organizations were provided technical assistance, marketing support, and custom orientations to the wide variety of supportive services offered through downtown. More than 750 attendees enjoyed a lively annual breakfast at a new venue at Ed Robson Arena at Colorado College. Over 1,200 stakeholders were engaged through informational presentation about downtown - ranging from real professionals to incoming Colorado College freshman, hospitality professionals, seniors, and K-12 students. Downtown Partnership hosted a presentation about the extension of the roadway maintenance sales and use tax renewal (known as 2C) and voted to endorse the ballot measure that was successfully extended in November. Downtown Partnership staff testified in favor of legislation regarding construction defect laws and programs that support the creative industries and workers of which the latter was successfully passed. Colorado Springs Utilities hosted the Drake Demolition Completion Ceremony with officials noting that the leveling of the plant marks a dramatic change in the city's skyline for the first time in 100 years. Following discussion at the Spring All Board Session of the significant progress made on the 2016 Experience Downtown Master Plan and the changing environment for Downtowns nationally the Partnership secured a consultant to pursue updating the plan over the next 15 months. More than 200 businesses and organizations were provided with technical assistance, marketing support and custom orientations to the wide variety of supportive services offered through the Downtown family of organizations. The 27th Annual Downtown Breakfast hosted for the third year on the floor at Ed Robson Arena at Colorado College reached full capacity with 750 attendees. Partnership members made new connections at four exclusive Membership Mixers hosted by Universal Education Foundation, Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, UCCS Downtown, and Exponential Impact at Weidner Field. Elite-level members enjoyed pre-opening tours of the Penrose Library and Louie Louie's Piano Bar. To celebrate the opening of Downtown's first dog park in Antler's Park, the Partnership hosted a dog parade with 60+ participants, ending with a ribbon cutting where all furry attendees were provided with Downtown Dog bandanas. Hundreds of stakeholders were engaged through informational presentations about Downtown ranging from real estate professionals to incoming Colorado College freshmen, civic organizations, urban planning classes, and K-12 students.