The town of Nederland, Colorado, is contemplating the purchase of Eldora Mountain Resort, which has been up for sale since August 2024. The ski area, which opened in 1962, is currently owned by Powdr, and the town needs to raise between $100 million and $200 million to facilitate the acquisition. Town Administrator Jon Cain has emphasized the significance of this opportunity for local economic development, although a financial analysis has yet to be completed to assess the feasibility of the purchase [d3c6a638].
Eldora's potential acquisition comes at a time when the outdoor recreation economy in the U.S. reached an impressive $1.2 trillion in 2023. In Colorado, the number of outdoor recreation jobs has increased to 132,594, reflecting the growing importance of this sector to the state's economy [d3c6a638]. The Denver-owned Winter Park resort serves as a model for potential management strategies that Nederland could adopt if the acquisition goes through [d3c6a638].
In addition to the Eldora consideration, Rep.-elect Jeff Hurd is focusing on engaging with constituents in Colorado's 3rd District and has expressed support for relocating the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) headquarters to Grand Junction. Meanwhile, Durango is exploring the possibility of bidding for the 2030 Mountain Bike World Championships, which would celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first event. This reflects a broader trend of communities in Colorado seeking to leverage outdoor recreation for economic growth [d3c6a638].