New "gold" in Idaho Springs will be tourism, mayor of Colorado mountain town says
There's a new dawn breaking, for the second time, in Idaho Springs. A gondola accessing miles of mountain biking trails and hiking trails, as well as a "pedestrian plaza and event space" is set to break ground in the mountain town formerly famous for mining.
The Mighty Argo Cable Car will be installed directly next to the existing Agro Gold Mill and Tunnel, which if you've ever driven up I-70 into the mountains you have for sure seen.
"It's happening," Mary Jane Lovelie, Owner/Partner of Argo Milling Tunnel and Mighty Argo Cable Car said. "It's a dream that we started 4-5 years ago, we got through lots of obstacles and fun experiences and we are starting construction."
The reason the project stalled was the criminal theft of roughly $4.5 million due to a reported scam, in which the criminal case is still in progress. Getting to this point and getting investors in town to see the project continue, has meant everything to Lovelie.
"Victory, relief, it is going to be so positive for the state of Colorado," Lovelie said. "For the citizens of the community who, what we have been believing in for so long, have invested in and to see that same vision that is now going to happen."
Chuck Harmon, Mayor of Idaho Springs, tends to agree with her sunny outlook on the project, although he makes note we didn't get to this point without addressing plenty of concerns regarding what this kind of installation would do to the town, both good and bad.
"We are hoping it is a great economic impact for the community because folks will come and have a great experience," Harmon explained. "They will probably venture out and go into our unique shops and restaurants, too."
Harmon said he's expecting the development to act similarly to the Georgetown Loop railroad, adding a feature that does draw tourism, but does not overwhelm or atomically change what the town is at its roots.
"Georgetown has hundreds of thousands of people come from all over the world every year to enjoy that, it has been a great economic driver without negatively impacting the residents and that is what we hope to accomplish here," Harmon said.
Concerns from the community have risen over the potential influx of traffic, according to the projections of visitors from the Mighty Argo Cable Car. There's also a planned parking structure that Harmon explained is directly related to the expected increase in visitors. Still, he says if everything goes to plan, locals should not notice a difference in traffic woes, because they have done their homework.
"Frankly we had a rather exhaustive traffic study that was more than an inch and a half thick, that got down to nitty-gritty items like lefthand turn time vs. right-hand turn time," Harmon said, laughing. "We took a really good look at this to make sure it is not going to be an undue burden on citizens."
The project boasts an estimated 32-70 new jobs, projecting between $400,000 and $500,000 in sales tax revenue, and 50 cents of each ticket sold will go to supporting the mountain bike trails at the top of the gondola (which you do not need to ride up to access.) Harmon said tourism draws like this are exactly what Idaho Springs needs to stay afloat now that the mining era of Idaho Springs is long gone.
"The gold is now getting folks to come and experience this area of Colorado," Harmon explained. "We really hope that people will see it as a great attraction for the area."