City seeks Iron Horse ideas
Hoteliers discuss implications of city-owned competition
By Brandon Gee (Contact) Steambaot Pilot/TODAY
Friday, February 1, 2008
Steamboat Springs — The city of Steamboat Springs is seeking proposals from private firms for an Iron Horse Inn management plan. Meanwhile, some local hotel operators see the public ownership of a competing property as a less-than-ideal situation.
“If the city bought it for employee housing, I think that’s what they should use it for,” said Greg Koehler, owner of the Rabbit Ears Motel in downtown Steamboat. “I don’t particularly care to be in competition with the city for lodging.”
The Iron Horse Inn was purchased last year in a deal approved by the previous Steamboat Springs City Council. After honoring existing reservations this ski season, the city initially planned to spend $1 million — of the $5.3 million borrowed for the purchase — to renovate the hotel’s 52 rooms into 40 traditional apartments that it would rent as affordable housing.
The current City Council, however, would rather minimize the Iron Horse’s cost to the city by not renovating the property and keeping nightly rentals in play. The city currently is providing long-term rentals in 29 rooms for city workers and those of other Steamboat employers.
Alpiner Lodge owner Jon Wade believes the Iron Horse Inn purchase was a rotten deal for the city. He reserves blame for the previous City Council, however, and applauds the current one for doing what it can about the situation — even if that means competing with his business.
“The current council is trying to make the best of a bad situation,” Wade said. “I wouldn’t feel any inclination to give them any heat. Obviously, it would be best for me if the Iron Horse closed, but that’s not what I’m thinking about. We’ve got to do what’s best for the city.”
Supporters of the Iron Horse purchase have cited the inn’s ability to help the city attract and retain employees, the local need for workforce housing, and the value of securing riverfront property near Steamboat’s downtown corridor.
In addition to keeping nightly rentals in play, the City Council instructed city staff to solicit private-sector partnerships and ideas for the management of the inn. The city has advertised and sent out a request for proposal for a management and operation plan for the inn. Proposals are due Feb. 15.
Thursday, Deputy City Manager Wendy DuBord said the city would be open to anything from mere suggestions to a company’s proposal to totally take over the operation and management of the inn. But DuBord, who formerly worked in Steamboat’s property-management industry, said she is skeptical a private company will be interested in providing a mix of long-term workforce housing and nightly rentals.
“I kind of doubt that a private-sector management company can do what we’re doing and make money,” DuBord said. “We’re not operating from a profit-margin standpoint. All we want to do is cover our direct expenses. … But we would consider anything that is an improvement on what we’re doing.”
The fact that the city isn’t as reliant on making money as other lodging properties is one of the problems with it owning and operating the Iron Horse Inn, Koehler said.
“I just think it gives them an unfair advantage,” said Koehler, who noted other advantages such as the city’s ability to provide extensive employee benefits.
Disgruntled hoteliers have not contacted the city, DuBord said, perhaps because business is thriving in Steamboat.
“I think everybody’s full,” she said. “Obviously the fact that (the Iron Horse Inn is) full and has a waiting list shows there’s a need. There is not enough rental housing in this community.”
Wade said the Alpiner Lodge was full all summer and is running at about 80 percent occupancy this ski season.
“It would be a good thing for me if they weren’t there from a supply standpoint,” Wade said. “But if they need to do some nightly rentals to make it a better deal for the city, I guess I’m OK with that. … The Alpiner is operating at our expectations. There’s always room for improvement, but I’m not going to blame my inability to improve on the city.”
— To reach Brandon Gee, call 871-4210
or e-mail bgee@steamboatpilot.com
Friday, February 1, 2008
Road Access & Congestion - West of Steamboat
Access plan sparks interest
Future U.S. 40 access proposal draws questions at open house
By Brandon Gee (Contact) Steambaot Pilot/ TODAY
Friday, February 1, 2008
Steamboat Springs — Local business owners questioned a future traffic plan for U.S. Highway 40 in west Steamboat Springs during a crowded open house Thursday in Centennial Hall. Others who attended the event were happy with the plan, claiming something has to be done to relieve congestion and danger along the highway.
In their second public open house, consultants from Stolfus & Associates presented a draft of their West Steamboat Springs U.S. 40 Access Plan. The plan recommends several techniques for improving travel on U.S. 40, such as eliminating some of the current accesses to the highway and removing turning vehicles from through traffic lanes.
“Our concern is that they show both of our access points are set to be blocked,” said Ulrich Salzgeber, who owns the Routt 66 gas station in west Steamboat with Marty Waldron. “Blocking these two access points is seriously going to decrease the value of our property. … They need to come up with other solutions.”
Salzgeber and Waldron lease the majority of their building to Alpine Taxi. Waldron noted that rerouting a fleet of 100 taxis, shuttles and vans to side streets could be quite costly and difficult. The two men, like other business owners who attended the open house, are not swayed by officials’ claims that access closures will be overcompensated by more efficient traffic flows that will benefit business.
“Ease is everything,” said Steamboat Rentals owner Jack Horner, who believes his direct access to U.S. 40 is crucial to his business. “This is my livelihood. I don’t have a solution to it … but this will cost me most of my drive-in customers from the east.”
Dan Roussin, an access manager with the Colorado Department of Transportation, tried to calm such concerns by stressing the long-term nature of the plan.
“I understand it’s not perfect for everybody,” Roussin said. “What we want to do is plan the whole thing and do the best we can.”
