Gaylord hotel project: Meet the locals in love with it (and one guy against it)
Frank Gray is president of the Castle Rock Economic Development Council in Douglas County. Yet at a public hearing yesterday on six projects vying for big-bucks state tourism incentives, Gray eschewed his county's own project and, like many of the 23 people who testified, spoke in favor of Gaylord Entertainment's proposal to build a 1,500-room hotel in Aurora.
Gaylord Opryland.
That favoritism was pointed out by Howard Gelt, one of nine members of Colorado Economic Development Commission, which is tasked with awarding sales-tax rebates under the Regional Tourism Act to up to two projects that demonstrate a capacity to bring new visitors and tax dollars to the state. Gelt asked Gray why he's supporting the Gaylord project and not Douglas County's bid to build a youth sports complex-and-archeological preserve they've dubbed the Colorado Sports and Prehistoric Park.
Gray answered that Castle Rock supports both. He said he chose to talk about Gaylord at the hearing, however, because of its potential as a "great catalyst" for business.
A rendering from the Colorado Sports and Prehistoric Park application.
Who else came out in support of Gaylord? We've compiled the following list:
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