SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "Aspen's Pro Cycling budget increases by $100K"

Congratulations (again) to Aspen on this major event returning to the Valley in 2012.

Here's to no snags popping up from PitCo commissioners  and everything being able to move forward freely.  It sounds like a lot of fun events planned for locals and visitors alike.

Andre SalVail:
"“Aspen is in the unique and envious position of being the only host city on the entire 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge to be a finish and a start stage,” said Nancy Lesley, city of Aspen director of special events, in a memorandum filed Thursday to the council.

The memo states that city staffers have three objectives in mind while planning for this year's version of the event. First, they want “to create a platform that the race organizers feel is well-organized, user-friendly to the racers and event staff, and so turnkey that they have no choice but to return year after year.”

Second and third objectives call for creating an experience for spectators that will compel them to return to Aspen and making the event a good fit for the community.

The city's cost to host the event will be $387,000, up $100,000 from last year's expenditures, the memo states.

“Another difference this year is the (Aspen Chamber Resort Association) contribution,” Lesley wrote. “Last year, we received a check for $50,000 from (the chamber), of which we allocated $30,000 toward operations and $20,000 toward marketing. This year the entire $50,000 stays with (the chamber) and will be utilized to market Aspen around this event.”

Other changes are planned, according to the memo. At the one-day event in August 2011, the finish line was on Main Street near the Pitkin County Courthouse. This year's ending on Aug. 22 will be in the vicinity of Paepcke Park. A “finish-line festival” is being planned at the park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., complete with vendors, media broadcasts, a big-screen TV for race viewing, live entertainment and a beer garden. Last year, a similar event at Wagner Park was relatively unsuccessful because bad weather marred the video quality and hampered the tents that housed the vendors. A VIP tent will be erected across from the park on Main Street.

In addition to the festival, city organizers plan to create a “local's corner” based around Original Curve, the last corner until the final stretch on Main Street to the finish..."  (Read more?  Click title)

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