Cost question
Engineering consultant Michelle Hansen said comments made Thursday would be incorporated into a final draft of the plan. She was happy with the large turnout.
“I’m pleased we’re getting a lot more property owners than last time,” she said. “It’s better to get them involved early.”
The access management plan costs $100,000. An accompanying capacity analysis looking at the potential widening of U.S. 40 to four lanes costs $50,000. Both plans deal with the U.S. 40 corridor from 13th Street to just past the Steamboat II subdivision, which is outside city limits. CDOT is partnering with the city in its efforts and has contributed $50,000.
“The ultimate goal is the city, county and CDOT will sign an intergovernmental agreement adopting this plan,” Hansen said.
City Engineer Janet Hruby said no funding has been identified for U.S. 40 improvements, but both studies will aid the city in getting such improvements prioritized — and maybe paid for — by CDOT. Hruby said developers might also be required to take care of their portion of the highway as sites are redeveloped.
“This is a huge tool not only for city staff but for developers,” Hruby said. “It’s a lot easier when you have a plan like this so they know up front.”
Any potential funding from CDOT faces the difficulty of competing with many other projects for the department’s ever-thinning resources. A report released Wednesday by Gov. Bill Ritter’s Blue Ribbon Transportation Panel says Colorado’s transportation funding is in a “quiet crisis” and desperate for a bigger statewide investment.
George Krawzoff, the city’s outgoing transportation director and a recent appointee to the Colorado Transportation Commission, said the problem is compounded by the fact that the construction price index is increasing more than the overall consumer price index.
“Overall, CDOT has a very difficult time funding road expansions,” Krawzoff said. “We’ve put everything in place to make progress on this, but the costs to make any improvements are huge.”
— To reach Brandon Gee, call 871-4210
or e-mail bgee@steamboatpilot.com
Future U.S. 40 access proposal draws questions at open house
By Brandon Gee (Contact) Steambaot Pilot/ TODAY
Friday, February 1, 2008
Steamboat Springs — Local business owners questioned a future traffic plan for U.S. Highway 40 in west Steamboat Springs during a crowded open house Thursday in Centennial Hall. Others who attended the event were happy with the plan, claiming something has to be done to relieve congestion and danger along the highway.
In their second public open house, consultants from Stolfus & Associates presented a draft of their West Steamboat Springs U.S. 40 Access Plan. The plan recommends several techniques for improving travel on U.S. 40, such as eliminating some of the current accesses to the highway and removing turning vehicles from through traffic lanes.
“Our concern is that they show both of our access points are set to be blocked,” said Ulrich Salzgeber, who owns the Routt 66 gas station in west Steamboat with Marty Waldron. “Blocking these two access points is seriously going to decrease the value of our property. … They need to come up with other solutions.”
Salzgeber and Waldron lease the majority of their building to Alpine Taxi. Waldron noted that rerouting a fleet of 100 taxis, shuttles and vans to side streets could be quite costly and difficult. The two men, like other business owners who attended the open house, are not swayed by officials’ claims that access closures will be overcompensated by more efficient traffic flows that will benefit business.
“Ease is everything,” said Steamboat Rentals owner Jack Horner, who believes his direct access to U.S. 40 is crucial to his business. “This is my livelihood. I don’t have a solution to it … but this will cost me most of my drive-in customers from the east.”
Dan Roussin, an access manager with the Colorado Department of Transportation, tried to calm such concerns by stressing the long-term nature of the plan.
“I understand it’s not perfect for everybody,” Roussin said. “What we want to do is plan the whole thing and do the best we can.”
Cost question
Engineering consultant Michelle Hansen said comments made Thursday would be incorporated into a final draft of the plan. She was happy with the large turnout.
“I’m pleased we’re getting a lot more property owners than last time,” she said. “It’s better to get them involved early.”
The access management plan costs $100,000. An accompanying capacity analysis looking at the potential widening of U.S. 40 to four lanes costs $50,000. Both plans deal with the U.S. 40 corridor from 13th Street to just past the Steamboat II subdivision, which is outside city limits. CDOT is partnering with the city in its efforts and has contributed $50,000.
“The ultimate goal is the city, county and CDOT will sign an intergovernmental agreement adopting this plan,” Hansen said.
City Engineer Janet Hruby said no funding has been identified for U.S. 40 improvements, but both studies will aid the city in getting such improvements prioritized — and maybe paid for — by CDOT. Hruby said developers might also be required to take care of their portion of the highway as sites are redeveloped.
“This is a huge tool not only for city staff but for developers,” Hruby said. “It’s a lot easier when you have a plan like this so they know up front.”
Any potential funding from CDOT faces the difficulty of competing with many other projects for the department’s ever-thinning resources. A report released Wednesday by Gov. Bill Ritter’s Blue Ribbon Transportation Panel says Colorado’s transportation funding is in a “quiet crisis” and desperate for a bigger statewide investment.
George Krawzoff, the city’s outgoing transportation director and a recent appointee to the Colorado Transportation Commission, said the problem is compounded by the fact that the construction price index is increasing more than the overall consumer price index.
“Overall, CDOT has a very difficult time funding road expansions,” Krawzoff said. “We’ve put everything in place to make progress on this, but the costs to make any improvements are huge.”
— To reach Brandon Gee, call 871-4210
or e-mail bgee@steamboatpilot.com
