Ameristar Casino, downtown Blackhawk
As an avid skier and part-time ski instructor at Winter Park Ski Resort, I spend lot of time driving on the Peak to Peak highway through the towns of Blackhawk and Central City, Colorado, a mere 30-minute drive south of Nederland. Their histories are complicated, founded as mining boom towns in the 1800s, where thousands of men came to seek their fortunes gold mining. Then followed by bust in the 1900s where populations dwindled, and both towns verged on ghost town status. Followed by a rebirth when Colorado passed laws granting them permission to offer legalized gambling.
Gambling that has become a huge revenue producer for the state of Colorado, generating hundreds of millions of dollars and over 7 million dollars in taxes. This from a town that had around 120 year-round residents.
Usually my drive through Blackhawk takes all of a minute or two — a stop a stoplight, one at stop sign, and I’m on my way. But not this winter. One one particular day, I felt like I was trapped in Blackhawk from all the detours and waiting in construction zones. And I’ve also noticed changes to Blackhawk — big changes. Lots of construction going on — roads being torn up and widened, buildings being imploded in order to build new ones. But this is more than just another small casino going up, this is about something much, much bigger.
Four hundred million dollars is being pumped into Blackhawk on the ultimate big bet — to build a 23-story Luxury Spa and Casino, complete with over 500 guest rooms. While there are several casinos and hotels in the towns of Blackhawk and Central City, the major player that literally towers over all the rest is Ameristar Casino and Hotel. Its massive tower dominates the landscape in this mountain valley and draws the lion’s share of overnight guests.
The Monarch Casino is betting that there is enough of gambling market this close to Denver to fill those rooms and provide business at its luxury spa. But I have to wonder — is this really what we want for our historic towns of Colorado?
This country already has a Las Vegas, a Reno, and numerous gambling havens. In fact, Las Vegas is a huge draw for Front Range residents who enjoy nightlife, shows and gambling. Airfares from Denver to Las Vegas are very competitive, and relatively short as well.
What exactly do the hope to accomplish by building massive resorts in what was a quaint mining town?
Being a lover of history I worry about what this means for the history of Blackhawk and remembering its roots. It feels like the more and more commercial it gets, its historical nature gets forgotten. For the sake of its residents and other Coloradans, I hope they can find the right balance of tourism and remembering its heritage.
