PHOTOS: Gunnison Memorial Day ceremony, A5
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VOL. 143 NO. 22 | THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2024 | $1.00
Little Blue to wrap up with bridge opening in July Kebler Pass to open Friday Bella Biondini Times Editor
Construction crews plan to coordinate the completion date of the Little Blue Creek Canyon project — now a year and a half over schedule — with the partial reopening of Blue Mesa Reservoir’s middle bridge. Little Blue A6
INSIDE
TODAY NEWS: Meet the GCEA board candidates, A8
COMMUNITY: Traditional textiles in Gunnison, B1
COTTONWOOD CRUISERS: Cyclists had the road all to themselves as they wound up to the top of the Continental Divide during the annual Cottonwood Classic on May 23. Near the crest of the pass, bikers pedaled through a recently-plowed snow tunnel that was nearly 15 feet tall. For more, see A10. (Photo by Bella Biondini)
County considers Western’s summer conferences bring road funding thousands into measure, STR valley regulations Both planned for end of 2025
SPORTS: Seven Western athletes named All-American, B6 OBITUARIES A2 OPINION A4 CLASSIFIEDS A15-A18 SPORTS B6 ONLINE GUNNISONTIMES.COM
Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
Gunnison County is setting timelines for its yearslong intention to ask voters to support a ballot question for road and bridge maintenance and commit to formal licensing rules for short-term rentals (STR). The county’s most recent strategic plan draft states that both will be done by the end of next year. The county’s strategic plan, a
document that guides how its three county commissioners create policy, is updated every two years. County staff will provide feedback over the coming months before commissioners adopt the new version by the end of 2024. Commissioners reviewed a draft during a work session on May 14. Since the last revision, staff added new goals: committing to STR licensing procedures, completing a master plan for transportation, development and infrastructure that stretches from Gunnison to Mt. Crested Butte and updating its land County plan A3
Revenue from events surpasses $1 million Bella Biondini Times Editor
The Gunnison Valley’s short summer months are filled with pulses of visitors who travel to the valley to attend events like the Growler mountain bike race, the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival and the Cattlemen's Days Rodeo. During this time of year, sales
tax collections spike and business booms downtown. School's out for college students attending Western Colorado University, but its campus stays lively, and its dorms full, in June and July. Gunnison lacks a conference center that can cater to thousands of visitors, so Western has become a high-demand venue for summer athletic camps and other events. In the coming months, the university will attract close to 16,000 people on top of the valley’s regular flow of summertime tourists. In 2023, Western crested $1 million in revenue from Conferences A6