CENTRAL SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — GThe Downtown Partnership has unveiled an updated vision for Colorado Springs that could bring significant upgrades to the city's music and entertainment scene to name a few.
The entertainment and arts fit into one of five goals. Chelsea Gondeck, CEO of the Downtown Partnership, said the first goal for the Elevate Downtown plan is to make downtown the heart of the region.
"That's everything from small business to innovative businesses and working with our educational partners and institutions that we have downtown, kind of a catch-all," Gondeck said.
Number two is about the residents. Gondeck said over the past decade, it was the Downtown Partnership's goal to make Downtown feel more like a neighborhood.
"We want to be the most welcoming and vibrant neighborhood in town," she said.
The third goal bridge the outdoors with the urban atmosphere of Downtown Colorado Springs.
Goal four is about making the Downtown area walkable and perfect for the "human form".
"Downtown is 1 square mile of our city and we really want to make sure that it's safe and accessible for people to move in and around downtown outside of their vehicle," Gondeck said.
And the fifth goal is all about the arts and culture scene.
"We have a wealth of creative economy businesses from from galleries to all of the beautiful murals and statues that you see throughout downtown, but we also have these great assets like the US Olympic and Paralympic," said Gondeck.
This specific goal in part focuses on enhancing existing venues like the Bandshell and the City Auditorium, as well as launching a new concert series at Acacia Park this summer. Colorado Springs City Council is expected to vote on the full plan next week.
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Chelsea Gondeck, CEO of the Downtown Partnership, said the goal is to grow in a way that stays true to what makes Colorado Springs special.
"How do we do this in a manner that keeps true to the unique identity of Colorado Springs while also making sure that we're building a downtown that people want to continue to live in, move to, or shop in," Gondeck said.
Jesse Morreale, founder and CEO of AVA Presents, said bringing bigger acts to downtown Colorado Springs would be a game changer for residents. His company is working on modernizing the City Auditorium.
"Being able to go downtown to see the caliber of artists that we're planning to have there, instead of having to drive all the way to Denver, I mean, just that is pretty exciting," Morreale said.
The City Auditorium is one of the venues at the center of the Elevate Downtown plan. Morreale said the goal is to have it operational sooner than many might expect.
"Our goal is to be in service ideally by quarter 1 of next year," Morreale said.
"How can we make again this historic facility usable and feasible for the active innovations that we want to see in it like live music," Gondeck said about the renovations.
Morreale tells News5 he is looking for input on what Colorado Springs residents want to see once the City Auditorium is open and booking entertainment.
Something coming up this summer is a concert series Downtown. Acacia Park being central to the summer entertainment vision. Michelle Winchell of Downtown Colorado Springs said the park's location makes it an ideal outdoor venue.
"It is unlike other larger cities, so for us to essentially have a concert venue in one of our historic downtown parks in the heart of the city will be both impactful for our residents and our local musicians to perform," Winchell said.
Gondeck said live events could also serve as a gateway for residents to discover what Downtown Colorado Springs already has to offer.
"Getting them to come downtown and recognizing all of the unique boutiques or restaurants, food and beverage opportunities that they might not be aware of until they physically come downtown," Gondeck said.
This article is only a glimpse into the plan. If you want to read the whole plan, you can click here.
City Council will vote on the entire plan next week on the 26th. News5 will be there.
