What’s New for Meeting Planners in Colorado

By Buehler Buehler

Our friends at the Colorado Tourism Office compiled a great list of what’s new in the state just for meeting planners! Here’s a glimpse of what might appeal to corporate, nonprofit and association groups.

Concept sketch for Iron Mountain Hot Springs.

Concept sketch for Iron Mountain Hot Springs.

Explore & Celebrate

  • Iron Mountain Hot Springs is slated to open this summer at the site of the historic Iron Springs Spa on the bank of the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs.
  • An eight-segment zipline will launch this June on Rabbit Ears Pass on the Continental Divide just outside Steamboat Springs.
  • Rocky Mountain National Park and area communities are celebrating the park’s 100th anniversary through Sept. 4 with speakers, special activities and events .
  • Breckenridge Creative Arts will host a free, weekly outdoor summer concert and movie series every Friday night from June 19 through Aug. 7. The organization also is launching Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, Aug. 14 – 23.
Cub Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park. Courtesy of RMNP.

Cub Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park. Courtesy of RMNP.

Overnight in Style

  • Little Beaver Inn in Green Mountain Falls, a small town located just 15 minutes west of Colorado Springs, was originally built as a motor lodge in the 1950s and has been transformed into a five-room inn. Amenities at the inn’s parent property, The Outlook Lodge, are available to groups and guests.
  • Westin Denver International Airport is slated to open this fall as part of the South Terminal Redevelopment project. The 519-room hotel will have its own station on the electric commuter rail line that will run from the airport to downtown Denver starting in 2016.
  • The Art Hotel, a new 165-room boutique hotel in Denver, is conveniently located across from the History Colorado Center and next to the Denver Art Museum.
  • The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs is introducing a private fly-fishing camp on Colorado’s Tarryall River, complete with a restored lodge and seven historic cabins dating back to the 1880s.
The Broadmoor Fishing Camp. Photo by Kevin Syms.

The Broadmoor Fishing Camp. Photo by Kevin Syms.

Sip & Savor

  • Inspired by European markets and food truck round-ups, Avanti Food & Beverage in Denver’s Lower Highlands Neighborhood is a modern-day food hall with seven different restaurant concepts housed in modified shipping containers.
  • Boulder-based Avery Brewing Company has moved into a newly expanded, $27 million facility and offers free tours and tastings daily.
  • Nocturne is a modern take on the jazz and supper clubs of the mid-20th century. Located in a restored industrial warehouse in Denver’s RiNo Arts District, Nocturne features live jazz nightly and creative culinary and beverage programs.
  • Ophelia’s, housed in an 1894-era Victorian brownstone in Denver, is a new bar, restaurant and live-music venue all wrapped in one.
  • Chef Jason Harrison has introduced Red Maple Catering in Vail to serve groups of up to 150 and showcase area products and the cuisine, farms, ranches and food purveyors of the Rocky Mountain region.
Ophelia's is a new bar, restaurant and live music venue in Denver. Photo by Adam Larkey.

Ophelia’s is a new bar, restaurant and live music venue in Denver. Photo by Adam Larkey.

Want to keep up with the latest happenings? Make sure to bookmark this Destination Colorado web site or follow us on Facebook!

Beth Buehler is editor of Colorado Meetings + Events and Mountain Meetings magazines, has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado.