Too Many Tourists In Colorado

[dunfree]

Every hotel room is booked every weekend..

If midweeks aren't, that's where you add the festivals. If you don't, someone else will.

[AK47bp]

Hilarious.

People bitching that when they go places now it's too crowded?

Uhh, stop going there, you ARE the problem.

[muted]

Remember, it's close to Texas.

Good point. I think I asked almost everyone where they were from on dozens of gondola rides in Telluride, and many were from Texas.

[muted]

Hah! There is a different festival or event there literally every week all summer. Every hotel room is booked every weekend. They try hard to cultivate their image as a sleepy mountain town, but it hasn't been that way for a long time.

Ya, hotel nights during festivals are unaffordable. Had to delay our trip by a day because of this.

[Danno]

The only people who have a right to complain about too many tourists are people who were a) born there and b) have made their living from a non-tourist business. Anyone here qualify? (Not that complaining about it will do any good.)

I don't qualify even though I've been here almost a quarter century and don't even work in the private sector. But I do not buy this line of thought; even if your business is "non-tourist", you'd have to go further and say a business that does not depend in any way on the local economy. Because even if you make widgets, if local businesses are buying your widgets, you're benefiting from the growth. But your whole premise is flawed because

You mean the people who were born here and are either the:

a) descendants of recent transplants

- or -

b) descendants of people who murdered the Native Americans who lived here and stole their land?

No one has any right to complain about people moving anywhere - especially not in Colorado. This land is your land, this land is my land. If you don't like it, go fuck yourself. Northern Nevada is beautiful this time of year and you'll probably have the place to yourself for a while.

See you on I-70.

This. First, we're all entitled to move where we want; we're constitutionally guaranteed that right. And second, unless you're native, you're still an interloper.

[muted]

Also tourism tax and all money spent by tourists benefits everyone in town, no matter where they work, as Danno mentioned. Everyones boat rises in the flood.

A gross generalization, but you get my drift.

[stfu&gbtw]

Any "local" who moved somewhere because the property taxes are lower than average, who in turn complains that their infrastructure sucks, should do everyone a favor and shoot themselves in the face. I can't count the number of politicians who've tried to sarcastically ask me if I'd pay higher taxes in exchange for a particular resource. They're always amazed that the answer is yes. Pretty sure no one ever built a highway just with sales tax.

[KQ]

John Denver's full of shit.

John Denver is now part of Colorado and being trod upon by all those tourists.

Funeral services were held at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado, on October 17, 1997, officiated by Pastor Les Felker, a retired Air Force chaplain, following which Denver's remains were cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Rocky Mountains.

[Danno]

Any "local" who moved somewhere because the property taxes are lower than average, who in turn complains that their infrastructure sucks, should do everyone a favor and shoot themselves in the face. I can't count the number of politicians who've tried to sarcastically ask me if I'd pay higher taxes in exchange for a particular resource. They're always amazed that the answer is yes. Pretty sure no one ever built a highway just with sales tax.

with you on that one too. I feel like I'm one of the few people who likes paying taxes (well, doesn't like it, but I get that its part of our whole society contract).

[TahoeJ]

I qualify.

I don't really bitch about the tourists though. For better or worse, it's a huge part of the economy here, always will be.

Doesn't take that much creativity to get away from them, either.

I qualify, but not for CO. And yeah, it's pretty easy to know when they're coming and how to avoid them and their traffic. This applies to any tourist-driven locale. Real locals rarely complain about tourists because more often than not it's nothing new. There are exceptions, of course.

[doebedoe]

Any "local" who moved somewhere because the property taxes are lower than average, who in turn complains that their infrastructure sucks, should do everyone a favor and shoot themselves in the face. I can't count the number of politicians who've tried to sarcastically ask me if I'd pay higher taxes in exchange for a particular resource. They're always amazed that the answer is yes. Pretty sure no one ever built a highway just with sales tax.

I agree with Danno often, but it's not everyday I give grumpy old STFU a big +1.

I used to bitch about tourists a bunch when I was a kid growing up in Florida. At least tourists in CO like weed and are often attractive young females.

I don't bitch any more. Nor do I work in an industry that is getting much help from tourists. Gov't -- but the vast majority of our $$$ are federal grants that would occur w/ or w/o tourism or growth. In fact, growth fucks us pretty hard as we're supposed to serve more and more people with the same amount of $'s.

[BmillsSkier]

John Denver's full of shit.

Denver eh? The sunshine state.

Gorgeous!

I feel like these two didn't get enough play. Kudos.


Hugh would have a field day with Old Goat's nativism test. Lol, only on a ski forum. I'll high five all you core locals all the way from EGE to the Beav this winter every time I'm coming through. Twice at the property tax office too if you care to join me.

Stfu nailed it. Danno added the constitutional sprinkles on the cake.

[Danno]

Old Goat's nativism test. Lol, only on a ski forum.

wrong. this shit is all over the place, hardly unique to the ski forum.

And FFS, can you stop sucking Hugh's cock, I would have thought you'd have choked to death by now.

[BmillsSkier]

John Denver's full of shit.

wrong. this shit is all over the place, hardly unique to the ski forum.

And FFS, can you stop sucking Hugh's cock, I would have thought you'd have choked to death by now.

True it is everywhere.

Hey man, I'm just pointing out this was Hugh's schtick. Matter of fact that's all I point out regarding him. Did he hit on your wife or something?

[The SnowShow]

Says who?

I think that there is a valid discussion to be had about whether the goal should be attracting as many tourists as possible at all times without regards to capacity, sustainability, dilution of experience for all, and impact on the community.

My question is if there is so much money pouring in, where is the infrastructure investment to support the capacity?

Thank you! I mentioned this in the I70 thread. 77 million tourons visited CO in 2015. Where's the fucking money to support this unsustainable increase? Also, apparently we need to hire more park ranger baby sitters to monitor popular spots like Hanging Lake because every touron idiot has to get their selfie or Instagram pic walking on the log or trashing up the place or bothering wildlife.

[topwater]

There has got to be a balance imo. My biggest issue is the segment (usually chamber and marketing folks) who think there are never enough tourists in town (especially in summer) and will never consider that maybe adding another event to a busy week / weekend is not a good idea.

I think summer is becoming more of an issue because many of winter tourists visit without vehicles due to all of the seasonal flights, lodging shuttle buses, and less roaming since they are going to ski. In the summer everyone has a car, so traffic and crowding in smaller towns can be far worse even with less tourists than in the winter.

[Timberridge]

As I alluded to earlier, I think weed has something to do with it, and songs like this...


I almost joined the Navy in 1987 because of one of their other songs.

[Danno]

Hey man, I'm just pointing out this was Hugh's schtick. Matter of fact that's all I point out regarding him. Did he hit on your wife or something?

Search for posts by you that mention Hugh. There's like 9 or 10 in the last 2 months alone, pining for Hugh to see or comment on some post. He's like some icon for you; 10 years from now you'll still be sucking his cock!

[Danno]

I'm looking forward to occupying Disneyland next month!
my crew is on a mission to crush the magic kingdom zone

I'll be rocking disneyland on Oct 9th!

[Benny Profane]

John Denver is now part of Colorado and being trod upon by all those tourists.

Maybe not. By now, maybe he wound up at the bottom of Lake Powell, after all those seasons of run off.

[Foggy_Goggles]

The idea that you regulate visitors is hilarious. As mentioned, the true challenge is how do you pay for all the services consumed and infrastructure used by visitors that do not pay property tax? Winter Park and Fraser both have sales tax over 10% plus hotel and lodging tax plus a 1% real estate transfer tax. The problem to me is that the BLM and FS have no money and the forests are getting trashed.

I honestly think that as a community, we need to do a better job at setting expectations for the behavior of our visitors. Many people give them a free pass because they bring their wallets. Somehow it is OK for visitors to speed, litter, be drunk and obnoxious, etc. while residents are held to a different standard.

For me the challenge is the busyness of the non-peak times. As mentioned, their has been a big push to get budget travelers here during Oct., Nov., May etc. Friday has been the new Saturday forever. Now everyday is the new Friday. Thankfully Sunday afternoon is the new Monday.

I'm not complaining, there are still pretty of places go get away. I have to work my ass off to afford what I've got, but the wage scale vs. expenses (real estate) is still pretty reasonable around here.

[BmillsSkier]

Search for posts by you that mention Hugh. There's like 9 or 10 in the last 2 months alone, pining for Hugh to see or comment on some post. He's like some icon for you; 10 years from now you'll still be sucking his cock!

Sounds like you've given it some serious thought. Get back to me when you've parsed the rest of my 11,000 posts.

I wasn't aware you and I had beef. But if you need to feel better by coming at me over a well-placed name drop (while complimenting your post) to get you through Monday, then by all means man.

[Toadman]

Could be worse. If no one wanted to go to CO, it probably would because it turned into a nuclear wasteland full of radioactive fallout. But looking on the bright side; blower radioactive pow face shots!!!

[Danno]

Sounds like you've given it some serious thought. Get back to me when you've parsed the rest of my 11,000 posts.

I wasn't aware you and I had beef. But if you need to feel better by coming at me over a well-placed name drop (while complimenting your post) to get you through Monday, then by all means man.

I don't have a beef with you, settle down old man! I do notice when people praise that asshole (I happen to think this place has been way better since he left), and I have noticed you doing so on numerous occasions (I only searched because you challenged the notion that you mention him a lot). Sorry if my salty language offended your delicate sensibilities.

[east or bust]

can anyone comment on telluride in the summer vs winter? I was there in prime time ski season this past year and didn't think it was out of control touristy at all. lots of people yea, but not really for a major ski destination. I will say I don't think I could have handled staying at the resort.